Persistence of the Use of Medicinal Plants in Rural Communities of theWestern Arid Chaco [Córdoba, Argentina]

摘要

Rural communities have complex strategies for health conservation: the use of local pharmacopoeia, visits to“curanderos” [traditional healers] and the use of the scientific official system of medicine. Through 129 semi-structuredsurveys in 6 villages of the Arid Chaco forest of western Cordoba Province 151 plants species (117 natives and 34exotics) were registered for diverse uses: digestive, external frictions, respiratory, diuretic, circulatory, sedative, magic,feminine, etc. Besides, differential use by men and women was registered associated to particular cultural roles. 90% ofthe species were previously registered for the region by several botanists, folklorists and geographers. Thus, a historicalcontinuum in the knowledge of medicinal plants can be pointed out. This knowledge on medicinal plants seems to be partof the culture of the “criollos”, inhabitants of the rural areas of Argentina traditionally dedicated to stockbreeding.Although same socio-cultural changes occurred in the last 100 years, still persist an ethno-medic system related to acomprehensive treatment of patients, which try the disorders simultaneously in physical, emotional, mental, spiritual andenvironmental levels.