Abstract

JUSTO-CHIPANA, Maida  and  MORAES R., Mónica. Medicinal plants marketed by chifleras of La Paz and El Alto cities (Bolivia). Ecología en Bolivia [online]. 2015, vol.50, n.2, pp.66-90. ISSN 1605-2528.

Due its both high cultural and biological diversity, in Bolivia the traditional medicine is practiced. Medicinal plants are sold in the cities of La Paz and El Alto, known as "chifleras", were women are in charge and mostly belong to an Aymaran origin. The focus of this study was to document the traditional knowledge and uses of medicinal plants marketed by the chifleras in both cities (Dpto. La Paz). During the dry season of 2013 semi-structured interviews both on Spanish and Aymara were carried out in La Paz (18) and El Alto (19) with 28 questions. Common names of plants, diseases treated, and preparation of the remedy were registered. As results, 105 specimens were identified, 94 to species, 11 to genus, and 10 remain indeterminate in both cities; the 52.7% are native and 47.3% introduced. In total were recorded from 31-40 plant families, the highest number of species was found in the Asteraceae (24%), Lamiaceae (11%), Solanaceae (7%), Brassicaceae, and Fabaceae-Papilionoideae (5%). The most frequently used species for both men (40%) and women (60%) were Clinopodium bolivianum (highest use value index 0.6), and Baccharis latifolia, Tripodanthus acutifolius, while seven species are exclusive for female ailments. Plant parts are used against 27-53 diseases and the most used are as follows: leaves (41.64%), stems (29.34%), flowers (15.56%), root (5.34%), fruits (3.1%), and the entire plant (4.8%). With this contribution it has increased mayor information that compare both cities on medicinal plants, treated diseases and use by gender as a basis for other studies.

Keywords : Diseases; Ethnobotany; Traditional practices.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )