Volume 4, Issue 9, September – 2019 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Frequently used Medicinal Plants in Arriaga, Chiapas,

Mexico: Family Spending Analysis
Ligia Margarita Domínguez Castañón
School of Administrative Sciences, Arriaga, Chiapas.
Autonomous University of Chiapas, Mexico.

Hernán López-Vázquez Otoniel Méndez García

Instituto Tecnológico de Comitán Chiapas, Instituto Tecnológico de Frontera Comalapa,
Tecnológico Nacional de México Tecnológico Nacional de México

Abstract:- Historically, plants have been an important Within this cultural and medical richness, there is a
element for the development of peoples; since sedentary management of medicinal plants in three ways "home
is given, the cultivation of plants came with him. This medicine", "medicine through traditional doctors" and
historicality results in knowledge of a wide variety of "industrialized naturist medicine" (Barbosa, 2006). The first
plant species whose main use is medicinal and thus the generates minimal processing costs for the home remedy
development of a traditional health or medicine scheme. based on plants. Accessing traditional physicians, generates
This study shows 70 species of medicinal plants, grown moderate and zero costs, depending on the type of doctor
mostly in backyard, of importance to the family economy and the location of the same with respect to the user, as well
and as an alternative to health care. The place of study is as the magical-religious relationship that is generated
Arriaga, Chiapas, Mexico, located in coastal area of the between them. Finally, industrialized naturist medicine
Pacific Ocean. generates a May cost, but less than allopathic medicine, as it
needs to profit from the industrialization and distribution
Keywords:- Medicinal Plants, Chiapas, Family Spending. process through naturopathic pharmacies.

I. INTRODUCTION These medical practices remain in effect; one of the

explanations is that traditional treatments are based on the
Traditional medicine is an ancient practice and disease as it is conceived in its culture and the treatment
although it is considered unorthodox, it has remained and contemplates this cultural reality considering even its
has increased its knowledge over time in various cultures. environmental environment (Ryesky, 1876).
Specifically when talking about phytotherapy, medicinal
plants have a great contribution to the health system, Approximately 4500 species of medicinal plants have
considering their contribution to community health; although been recorded in Mexico, for ancestral, cultural and
the side effects of some of them are also discussed, but even domestic use for the most part, generating a wide variety of
when their production and distribution is industrialized phytotherapeutic treatments (Martínez, 1996; Barragán,
(Jaramillo et al, 2009; Angulo et al, 2012; Zambrano et al, 2006). This reality has generated a high growth in the
2015). industrialization of natural products which implies a career
trade between allopathic medicine, industrialized naturist
The traditional medicine system has its own method of medicine and domestic customs-uses (Estrada, 1989;
diagnosis, treatment and resources, which are recognized, Menendez, 2000).
such as medicinal plants (PAHO, 2006). The relationship
between this type of medicine and the culture of peoples is This document describes the results of a study
close, so we can talk about different traditional medicines conducted in Arriaga, Chiapas, Mexico, whose main
according to the community and the geographical area in objective was to identify the use and frequency of medicinal
which it is practiced (Zuluaga and Correa, 2002). plants, as well as to analyze the family expense for access to
this type of medicine.
The way medicinal plants work metabolically to
generate healing effects is through their active substances II. METHODS
(PAHO, 2006), in the form of useful side metabolites.
Traditional doctors know about plants, their effects, dosages, The research was conducted during the period May
processes. Zuluaga (1999) and Quintana (2009) mention 2018-May 2019, in the city of Arriaga, Chiapas, Mexico,
that, traditional medicine also has an impact on the territorial located in the coastal area of the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
and cultural order of ethnic groups, generating forms of The research is of type, descriptive, analytical and
relationship respectful with their natural environment. transversal, whose information collection tool was a semi-
structured questionnaire applied to a simple random sample
n=100, randomness was also applied for the sex of the

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Volume 4, Issue 9, September – 2019 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
interviewees. The questionnaire is based on informed 25. Flower of senpazuchil/Flor de senpazuchil - Tagetes
consent, having as the only element of inclusion that the erecta
individual lived in Arriaga or surrounding communities and 26. Linden blossom/Flor de tila - Tilia platyphyllos
who would like to participate in the study. 27. Ginseng - Panax ginseng
28. Gordolobo - Verbascum thapsus
29. Guanabana - Annona muricata
III. DISSCUTION 30. Guava/Guayaba - Psidium guajava
31. Peppermint/Hierbabuena Mentha spicata
The average age of respondents is 78 years, 74% 32. Hierbasanta - Piper auritum
female and 26% male. 57% originating in Arriaga, Chiapas, 33. Fennel/Hinojo - Foeniculum vulgare
Mexico, the rest of several locations surrounding Arriaga. It 34. Seen sheet/Hoja de seen – Cassia sp
is important to mention that 9% are native to Chahutes, a 35. Bear leaf/Hoja de sosa - Solanum torvum
town located in the state of Oaxaca, which adjoins Chiapas. 36. Jamaica - Hibiscus sabdariffa
37. Ginger/Jengibre - Zingiber officinale
100% of respondents use medicinal plants for health 38. Lavender/Lavanda - Lavandula angustifolia
care to minor problems, and even in a complementary way 39. Laurel - Laurus nobilis
to treat degenerative problems such as diabetes mellitus. 40. Mauve/Malva - Malva sylvestris
Among the most frequent species, we found 12 species, 41. Manzanilla - Matricaria recutita
however, a total of 70 different species were mentioned: 42. Passion fruit/Maracuya - Passiflora edulis
43. Marihuana - Cannabis sativa
Common Name Scientific Name 44. Mint/Menta – Mentha piperita
Basil/Albahaca Ocimum basilicum 45. Moringa - Moringa oleifera
Estafiate Artemisia ludoviciana 46. Nopal - Opuntia ficus
Epazote Dysphania ambrosioides 47. Oregano - Origanum vulgare
Peppermint Mentha spicata 48. Mouse ear/Oreja de ratón - Dichondra argentea
/Hierbabuena 49. Coconut palm/Palma de coco – Cocos nucifera
Holy Grass/Hierba santa Piper auritum 50. Papaya - Carica papaya
Manzanilla Matricaria recutita 51. Cucumber/Pepino - Cucumis sativus
Moringa Moringa oleifera 52. Parsley/Perejil - Petroselinum sativum
Oregano Origanum vulgare 53. Pinion/Piñón - Jatropha curcas
54. Romero - Rosmarinus officinalis
Redhead/ Ruda Ruta graveolens
55. Redhead/Ruda - Ruta graveolens
Romero Rosmarinus officinalis
56. Sabila – Aloe vera
Lemon tea/Te limón Cymbopogon citratus
57. Salvia - Salvia Officinalis
Table 1
58. Sanalotodo - Hypericum androsaemum
59. Elder/Sauco – Sambucus nigra
Total species mentioned by the interviewees: 60. Lemon tea/Te de limón - Cymbopogon citratus
1. Avocado/Aguacate - Persea americana 61. Tepescohuite - Mimosa tenuiflora
2. Wormwood/Ajenjo - Artemisia absinthium
62. Thyme/Tomillo - Thymus vulgaris
3. Garlic/Ajo - Allium sativum 63. Three ribs/Tres costillas - Serjania triquetra
4. Basil/Albahaca - Ocimum basilicum 64. Cat’s nail/Uña de gato - Uncaria tomentosa
5. Artichoke/Alcachofa - Cynara scolymus 65. Wild grape/Uva silvestre - Vitis vinifera subsp.
6. Celery/Apio - Apium graveolens sylvestris
7. Leather tree/Árbol de Cuero - Bursera simaruba 66. Valeriana - Valeriana officinalis
8. Arnica - Arnica montana
67. Verbena - Verbena officinalis
9. Boldo - Peumus boldus
68. Cassava/Yuca - Manihot esculenta
10. Bugambilia - Bougainvillea glabra 69. Carrot/Zanahoria - Daucus carota
11. Cinnamom/Canela - Cinnamomum zeylanicum 70. White zapote/Zapote blanco - Casimiroa edulis
12. Cane of Christ/Caña de cristo - Arundo donax
13. Thistle marian/Cardo mariano - Silybum marianum Compared to what Reyes et al (a, b, 2019) the use of
14. Mangrove cap/Cascara de mangle – Rhizophora mangle medicinal plants in terms of number of species is
15. Purple onion/Cebolla morada - Allium cepa
considerably higher in Arriaga Chiapas (70 spp), since the
16. Chaya - Cnidoscolus aconitifolius authors mentions that both in Chamula (indigenous
17. Sapodilla/Chicozapote - Manilkara zapota community of the Altos de Chiapas) , as in Comitán de
18. Cilantro - Coriandrum sativum Domínguez (average city in area border in Guatemala), the
19. Clove/Clavo de olor - Syzygium aromaticum
number of species mentioned varies between 16 and 23,
20. Horsetail/Cola de caballo - Equisetum arvense
whose use if it coincides in terms of the frequency intended
21. Epazote - Dysphania ambrosioides for attention to airway and digestive problems.
22. Estafiate - Artemisia ludoviciana
23. Eucalyptus/Eucalipto - Eucalyptus
24. Orange blossom/Flor de naranja - Citrus aurantium

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Volume 4, Issue 9, September – 2019 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
In this study it is interesting to say that, in a notorious de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Universidad
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