Table Of ContentETHNOBOTANICAL CONSERVATION
ESTABLISHING
THE
A STUDY OF
CASE
PRIORITIES:
PHARMACOPOEIA
KALLAWAYA
Kevin D.Janni
Botanical Research Institute of Texas
509 Pecan
Street
Fort Worth, TX 76 02-4060, U.S.A.
1
[email protected]
Joseph W.Bastien
and
Department of Anthropology Sociology
University of Texas, Arlington
and should
Kallawaya
>
-ograms.The
rapid loss
Pharmacopoeia
Conservation, Ethnobotany, Kallawaya,
3,
RESUMEN
lawayade siguen una tradiciondecu radon de mcis
Bolivia
tiemporc
splantasa largo del
lo
INTRODUCTION
am mnowned
The
Kallawaya herbalists of Bolivia thioughoui Anjentina, Chile
Bolivia,
and Peru (Bastien 1987) (Fig. Living at altitudes of 2700-4300m and frequently travel-
1).
communities
ing to varied ecological zones, the Kallawaya have not only established
in
Andean
a continuity in folk medicine, they have also had the opportunity to greatly
augment pharmacopoeia way
their alone; die (Bastien 983; Abdel-Malek et 1996;
al.
1
& They
Janni Bastien n.d.). follow a medical tradition from the Tihuanaco (400-1145),
Mollo(1145-1453),lnca (1438-1 532),Spanish (1532-1 825),and Bolivian Republic (1825-
present) periods (Oblitas-Poblete 969; Bastien 982, 983, 987; Abdel-Malek et 996).
al.
1 1 1 1 1
The
Kallawaya utilize nearly 900 plants (Girault 1987) of the 2000 medicinal plants
re-
ported of (De Lucca & contemporary
in Bolivia Zalles-Asin 992). times syndicate
all In a
1
known
Medk
of herbalists as the Society for Bolivian rraditional ine (SOBOMETRA) has
been
responsible lm nut e n knowledge, while
in
| i i i I ii > i I ill > \ il il
the Servicio Integrado en Salud (SIENS) clinics in La Paz utilize both physicians and
(Abdel-Malek
etal. 1996).
Compiled from a survey of historical and ethnobotanical literature are 28 plants
that have been present in the health and healing practices of the Kallawaya since pre-
Columbian
times. This indigenous cultural knowledge extends deep into Kallawaya
taiqeting pLinlmn indigenous pharmee we
'-it v. L-v ot icmias foi onset va Lion priority not
c
only help sustain traditional cultural knowledge and biological diversity, but also the
ethnomedical practices of the community. Focusing ethn botai ca research on com-
I
munity level priorities helps target plants of cultural importance that frequently go un-
who
noticed by global conservation programs that are, "...the action of outsiders are
culturally and politically detached from the threatened envininnmnts and who
identify
species conservation through western economic
for models"(Etkin 1998). Discussion of
heeiv,
the conservation priorities of ethnobotanical res- ,m ten mmhably rare (Alcorn
Benz & &
995; et 996; Ftkin 998; Eisner Beiring 994; Laird et 997; Posey Balee
al.
1 1 1 1 al. 1
METHODS
tin
Data on pre-Columl iml were com-
n n n plants
<
i i i
piled by a survey of the historical literature (Anonimo 1703;Calancha 1638;Cobo 1891,
1892, 1893;Contreras & Valverde 1650; Jimeneza 1965; Monardes 1569;Oviedo 1535;
deOndegardol585;Vega1
Polo 609; Yacovleff & Herrera 1935). Information on medicinal
plants was often fragmentary and incomplete, but fourteen had two more
plants or
modern
references. Information from ethnobotanical was considerably more
literature
substantial and was compiled to see what plane, had petsemd since pre-Columbian-
Data on the Kallawaya pharmacopoeia ompiled >
era. wet.- b u 982,1983,1987),
-
i ,
m
including information therapeute eees and nor median.! economic The
et 1 uses.
1
,
\
^y%::
A
P0
|L )
Charazaniii* *
:
|:||
# M3
piri /
^v^requipa
^
*—
Cochabamba
///
.
//V #
]V;:>
\
/-~
^-^
:ipj:-? /
:
:.:,;:-:::-.:::.i
:::;::::. :;J::;::::.:
: : :; : y
;
~s
/
1
A
Kallawaya Ayllus
y
)
& Towns
•
Cities (
P
\
/s
J
1
:
^
/
1
-'-"-
.
ir
(
u
f'
/""
'""
/
Utah
n of University of Press).
Ilawaya reportedly have an unwritten pharmacopoeia of over 900 medicinal plar
the purpose of this study, the pharmacopoeia limited to published informati
is
r
d follows the nomenclature therein (Bastien 982, 983, 987).
1 1 1
Relative importance values were calculated for each plant using a normalized nu
md
rof pharmacoloi|K propeith a normalized number of body systems
.1 (i
il
<
ated.This approach follows the one used by Bennett and Prance (2000) for measuri
whole. For
example, Minthostachys andina used to treat body systems,the most of any plant
is in
1
the pre-Columbian pharmacopoeia. Therefore, has normalized BS value of
a (10/1
it 0).
1
T
Erythroxylum coca used to tteal ui tun muiI ih "nthostachys andina.
n
is
i I .
The u\ ''
BS value for E ii» " 10 nhostachys andina has seven pharmacological
mostof
properties,again the pharmacopoeia.
mi awt
ati\ jinl
it it
it
| t i | I .
Thus PH value 1(7/7). The combined PH and BS values of M. andina equal 2.0,which
its is
bvtw
n
then divided importance
is l n ilnphr » ul ]t. i'i.e of pre-
i \< 1 1 , tl i> t. I
I I
Columbian
M. andina, 00. his approat. h useful for calculating the relative importance
is
1 1
number
of a plant by taking into account the differences of pharmacological proper-
in
u d\ systems d a an has h nt >p ttios
It it n
i I I < I t < i | i I i t
|
and treats six body systems giving u a pre Columbian relative importance of 65. Nicoti-
ana
rustica also has five pharmacological properties, but treats only body systems,
five
giving a relative importance of 60. The relative importance scores for each plant reflect
it
differences
in versatility.
The relative importance of each pre-Columbian plant then analyzed compara-
is
Columbian
importance and contemporary
relative
relative
ir
importance each
relative of plant. For example, coca has pre-Columbian im-
a relative
E.
portance of 65 and a contemporary relative importance of 70, thus having an overall
relative importance of 68. By comparative analysis, those plants used pre-Columbian
in
times are recognized lot then ontmuity. Seven plants, Psoralea pubescens, Mutisa
i
acuminata, Verbena Peperomia Gnaphalium
Salvia haenkii, hispida, anaequifolia,
quadichaudium, Ambrosia peruviana, are included table because they were
in this cited
in the literature without specific pharmacological or therapeutic details other than be-
known
ing medicinal. There no pre-Columbian importance these but
for plants, their
is
contemporary
relative importance included.This comparative analysis designed to
is
is
show the changes in numbei of plum u e pi opt tties and body systems treated
> >. il
Medical terminology
follows that of
.
RESULTS
ere are 28 plants the Kallawaya phar
in
This a small portion of the Kallawaya pharmacopoeia and information on these
is
mod
no more
nt itheis Mi. a tatun considerably comprehensive. These
In
it is
i
mts have a wide variety of therapeutic uses (1 9 in all) mainly as analgesics, diuretics,
and
tiseptics, expectorants (Table Aside from medicinal uses there are 12 plants
2).
overlap economically as aromatos, ornamentals,
dyes, foods, intoxicants, etc (Table
it
Minthostachys andina recorded an overall relative important e of 80, the highest of
all
pre-Columbian plants (Table 4). Three plants, Erythroxvlt /to ot a, Urtica flabellate, and
otiana .scored the and only one Polypodium
rustica in sixties plant, angustifolium ,scored
awaya pharmacopoeia.
.Pre-Columbian medicinal plants of the Ka
Table
1
Name
Vernacular References
Genus, species (Family)
Malco 5,9,10
Ambrosia peruviana Willd. (Asteraceae)
Azorella biloba Schlecht. (Apiaceae) 3
DC
Baccharispentandii (Asteraceae) 3,5
-une/form/s R&R(Schrophulariaceae) 3
ion,
7-
(Schrophulariaceae) Puru Puru 3
Calceoiaria engleriana
aff.
Chenopodium ambrosioides (Chenopodiaceae) Paico Lombrio 5,6,8,10
L.
Wedd. Quina
Cinchona (Rubiaceae) Cascarilla
calvisa
Datura sanguinea L.(Solanaceae) Flonpondio 2,3
deCaballo
Equisetum bogotense HBK. (Equisetaceae) Cola
Coca
sea Lam. (Erythroxylaceae) 3,6
/
Pencacuc
Gentiana lutea (Gentianaceae) 3
L.
Gnaphalium quadichaudium DC. (Asteraceae)
Minthostachys andina Benth. (Lamiaceae)
QuinaQuma
balsamum 3,10
Myroxylon (Fabaceae)
L.
Nasturtium (Brassicaceae) Berro 3,9
officinale R.Br.
L
Nicotiana rustica (Solanaceae)
Conqona
R&R
Peperomia (Piperaceae)
inaequalifolia
Plantago tomentosa Lam. (Plantaginaceae) 3,5,10
Polypodium angustifolium SW. (Polypodiaceae) Calaquala 3,10
Macho
Polystichum aculeatum SW. (Polypodiaceae) Helecho 3,10
Bilyea
tm anth ea 3
Psittaca in Ht
liu P.(l
s )
i
3,10
So/wa /joenW/ Benth. (Lamiaceae) S:i-.! Cr,:-',ii(-
LCalancha 1638
xJimenezdelaEspada1965
de Ondegardo 585
Polo
7. 1
the (Table Twenty-three of the 28 pre-Columbian plants have a relative \rr\-
in fifties 4).
tomentosa,Onchona
portance under 50.Seven plants, Polypodium angustifolium, Plantago
Solanum
Gentiana Polystichum aculeatum, Psittachanthus cuneifolius,and
calvisa, lutea,
show an increase pharmacological properties and body systems treated
radicans, in
Um he
Alhorapeutk properties of olumhian nieilu inal plants in ;'< K.illawaya pharmacop
i
A A2
analgesic. A1 oiUhepti*. astringent. C aulmlonn. .D disinflammatoiy.DI
m Dili
.
duphoi<Mk.D3 hemukenl.E
emetu. El expectorant. F febnfuge.R - refngofat
'-
V
S
1
A A1 A2 C D D1 D2 D3 E El F R R1 S SI S2 T V VI
Equisetum bogotens*
AND
OBSERVATIONS DISCUSSION
^-Columbian pharmacopoeia elucidates the importance medicinal
of
and
:h healing practices of the Kallawaya. Outside the pharmacopoeia
ulturally useful as food, hygienic purposes, ornamental, and other
'ot
[It
u
arguably impoount
nt of the traditional cul
i t if i ii
|
A D
B
E
pentand
Baccharis
lit ,' ' t
! , I , ,
knowledge of the Kallawaya. Along with plants hav-
Diological
the Kallawaya have integrated exotic plants into their
',
&
pharmacopoeia (Janni Bastien Despite the integration of exotic species into
n.d.).
much
the pharmacopoeia, the 28 plants discussed herein have retained of their cultural
and medicinal importance over thousand
for a years.
The diversity of therapeutic uses of these plants remarkable. Clearly, by the time
is
of Spanish invasion, the Kallawaya had actively investigated the phytomedicinal poten-
of the and regional The diversity of therapeutic uses indicates the
local flora.
tial
ethnomedical sophistication of the Kallawaya, and offers picture of the health and
a
healing concerns of pre-Columbian Kallawaya culture.This information useful un-
in
is
derstanding the epidemiological fluctuations of the Kallawaya throughout time by re-
why
vealing the patterns of health and sickness that enable us to ask questions as to
we
they changed. Also, by compiling such data find the plants that are not only impor-
tant medicinally, but also have been an integral part of Kallawaya cultural heritage.
Many
ethnobotanical investigations compile information an effort to identify
in
new we
potential drugs; have compiled this information to identify plants of cultural
and
importance as well as plants of priority for biological conservation sustainability
programs. Local efforts in conservation offer greater potential results than those of west-
knowledge
ern economists because they represent the intimate local of the native ecol-
ogy and long experience with the species question (Etkin 1998). Assessing the
in
and importance frame-
significance of specific taxa with cultural ecological gives us a
work by which conservation of local biota based on local values (Benz et 996).
al.
is
1
pharmacopoeia
The of 28 plants discussed herein describes a portion of the
list
that has been analyzed based on local values. The long-standing persistence of these
pharmacopoeia continued on these
plants the Kallawaya indicate cultural reliance
in
taxa ethnomedical and economic practices. The versatility of these species within the
in
7 7
"16
ximum value of 1). 16-1 th BS = number of body systems treated, sited in . 7 th Rel BS = relative
1
I
:ems treated, sited in 16 th & 17 th Century Literature, (normals up of 16-1 th Rl = relative importance of
1) 1(
i r
, i
dicinal Piants.20th PH = number of pharmacological properties, 20 :h Century.20 th Rel PH = relative number of pharmacological prop*
' - 20*' BS - ~, ^ 20 th Rel BS = relative number of pi,
' i
.
th RI-re
itury.20 ORI
Rl
.
7 7 7 7
16-1 th 16-1 th 16-1 th 16-1 th
BS BS
Rel Rl
Gnaphahum
quaaicnauaiu
00
0.0
pharmacopoeia and makes more
outside also conservation priorities compelling. Sev-
it
eral taxa are used for more than one therapeutic (Table or pharmacological (Table
2) 4)
economic
of uses (Table Conservation
3).
'
ne neglect the socio-cultural importance of
chance and
a to protect biological diversity the process also protect and sustain
in tradi-
tional cultural knowledge, indigenous health caie systems, and plants of particular cul-
Conservation on community
tural significance. i-il mi n locus
hi bililv -
j i
I
work on problems onus
level priorities allow us to several Direction based from an
at
ethnobotanical ana
pcrs| us
iridic] lives ih
i i. i i i i [ i
opportunity to address problems of social, cultural and biological importance.The data
discussed here provides only a part or a broader invi stigation that should include field-
The loss of local knowledge and biological diversity should be the primary concern
of every ethnobotanist. Organizing with an ethnobotanical framework
at local levels
osmo
simultaneously piolec is biological and cultural diversity. tribal elders and the
I
knowledge .Cm m nihlil
they enc niioimati environment of the
io
n
i| i\
I
md
surrounding on programs
area ervatiui sust lin ibilii that are sensitive to bio-
(
>
md
tionab biod
ul .ii in lib thi )iot it. io ultural Iqi
< I i ill I i i i i ' i il
future generations.
for
)N
)iNc
C i ill
I
apha
sustainability programs. The persistence of use of these plants throughout centuries of
healing, as well as their role outside the pharmacopoeia for a variety of economic uses
importance
elucidates the of these plants to the cultural heritage of the Kallawaya. By
on we
focusing conservation efforts [.bants of cultural importance not only recognize
III
Mil
p
in ill
[I
I i . ll < ' I ll i II ]l
I
With overwhelming
cal diversity. predictions of 60,000 plus higher plant species to be-
come
extinct by the middle of the next century, ethnobotany must be leader iden-
a in
tifying conservation and sustainability priorities by analysis of local needs. Just as local
new we
een tapped drug must go
for leads, to the future to deter-
in
it
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
of this manuscriptTed Barkley, Carol Janni,and
and UTA
BRIT
libraries for assistance.
