Ethnobotanical study on herbal tea drinks in Guangxi, China

Long, Tingyu; Hu, Renchuan; Cheng, Zhuo; Xu, Chuangui; Hu, Qimin; Liu, Qingling; Gu, Ronghui; Huang, Yanyan; Chen, Long

doi:10.1186/s13002-023-00579-3

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Sarcandra glabra, Centella asiatica, and Gynostemma pentaphyllum are the most commonly available plants used for making Liáng chá. Similar findings can also be found in the "Ethnobotanical study on herbal tea drinks in Guangxi, China" [37]. Some vendors prepare Centella asiatica with added sugar to create a refreshing tea beverage, which is sold at a price of 10 yuan per cup.…”

Section: Tea Substitutessupporting

confidence: 77%

Wild edible plants and their cultural significance among the Zhuang ethnic group in Fangchenggang, Guangxi, China

Liu,

Huang,

Bin

et al. 2023

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

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Introduction Fangchenggang is situated in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, renowned for its rich biodiversity and ethnically diverse population. The Zhuang people, constituting the largest minority group in the area, possess a wealth of traditional knowledge concerning wild edible plants (WEPs) owing to the region's favorable environment and dietary customs. With the rapid development of urbanization, tourism, and trade, the Zhuang people's food culture, including the consumption of wild edible plants, has become an attractive aspect of urban development. However, there is almost no comprehensive report available on WEPs consumed by the Zhuang people. The objectives of this study were to: (1) conduct a comprehensive ethnobotanical investigation of the WEPs among the Zhuang people in the region; (2) evaluate the cultural food significance index (CFSI) for the local communities; (3) summarize the cultural characteristics of the wild edible plants consumed, providing scientific support for the development of Fangchenggang as a sustainable and attractive tourism destination. Methods Ethnobotanical investigation including market surveys, semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews and participatory observations was conducted in Fangchenggang from January 2021 to March 2023. A total of 137 informants were selected using the snowball method. Information about WEPs, including vernacular names, food categories, parts used, mode of consumption, collecting season, and recipes, was collected and recorded. The CFSI (cultural food significance index) was calculated to identify the most culturally significant WEPs. Results A total of 163 species of wild edible plants consumed by the Zhuang people were identified, belonging to 67 families. The main categories of WEPs include wild vegetables (69) and tea substitutes (42). The most commonly consumed parts are fruits (37), followed by whole plants (33) and leaves (21), with herbaceous plants (74) being the most numerous. The availability of wild edible plants remains high throughout the year, with the peak seasons occurring in August and October, and significant abundance also noted in July and November. In the highly significant category (CFSI > 500), a total of 15 plant species were identified, which play a crucial role in the local diet. Additionally, 17 alien species have become part of the local consumption of wild plants, with 7 species listed as invasive alien species. Discussion and Conclusions This study documented 163 wild edible plant species and their associated traditional knowledge of the Zhuang people. The research identified culturally significant WEPs and analyzed their multiple uses. The historical development of wild plant consumption in Fangchenggang showed the strong influence of natural and social environments on the Zhuang ethnic group's dietary traditions. The WEPs are characterized by “sour food”, “fresh ingredients” and “cold dishes”, aligning with their health-oriented philosophy of “homology of medicine and food”. Future prospects encompass the cultivation of economically sustainable wild edible plants (WEPs), the preservation of their traits through cross-breeding, ensuring safe consumption through research and safety evaluations, and advocating for the preservation of WEPs' culinary culture to support tourism and sustainable urban development.

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Section: Tea Substitutessupporting

confidence: 77%

Wild edible plants and their cultural significance among the Zhuang ethnic group in Fangchenggang, Guangxi, China

Liu,

Huang,

Bin

et al. 2023

J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine

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“…Chinese traditional medicine theory believes that traditional Chinese herbal supplements positively affect health promotion. In some regions of China, there is a widespread habit of consuming Chinese herbal supplements (including drinking herbal tea), and some research has shown that these habits have a high level of acceptance among the local population [ 28 , 29 ]. However, these health-protective effects from traditional Chinese herbal supplements are often considered preliminary because of the potential effectiveness of placebos [ 30 ] and the lack of validation from long-term, large-scale cohort studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of Drinking Herbal Tea with Activities of Daily Living among Elderly: A Latent Class Analysis

Tao,

Liao,

Zheng

et al. 2023

Nutrients

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The aim of this study was to explore whether drinking herbal tea and tea would positively benefit activities of daily living (ADL) in the elderly. We used data from the Chinese longitudinal healthy longevity survey (CLHLS) to explore the association. Drinking herbal tea and drinking tea were divided into three groups using latent class analysis (LCA): frequently, occasionally, and rarely. ADL disability was measured by the ADL score. Multivariate COX proportional hazards models with competing risks were used to explore the impact of drinking herbal tea and tea on ADL disability, statistically adjusted for a range of potential confounders. A total of 7441 participants (mean age 81.8 years) were included in this study. The proportions of frequently and occasionally drinking herbal tea were 12.0% and 25.7%, respectively. Additionally, 29.6% and 28.2% of participants reported drinking tea, respectively. Multivariate COX regression showed that compared with rarely drinking, frequently drinking herbal tea could effectively reduce the incidence of ADL disability (HR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.77–0.93, p = 0.005), whereas tea drinking had a relatively weaker effect (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.83–0.99, p = 0.040). Subgroup analysis found that frequently drinking herbal tea was more protective for males under 80 years old (HR = 0.74 and 0.79, respectively), while frequently drinking tea was somewhat protective for women (HR = 0.92). The results indicate that drinking herbal tea and tea may be associated with a lower incidence of ADL disability. However, the risks associated with using Chinese herb plants still deserve attention.

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“…The leaves of this medicinal plant contain several saponins, polysaccharides, flavonoids, phytosterols and other bioactive ingredients that effectively act as anti-cancer and anti-atherogenic agents as well as affording neuroprotective and hepatoprotective properties ( Su et al., 2021 ). Apart from its use in traditional Chinese medicine, G. pentaphyllum leaves are also utilized in tea production ( Long et al., 2023 ). Due to its diverse range of applications, G. pentaphyllum has been praised as “southern ginseng” in China.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transcriptomics and metabolomics association analysis revealed the responses of Gynostemma pentaphyllum to cadmium

Zhou,

Yao,

Huang

et al. 2023

Front. Plant Sci.

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Gynostemma pentaphyllum an important medicinal herb, can absorb high amounts of cadmium (Cd) which can lead to excessive Cd contamination during the production of medicines and tea. Hence, it is crucial to investigate the response mechanism of G. pentaphyllum under Cd stress to develop varieties with low Cd accumulation and high tolerance. Physiological response analysis, transcriptomics and metabolomics were performed on G. pentaphyllum seedlings exposed to Cd stress. Herein, G. pentaphyllum seedlings could significantly enhance antioxidant enzyme activities (POD, CAT and APX), proline and polysaccharide content subject to Cd stress. Transcriptomics analysis identified the secondary metabolites, carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and signal transduction pathways associated with Cd stress, which mainly involved the XTH, EXP and GST genes. Metabolomics analysis identified 126 differentially expressed metabolites, including citric acid, flavonoid and amino acids metabolites, which were accumulated under Cd stress. Multi-omics integrative analysis unraveled that the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, starch, and sucrose metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, and ABC transporter were significantly enriched at the gene and metabolic levels in response to Cd stress in G. pentaphyllum. In conclusion, the genetic regulatory network sheds light on Cd response mechanisms in G. pentaphyllum.

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Ethnobotanical study on herbal tea drinks in Guangxi, China

Cited by 13 publications

References 47 publications

Wild edible plants and their cultural significance among the Zhuang ethnic group in Fangchenggang, Guangxi, China

Wild edible plants and their cultural significance among the Zhuang ethnic group in Fangchenggang, Guangxi, China

Association of Drinking Herbal Tea with Activities of Daily Living among Elderly: A Latent Class Analysis

Transcriptomics and metabolomics association analysis revealed the responses of Gynostemma pentaphyllum to cadmium

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