J Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Mar 6;199:211-230. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.01.048. Epub 2017 Jan 25.
- 1
- Laboratoire
Ecologie, Evolution, Interactions des Systèmes Amazoniens (LEEISA),
CNRS, Université de Guyane, IFREMER, 97300 Cayenne, France. Electronic address: guillaume.odonne@gmail.com.
- 2
- CNRS, UMR EcoFoG, AgroParisTech, Cirad, INRA, Université des Antilles, Université de Guyane, 97300 Cayenne, France.
- 3
- UMR 152 Pharma Dev, Université de Toulouse, IRD, UPS, France.
- 4
- Sorbonne
Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Laboratoire de Biodiversité et
Biotechnologies Microbiennes (LBBM), Observatoire Océanologique,
Banyuls-sur-Mer, France.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE:
Cutaneous
and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis are neglected tropical diseases that
occur in all intertropical regions of the world. Amazonian populations
have developed an abundant knowledge of the disease and its remedies.
Therefore, we undertook to review traditional antileishmanial plants in
Amazonia and have developed new tools to analyze this somewhat dispersed
information.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
A
literature review of traditional remedies for cutaneous/mucocutaneous
leishmaniasis in the Amazon was conducted and the data obtained was used
to calculate distribution indexes designed to highlight the most
relevant uses in Amazonia. The cultural distribution index represents
the distribution rate of a given taxon among different cultural groups
and was calculated as the ratio of the number of groups using the taxon
to the total number of groups cited. The geographical distribution index
allowed us to quantify spatial distribution of a taxon's uses in
Amazonia and was calculated geometrically by measuring the average
distance between the points where uses have been reported and the
barycenter of those points. The general distribution index was defined
as an arithmetic combination of the previous two and provides
information on both cultural and spatial criteria.
RESULTS:
475
use reports, concerning 291 botanical species belonging to 83 families
have been gathered depicted from 29 sources. Uses concern 34 cultural
groups. While the use of some taxa appears to be Pan-Amazonian, some
others are clearly restricted to small geographical regions. Particular
attention has been paid to the recipes and beliefs surrounding
treatments. Topical application of the remedies dominated the other
means of administration and this deserves particular attention as the
main treatments against Neotropical leishmaniasis are painful systemic
injections. The data set was analyzed using the previously defined
distribution indexes and the most relevant taxa were further discussed
from a phytochemical and pharmacological point of view.
CONCLUSIONS:
The
Amazonian biodiversity and cultural heritage host a fantastic amount of
data whose systematic investigation should allow a better large-scale
understanding of the dynamics of traditional therapies and the
consequent discovery of therapeutic solutions for neglected diseases.
Distribution indices are indeed powerful tools for emphasizing the most
relevant treatments against a given disease and should be very useful in
the meta-analysis of other regional pharmacopeia. This focus on
renowned remedies that have not yet benefitted from extended laboratory
studies, could stimulate future research on new treatments of natural
origin for leishmaniasis.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Amazonia; Distribution indexes; Ethnomedecine; Interculturality; Leishmaniasis; Medicinal plants; Traditional medicine
