Plantas medicinales comercializadas en los mercados y ferias libres del cantón Shushufindi

Abstract

Abstract: This research was conducted in the markets and fairs of the Shushufindi canton, Sucumbíos province, across its eight parishes. A semi-structured interview was administered to vendors with their prior, free, and informed consent. Thirty-six species were identified, distributed across 20 botanical families, with Lamiaceae and Asteraceae being the most prevalent. Their use is primarily in the categories of analgesics and in the magical-religious sphere. The study revealed that women, aged between 40 and 47, are the primary vendors of medicinal plants in Shushufindi. The fidelity level (FL) showed high levels of agreement among vendors for 16 species, such as Mentha spicata L., which demonstrated a strong cultural consensus for a specific therapeutic use. The informant consensus factor (ICF) determined that 14 of 18 usage categories presented null values ​​(ICF=00), showing that there is no consensus or it is very dispersed due to differences in responses and inconsistencies regarding the plants used to treat these ailments.