The Trade in African Medicinal Plants in Matonge-Ixelles, Brussels (Belgium)

Abstract

(English)Maintaining cultural identity and preference to treat cultural bound ailments with herbal medicine are motivations for migrants to continue using medicinal plants from their home country after moving to Europe and the USA. As it is generally easier to import exotic food than herbal medicine, migrants often shift to using species that double as food and medicine. This paper focuses on the trade in African medicinal plants in a Congolese neighborhood in Brussels (Belgium). What African medicinal plants are sold in Matonge, where do they come from, and to which extent are they food medicines? Does vendor ethnicity influence the diversity of the herbal medicine sold? We hypothesized that most medicinal plants, traders, and clients in Matonge were of Congolese origin, most plants used medicinally were mainly food crops and that culture-bound illnesses played a prominent role in medicinal plant use. We carried out a market survey in 2014 that involved an inventory of medicinal plants in 19 shops and interviews with 10 clients of African descent, voucher collection and data gathering on vernacular names and uses. We encountered 83 medicinal plant species, of which 71% was primarily used for food. The shredded leaves of Gnetum africanum Welw., Manihot esculenta Crantz, and Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam were among the most frequently sold vegetables with medicinal uses. Cola nuts, shea butter, Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., and Mondia whitei (Hook.f.). Skeels were the main non-food medicines sold. Women’s health, aphrodisiacs, and rituals were the most important medicinal applications, but culture-bound ailments did not entirely dominate the plant uses. While most clients in Matonge were Congolese, most vendors and plant species were not. The Pakistanis dominated the food trade, and typical Congolese plants were sometimes replaced by West African species, creating confusion in vernacular names. African-managed shops had significantly more species of medicinal plants in stock than shops managed by Pakistanis. Almost all non-food herbal medicine was sold by Africans. Apart from informal shops, non-food herbal medicine was also sold from private homes and by ambulant vendors, probably to reduce costs and escape taxes and control by the authorities. We expect that in the future, increasing rent, strict regulations, and decreasing investments by the Congolese community will force the medicinal plant trade in Matonge to go even more underground.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12231-016-9365-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Traditional use of medicinal plants in the Chyangthapu-Phalaicha biological sub-corridor, Panchthar District, Kangchenjunga Landscape, Nepal

“…The ailment category 'sensorial disease' has the lowest degree of consensus (0) where only two informants cited two plant species (Artemisia dubia and Iresine herbstii) suggesting no exchange of information about their uses among the informants. The socio-culture bound syndrome was preferably treated with herbal medicine [105] because there is no synthetic treatment available [106]. These species should be given priority as they represent the cultural identity of the area [106,107].…”

“…The socio-culture bound syndrome was preferably treated with herbal medicine [105] because there is no synthetic treatment available [106]. These species should be given priority as they represent the cultural identity of the area [106,107]. Furthermore, detailed phytochemical screening of species showing high informant consensus can aid in the transfer of local knowledge to the global level [63,108].…”

Ethnobotanical Utilization of Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. according to Herbal Medicine Traders in Benin.

“…Despite the important historical and current use of medicinal plants by African populations, there has been relatively little research undertaken on medicinal plants in Africa, and, consequently, a lack relevant knowledge on the medicinal and magic utilization of plants species. For instance, van Andel et al [5] reported that a desire to maintain cultural identity and a preference to treat ailments with herbal medicines are motivations for migrants to continue using medicinal plants from their home country after moving to Europe and the USA. Medicinal plants in Africa and other parts of the world are collected from a wide range of vegetation types.…”

What risks do herbal products pose to the Australian community?

“…Although our review of herbal use in Australia noted a higher usage among younger women with tertiary education, 1 there is no doubt that other groups within the community may have specific culturally determined practices involving complementary medicines. A Belgian study in 2014, which revealed that a large number of African medicinal plants were being sold in Brussels, proposed that part of the reason for this trade for migrant groups was that it assisted in treating culturally defined illnesses, and helped to maintain cultural identity 2 . Morton also pointed out that up to 84% of pregnant women in African countries ingest soils, chalk or clay.…”

“…A Belgian study in 2014, which revealed that a large number of African medicinal plants were being sold in Brussels, proposed that part of the reason for this trade for migrant groups was that it assisted in treating culturally defined illnesses, and helped to maintain cultural identity. 2 Morton also pointed out that up to 84% of pregnant women in African countries ingest soils, chalk or clay. It is significant that such geophagia has been reported in 57% of Afro-American women in one county in Mississippi, United States.…”