Traditional medicine in Incahuasi: ethnobotanical study

Introduction: Understanding the use of medicinal plants as herbal medicines is considered essential for the survival and continuity of humanity. Since ancient times, the origin and development of natural and traditional medicine have been intrinsically linked to mankind's struggle for survival. Nowadays, ethnobotanical studies are employed as a tool for the preservation and conservation not only of taxonomic biodiversity but also of cultural biodiversity.

Methodology: A descriptive research with a quantitative, non-experimental cross-sectional design was carried out. The study was conducted in six Quechua-speaking communities in the district of Inkahuasi (3000 m.a.s.l.), selected for convenience considering factors such as altitude, accessibility, and proximity to the city. Surveys were conducted with 32 informants from the communities, including healers or shamans (samanes), who shared their knowledge about medicinal plants, providing relevant information about them.

Results: During the study, a total of 46 medicinal species were recorded, belonging to 42 genera and 22 botanical families. The most representative medicinal families used by the informants of the communities were Asteraceae (30.4%) and Lamiaceae (15.2%). It is also worth mentioning the genera Salvia and Baccharis, with 3 and 2 species respectively, which are commonly used to treat various ailments and diseases.

Conclusions: Ethnobotanical information was collected on the medicinal plants used by the community members of the selected communities in Inkahuasi, and the corresponding data were recorded. A total of 46 plants were collected, with the majority belonging to the Asteraceae and Lamiaceae families.