Ethnopharmaceutical knowledge in Samogitia region of Lithuania: where old traditions overlap with modern medicine
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2019-11-15 |
History of pharmacy section.
ISBN 978-9955-15-632-1.
Bibliogr.: p. 20
Introduction: Modern ethnopharmaceutical studies are still quite unusual in Northern Europe. Data regarding the medicinal use of plants, animals, and fungi and also of spiritual rituals of healing is obtained mostly from ethnographic and folkloric sources in Lithuania [1,2]. We hypothesized that despite positive changes in modern medical assistance during last years, and despite increased accessibility to commercially produced remedies that can be purchased at pharmacies or recommended by qualified physicians, local inhabitants in villages still actively use traditional medicine. Materials and methods: The study was performed in the central part of the Samogitia region located in the western part of the country, Telsiai County. Ethnopharmaceutical information was collected using semi-structured and structured interviews. The study sample was selected using a snowball technique. We tried to obtain as much information as possible by recording local names of plants, their preparation techniques, parts used, modes of administration and application for therapeutic purposes, use of single or mixture of plants for remedy preparation, dose requirement, and usable duration regarding each medicine. Information concerning other traditional remedies used in local folk medical practices was also collected. Materials of animal, mineral, and other origin were considered. Results: The most popular plant preparations for use were tea and extract with alcohol. The most popular material of animal origin was Bufo bufo, and the most commonly used fungus was Phallus impudicus. The most popular mineral material in Samogitia traditional medicine was sand. Medicinal plants were the most frequently used for treatment of digestive tract disorders and disorders of respiratory tract. The Asteraceae family had the highest number of references. It was stated the most commonly used medicinal plants. Conclusions: As modern medical assistance [...].