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SAMPLE ABSTRACT |  PDF Medicinal
plant use by Kui traditional healers (Northeast Thailand). Arika Virapongse,
Chayan Picheansoonthon, Julraht Konsilb a Department of Pharmaceutical Botany
& Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Khon Kaen University,
Khon Kaen, 40002
b Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Introduction
The Kui (Austro-Asiatic: Mon-Khmer) are the original inhabitants of the lowland
parts of Northeast Thailand. Today, over 300,000 Kui people continue to reside
here. Preliminary surveys have indicated that the ethnomedicine of the Kui is
still active. Objectives
To identity the natural materials used
by Kui healers to treat health conditions and determine the methods used to prepare
these remedies. Methods
Thirty healers were selected, according
to established criteria, for an in-depth study of medicinal plants use. Interviews,
health condition logs, free-listing techniques, and plant specimen collection
were used to collect data. Results
Healers use a variety of
material medica including plants, animals and minerals. There were 363 species/types
recorded for treating 91 health conditions. Medicinal plants from 88 plant families
can be prepared fresh or by boiling, sanding, soaking, burning, roasting, and
steaming. The remedies can be consumed or smoked, applied topically, consumed,
or blown on the patient, or used as a bath or compress. Conclusion
Kui healers use mostly medicinal plants to treatment, which are from a broad range
of different plant families. Plants can be prepared and administered in numerous
ways. Medicinal plants still play a strong role in the local healthcare system
of Kui communities. Keywords: Kui, ethnomedicine Selected
references (up to 3 only)
1. Virapongse A. and Picheansoonthon C. (2005).
The sanding medicines: a unique method of herbal preparation among Kui traditional
healers (Northeast Thailand). Contributed paper, Society for Economic Botany annual
meeting, Fort Worth, Texas, USA. (June 7).
Presenting author:
Arika Virapongse, arikavira@yahoo.com |