Plantas medicinales que se comercializan en los principales mercados y ferias libres de la ciudad de Loja

Abstract

Abstract:An ethnobotanical study was carried out in markets and fairs of the city of Loja whose objective was to obtain information about diversity, medical uses and cultural importance of plant species. Index of cultural significance (IC) and informant consensus factor (FIC) were calculated. The information collected was analyzed in relation to the age and level of academic training of the informants. It was obtained low values of FIC for all medicinal uses according to the categories of systems and devices of the human body; this projects little agreement among informants regarding the ancestral knowledge of medicinal plants. Also knowledge has no direct relationship with the characteristics of the informants. The study showed the existence of a great diversity of medicinal plants that are sold in the different markets and fairs of the city of Loja, and this ancestral knowledge was maintained and was transmitted from generation to generation; reason why its value is intrinsic to the people of Loja and must be maintained with conservation strategies.