Abstract
This paper examines the use of medicinal plants by Latino healers in New York City to treat various women’s illnesses. Eight Latino healers collaborated on the study through consultations with female patients who had one of the following conditions as diagnosed by biomedically trained physicians: uterine fibroids, hot flashes, menorrhagia, or endometriosis. The study identified a total of 67 plant species prescribed by the healers in the form of mixtures or as individual plants. Voucher specimens were collected from local botánicas and identified by specialists at The New York Botanical Garden. Studies of immigrant traditional healers and the plants they use in an urban setting can provide interesting ethnobotanical data and information to assist in diagnosing conditions and contributing to treatment of patients from Latino as well as non-Latino communities.
Resumen
Este documento examina el uso de plantas medicinales por curanderos Latinos en la ciudad de Nueva York en el tratamiento de varias enfermedades en mujeres. Ocho curanderos Latinos colaboraron en el estudio a través de consultas con pacientes mujeres que tenían una de las siguentes condiciones de salud diagnosticadas por médicos: fibroma del útero, incrementos de temperatura repentinos, menorrea o endometriosis. El estudio identificó un total de 67 especies de plantas presentas por los curanderos ya sea en mezclas o individualmente. Muestras de los especímenes fueron colectadas en botánicas locales e identificadas por especialistas en El Jardín Botánico de Nueva York. Estudios de curanderos tradicionales inmigrantes y sus plantas en un área urbana pueden proveer datos etnobotánicos interesantes e información que asista en el diagnóstico del estado de salud y contribuya al tratamiento de pacientes tanto de comunidades Latinos, como no Latinos.
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Balick, M.J., Kronenberg, F., Ososki, A.L. et al. Medicinal plants used by latino healers for women’s health conditions in New York City. Econ Bot 54, 344–357 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02864786
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02864786