2011, 2012 Bennett & Husby, 2009).ĭaniel Moerman’s online Native American Ethnobotany Database contains ethnobotanical information for 3618 species among 291 Native American/First Nations groups (Moerman 2009 Moerman 2012). 1991 Moerman & Estabrook 2003, Moerman 2012 Turi & Murch 2013 Weckerle et al. In order to identify good botanical leads, statistical tools may also be used to analyze ethnobotanical datasets (Moerman et al. Using this method important drugs for treating memory loss (galanthamine) and HIV (prostratin) have been discovered (Newman & Cragg, 2012 Cox,2001 Heinrich & Teoh, 2004). The isolation and development of valuable drugs from plants classically follows a well-established pipeline consisting of the following steps: ethnobotanical research, collection of plant material, extraction of phytochemicals, bioassay, fractionation, isolation, and pharmaceutical testing (Balick & Cox, 1999). Collected specimens are then vouchered and identified through collaborations with herbariums (Balick & Cox, 1999 Miller 2011 Bennett & Balick, 2014).Ĭlassic ethnobotany describes a strong connection between plants used to treat neurological diseases and those associated with ceremonial and/or ritualistic practices. Generally while conducting field work, an ethnobotanist will document plant uses and compile this information into a list. Prior to undertaking collections it is important that an ethnobotanist has obtained ethics and prior informed consent from all parties involved and that collection permits from the appropriate authorities are obtained. In addition to the above, ethnobotany often requires one to conduct plant collections in the field in order to acquire plant species from a given environment which have a long history of use by a specific population or culture (Balick & Cox 1999 Miller 2011). As a field of study, ethnobotany is multidisciplinary and encompasses a wide spectrum of disciplines including anthropology, biology, botany, chemistry, pharmacology, and sociology (Balick & Cox 1999). Original photo from WikipediaĮthnobotany is the study of the interactions between plants and people. ![]() Through his studies of indigenous uses of plants, he is often considered the father of modern ethnobotany. ![]() Photo of Richard Evans Schultes (1915-2001) in the Amazon.
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