Traditional Phytoremedies Used by Traditional Healers of Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani Provinces of Northeastern Thailand to Treat Menstrual Disorders
doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v6i3.8
Keywords:
Polyherbal medicines, Ethnobotanical, Menstrual disorders, Medicinal plants, northeastern ThailandAbstract
Nowadays, traditional medicine in women's care is still popular in many areas of Thailand including Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani provinces. The purpose of this study was to investigate and record the unique indigenous knowledge about the use of herbal remedies to treat menstrual disorders from highly experienced traditional healers. Therefore, qualitative research approaches and semi-structured interviews were conducted in Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani Provinces, northeastern Thailand. The key informants who have comprehensively experienced the treatment of these ailments were selected using a purposive sampling strategy. Twenty-three herbal remedies were recorded for treating postpartum disorders, menstrual cramps, sexually transmitted diseases, leukorrhea, fever (during the menstruation), hypermenorrhea, or consumed as blood tonics and for increasing lactation. Fifty-three different medicinal plant species, mostly belonging to the Fabaceae family (7 species), were used to treat women’s reproductive condition. Biancaea sappan (L.) Tod. was documented with the highest use-value index (the UV= 0.875) which has also been used as a blood tonic in various traditional medicines. Interestingly, there were several remedies which have been employed to treat dysmenorrhea. Further pharmacological investigation of these herbal remedies and highlighted medicinal plants will provide alternative remedy for the management of women’s reproductive conditions. This is the first finding of unique indigenous knowledge about the use of herbal remedies to treat menstrual disorders by traditional healers in the provinces of Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani in northeastern Thailand, and it is important information for further utilization of medicinal plants.
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