The impacts of forest degradation on medicinal plant use and implications for health care in Eastern Amazonia

Over the last three decades, forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon has diminished the availability of some widely used medicinal plant species. Results of a 9-year market study suggest that forests represent an important habitat for medicinal plants used in eastern Amazonia: Nine of the twelve...

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Main Authors: Shanley, P., Luz, L.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 2003
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/18690
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author Shanley, P.
Luz, L.
author_browse Luz, L.
Shanley, P.
author_facet Shanley, P.
Luz, L.
author_sort Shanley, P.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Over the last three decades, forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon has diminished the availability of some widely used medicinal plant species. Results of a 9-year market study suggest that forests represent an important habitat for medicinal plants used in eastern Amazonia: Nine of the twelve top-selling medicinal plants are native species, and eight are forest based. Five of the top-selling species have begun to be harvested for timber, decreasing the availability of their barks and oils for medicinal purposes. Many of these medicinal plants have no botanical substitute, and pharmaceuticals do not yet exist for some of the diseases for which they are used. Market surveys indicate that all socioeconomic classes in Amazonia use medicinal plants because of cultural preferences, low cost, and efficacy. Degradation of Amazonian forests may signify not only the loss of potential pharmaceutical drugs for the developed world but also the erosion of the sole health care option for many of Brazil’s rural and urban poor.
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spelling CGSpace186902025-01-24T14:20:47Z The impacts of forest degradation on medicinal plant use and implications for health care in Eastern Amazonia Shanley, P. Luz, L. medicinal plants non-timber forest products losses health care deforestation Over the last three decades, forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon has diminished the availability of some widely used medicinal plant species. Results of a 9-year market study suggest that forests represent an important habitat for medicinal plants used in eastern Amazonia: Nine of the twelve top-selling medicinal plants are native species, and eight are forest based. Five of the top-selling species have begun to be harvested for timber, decreasing the availability of their barks and oils for medicinal purposes. Many of these medicinal plants have no botanical substitute, and pharmaceuticals do not yet exist for some of the diseases for which they are used. Market surveys indicate that all socioeconomic classes in Amazonia use medicinal plants because of cultural preferences, low cost, and efficacy. Degradation of Amazonian forests may signify not only the loss of potential pharmaceutical drugs for the developed world but also the erosion of the sole health care option for many of Brazil’s rural and urban poor. 2003 2012-06-04T09:08:42Z 2012-06-04T09:08:42Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/18690 en Shanley, P., Luz, L. 2003. The impacts of forest degradation on medicinal plant use and implications for health care in Eastern Amazonia . BioScience 53 (6) :573-584.
spellingShingle medicinal plants
non-timber forest products
losses
health care
deforestation
Shanley, P.
Luz, L.
The impacts of forest degradation on medicinal plant use and implications for health care in Eastern Amazonia
title The impacts of forest degradation on medicinal plant use and implications for health care in Eastern Amazonia
title_full The impacts of forest degradation on medicinal plant use and implications for health care in Eastern Amazonia
title_fullStr The impacts of forest degradation on medicinal plant use and implications for health care in Eastern Amazonia
title_full_unstemmed The impacts of forest degradation on medicinal plant use and implications for health care in Eastern Amazonia
title_short The impacts of forest degradation on medicinal plant use and implications for health care in Eastern Amazonia
title_sort impacts of forest degradation on medicinal plant use and implications for health care in eastern amazonia
topic medicinal plants
non-timber forest products
losses
health care
deforestation
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/18690
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