Plantas medicinales comercializadas en los mercados y ferias libres del cantón Antonio Ante

Abstract

Abstract: The study was conducted in the Antonio Ante canton, Imbabura province, interviewing medicinal plant vendors (aged 33 to 69). Their sociodemographic profile, uses, and trading methods were documented. Fifty-six medicinal species from 26 botanical families were identified, with Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Verbenaceae being the most diverse. Sales dynamics showed a predominance of fresh plants (55 species) and leaf sales (30 species). A low overall Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) was recorded, indicating a dispersion of knowledge. The highest agreement (ICF = 1.00) was found in the Eye Disorder category, followed by Magical-Religious (0.71) and Mental Disorder (0.60). Despite this overall dispersion, the level of Species Fidelity (FI) was exceptionally high, reaching 100% conviction in efficacy for specific uses. This high agreement was particularly notable for species used for respiratory (11 species), digestive (6 species), and genitourinary (5 species) problems. The coexistence of low overall consensus and high species fidelity confirms that the most valued species locally are key and priority candidates for future scientific research.