Medical Ethnobotany of the Teribes of Bocas del Toro, Panama

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 96; no. 3; pp. 389 - 401
• Main Authors: Gupta, M.P., Solís, P.N., Calderón, A.I., Guinneau-Sinclair, F., Correa, M., Galdames, C., Guerra, C., Espinosa, A., Alvenda, G.I., Robles, G., Ocampo, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 15-01-2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: American Indians; Biological and medical sciences; Bocas del Toro; Ethnobotany; General pharmacology; herbal medicines; Humans; Indians, Central American; indigenous knowledge; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; medicinal properties; Medicine, Traditional; Panama; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; pharmacopoeia; Phytotherapy - methods; Plants, Medicinal; Teribe; Teribe American Indians; traditional medicine; Panama; Central America; America; Teribe; Bocas del Toro; Ethnobotany; Panama; Pharmacognosy; Plant origin; Medicinal plant
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2004.08.032

Ethnomedical uses of 108 medicinal plant species, belonging to 52 families, 89 genera, used by the Teribe Amerindians of Bocas del Toro Province in Panama, along with their socio-cultural practices are reported here. The methods of administration of the herbal remedies, the plant parts used, their families and local names are also documented. The recorded medicinal plants were used mainly for fever, various type of pain and inflammation. The potential value of 26 plants and their traditional uses was elucidated through literature search.