2008 Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by Hakka in Guangdong, China

Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Volume 117, Issue 1, 17 April 2008, Pages 41-50

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by Hakka in Guangdong, China  (Article)

Au, D.T., 

Wu, J., 

Jiang, Z., 

Chen, H., 

Lu, G., 

Zhao, Z. 

 

School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

View references (59)

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted to collect information on the use of medicinal plants by the Hakka living in Guangdong. Aim of the study: This investigation was to document valuable knowledge represented by Hakka herbal medicine. Materials and methods: Information was obtained from semi-structured interviews, personal conversations with practitioners, direct observations, and by reviewing studies of Hakka and Cantonese reported in the literature. Results: Our data covered 94 species belonging to 77 genera in 40 families. We found that most species used for medical purposes were for hepatitis (14 species) and skin diseases (12 species). These disorders are prevalent and are primarily treated with medicinal plants. For treatment, the plants were mainly used as teas (Luica, Bugingca and Lopêdca), medicinal baths and soups. The Hakka and non-Hakka people living in Guangdong use different medicinal plants and, in some cases, use the same medicinal plants differently. Conclusions: The fast disappearance of traditional culture and natural resources due to urbanization and industrialization suggests that unrecorded information may be lost forever. Thus, there is an urgent need both to record this valuable Hakka medicinal knowledge and to encourage its transfer to the next generation. © 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Author keywords

Cantonese; Ethnobotany; Hakka medicinal plants; Hoklos; Lingnan herbal teas

Indexed keywords

EMTREE drug terms: Acorus tatarinowa extract; Agrimonia pilosa extract; Allium altaicum extract; Allium tuberosum extract; Alsophila spinulosa extract; Amygdalus davidiana extract; Anemone vitifolia extract; Anoectochilus roxburghii extract; Aristolochia fangchi extract; Armeniaca mume extract; Artemisia annua extract; Artemisia argyi extract; Artemisia scoparia extract; Baphicacanthus cusia extract; Blumea megacephala extract; Boehmeria nivea extract; Callicarpa dichotoma extract; Callicarpa formosana extract; Callicarpa macrophylla extract; Camellia sinensis extract; Canavalia gladiata extract; Cassia tora extract; Centipeda minima extract; Cirsium japonicum extract; Citrus grandis extract; Citrus reticulata extract; Combretum wallichii extract; Desmodium styracifolium extract; plant extract; unclassified drug; unindexed drug

EMTREE medical terms: arthralgia; article; bleeding; China; cholecystitis; common cold; constipation; dermatitis; diarrhea; drug research; dysentery; eczema; ethnobotany; favism; headache; hepatitis; human; hypertension; influenza; liver protection; low back pain; malaria; parotitis; pruritus; scabies; skin disease; stomach pain; tea; thorax pain; tinnitus

MeSH: China; Ethnobotany; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Plants, Medicinal
Medline is the source for the MeSH terms of this document.

ISSN: 03788741 CODEN: JOETDSource Type: Journal Original language: English

DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.01.016 PubMed ID: 18313871Document Type: Article

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  Zhao, Z.; School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong; email:zzzhao@hkbu.edu.hk
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