Ethnobotany applied to the selection of medicinal plants for agroecological crops in rural communities in the Southern End of Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

The present work targeted the ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants for introduction to agroecological crops in 9 rural communities in the southern end of the state of Bahia, Brazil, as an economic and therapeutic alternative for the local populations. Prior agreement from the communities was requested and the research was submitted to the ethics committee; the registration of access to genetic heritage and associated traditional knowledge was performed. The following methodologies were used: participant observation, "snowball", "walking in the woods"; semi-structured questionnaires and calculation of the Main Uses Concordance index (CUPc). The species were evaluated according to their origin and degree of threat. 233 species, distributed in 73 families, were cited, with emphasis on Asteraceae (27spp.), Fabaceae (18 spp.) and Lamiaceae (16 spp.). Among these, 48% are native, 52% are naturalized and/or exotic and one vulnerable species was found (Euterpe edulis Mart.) and one endangered (Cariniana legalis (Mart.) Kuntze). The CUPc revealed 25 spp. with a value equal to or greater than 50% in at least one community. These results are expected to contribute to the selection of medicinal plants that serve as an economic and therapeutic alternative for vulnerable communities, as well as in stimulating the preservation of sociobiodiversity.