The symbolic efficacy of medicinal plants: practices, knowledge, and religious beliefs amongst the Nalu healers of Guinea-Bissau

Frazão-Moreira, Amélia

doi:10.1186/s13002-016-0095-x

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine

Table 1 Plant used by healers for medicinal purposes

From: The symbolic efficacy of medicinal plants: practices, knowledge, and religious beliefs amongst the Nalu healers of Guinea-Bissau

Family	Genus and species	Nalu name	Voucher^a	Healer^b	Ailment	Part of plant used	Preparation	Application
Acanthaceae	Asystasia gangetica (L.) T.Anderson		Moreira 85	UC	open wounds	bark	scrape	poultice
	Anacardium occidentale L.	ialikê	Moreira 213	TC/DC	lower back pain	leaves	none	topical
	Mangifera indica L.	n’mango	Moreira 32	TC/DC	scabies	leaves	macerate	topical
	Sorindeia juglandifolia (A.Rich.) Planch. ex Oliv.	n’txaluas	Moreira 154	FB	children’s disease	leaves	macerate	drink
	Spondias mombin L.	n’fal	Moreira 24	TC/DC	eye pains	leaves	macerate	wash
Anisophylleaceae	Anisophyllea laurina R.Br. ex Sabine	n’sunt	Moreira 57	TC/DC	eye pain	leaves	moisten	topical
Annonaceae	Annona glabra L.	n’bonhé	Moreira 38	FB	stomach ache	root	infusion or macerate	drink
	Annona muricata L.	n’sóp sóp	Moreira 73	DC	stomach ache	leaves	boil	drink
	Uvaria chamae P.Beauv.	n’pinden	Moreira 155	UC	haemorrhoids	root	boil	drink
				AS	open wound	leaves	triturate	topical
	Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich.	n’sél	Moreira 168	FB	stomach ache	fruit	boil	drink
Apocynaceae	Alstonia congensis Engl.	ianke	Moreira 27	TC/DC	fatigue	bark	macerate	drink
					swelling	latex	none	topical
	Cf. Strophanthus hispidus DC.	n’fam	Moreira 78	UC	haemorrhoids	root	peel	swallow
					intestinal parasites	root	peel	swallow
	Holarrhena floribunda (G.Don) T.Durand & Schinz	metxel	Moreira 86	UC	stomach ache venereal disease	bark latex	boil scrape	drink swallow
	Landolphia dulcis (Sabine ex G.Don) Pichon	urém	Moreira 176	FB	pregnancy	leaves	macerate	drink
	Landolphia heudelotii A.DC.	m’bolé	Moreira 158	AS	diarrhoea	leaves	boil	drink
					swelling	leaves	boil	drink
				FB	swollen limbs	leaves	boil	drink
				UC	itching	leaves	boil	wash
	Rauvolfia vomitoria Afzel.	n’ti kambirás	Moreira 14	TC/DC	impotence	stem	boil	drink
					stomach ache	root	boil	drink
	Saba senegalensis (A.DC.) Pichon	n’badak	Moreira 64	TC/DC	fever	leaves	infusion	wash
	Tabernaemontana africana Hook.	n’lat laté	Moreira 15	TC/DC	venereal disease	stem	macerate	drink
Araceae	Anchomanes difformis (Blume) Engl.	n’denkamdudu	Moreira 286	AS	infertility	rhizome	boil	drink
	Cercestis afzelii Schott	mandonha	Moreira 92	UC	impotence	leaves	boil	drink
Cannabaceae	Trema orientalis (L.) Blume	n’robta kabafar	Moreira 114	AS	cough	bark	none	swallow
Capparaceae	Capparis erythrocarpos Isert	néeu	Moreira 89, 120	AS	headache	root	triturate	topical
				UC	headache	root	scrape	topical
	Maerua duchesnei (De Wild.) F.White	maéf	Moreira 90, 314	AS UC	lower back pain sprains	leaves leaves	triturate triturate	poultice poultice
Caricaceae	Carica papaya L.	n’pápa	Moreira 22	TC/DC	risk of miscarriage	root	boil	drink
Celastraceae	Salacia senegalensis (Lam.) DC.	mankidés	Moreira 6	TC/DC	tooth decay	root	triturate	topical
Chrysobalanaceae	Parinari excelsa Sabine	n’lut	Moreira 145, 196	FB	stomach ache	bark	boil	drink
				TC/DC	cough	bark	macerate	swallow
					open wound	bark	triturate	topical
Combretaceae	Combretum micranthum G.Don	n’babass	Moreira 81, 200	TC/DC	scabies	root	triturate	topical
					diabetes	leaves	boil	drink
				UC	scabies	root	scrape	topical
					fever	leaves	boil	drink
	Guiera senegalensis J.F.Gmel.	manáf náfen	Moreira 173	AS	open wound	leaves	triturate	poultice
	Terminalia macroptera Guill. & Perr.	n’kone	Moreira 126	AS	chest pain	leaves	boil	drink and wash
Compositae	Aedesia glabra (Klatt) O.Hoffm.	n’tonpin-na	Moreira 262	AS	stomach and body aches	root	boil	drink
	Gymnanthemum coloratum (Willd.) H.Rob. & B.Kahn	n’konkone	Moreira 95	UC	scabies	leaves	macerate	wash
Connaraceae	Agelaea pentagyna (Lam.) Baill.		Moreira 190	HBC	scabies	leaves	none	ointment
	Cnestis ferruginea Vahl ex DC.	n’xéte nembel	Moreira 16	TC/DC	headache	leaves	macerate	wash
Costaceae	Costus afer Ker Gawl.	mabôbé	Moreira 93, 122	UC	eye pain	stem	warm and squeeze	topical
				AS	eye pain	stem	warm and squeeze	topical
Crassulaceae	Kalanchoe crenata (Andrews) Haw.	n’txatxatxé	Moreira 242	HBC	newborn baby’s navel	leaves	moisten and squeeze	topical
Cyperaceae	Cyperus articulatus L.	n’téd	Moreira 121	AS	newborn with a cough and stomach ache	root	triturate and macerate	drink
	Scleria racemosa Poir.	n’txapen ka basop	Moreira 94	UC	pregnancy	leaves	boil	drink
Ebenaceae	Diospyros heudelotii Hiern	n’txambortá	Moreira 76	DC	swollen limbs	leaves	macerate	drink and wash
Euphorbiaceae	Alchornea cordifolia (Schumach. & Thonn.) Müll.Arg.	n’sum-na	Moreira 4, 129	AS	chest ache	stem	peel	wash
					intestinal parasites	root	boil	drink
					risk of miscarriage	root	boil	drink
				TC/DC	stomach ache	leaves	macerate	drink
	Manihot esculenta Crantz	n’mandiok	Moreira 23	TC/DC	eye complaints	leaves	macerate	wash
Hypericaceae	Psorospermum glaberrimum Hochr.		Moreira 124	AS	body aches	leaves	boil	drink
Icacinaceae	Icacina oliviformis (Poiret) J.Raynal	n’putmé	Moreira 162	FB	children’s disease	leaves	boil	drink
Lamiaceae	Clerodendrum splendens G.Don	manar balé	Moreira 48	TC/DC	snake bite	root	macerate	swallow
					contraception	bark and stem	none	drink
	Premna hispida Benth.	n’lum bafai	Moreira 68,	HBC	pregnancy	leaves	boil	drink
			110, 170	DC	haemorrhoids	leaves	macerate	drink
				FB	haemorrhoids	leaves	boil or macerate	drink
	Vitex madiensis Oliv.	n’sokór	Moreira 177	FB	pregnancy	leaves	macerate	drink
Leguminosae	Albizia zygia (DC.) J.F.Macbr.	masanp n’buk	Moreira 172	FB	palpitations	leaves	triturate	swallow
	Bauhinia thonningii Schum.	n’bukui	Moreira 30, 105	TC/DC	diarrhoea	leaves	triturate and macerate	drink
					haemorrhoids	bark	boil	drink
				UC	haemorrhoids	bark	boil	drink
	Caesalpinia benthamiana (Baill.) Herend. & Zarucchi	n’pinkid sé	Moreira 51, 119	AS	eye complaints	leaves	macerate	topical
				TC/DC	open wound	root and leaves	triturate	topical
	Cassia sieberiana DC.	n’sansan	Moreira 33	AS	body aches	root	macerate	drink
				TC/DC	body aches	root	macerate	drink
					impotence	root	macerate	drink
	Cf. Abrus precatorius L.		Moreira 83	UC	impotence	leaves	none	swallow
	Desmodium velutinum (Willd.) DC.	rap rap	Moreira 21	TC/DC	cholera	leaves and root	macerate	drink
	Detarium microcarpum Guill. & Perr.	m’béta	Moreira 63	TC/DC	uncertain	bark	macerate	wash
	Dialium guineense Willd.	n’bim	Moreira 52	TC/DC	measles	leaves	boil	drink
	Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn.	n’pinkid úne	Moreira 46, 96	TC/DC	headache rheumatism	bark bark	peel peel	topical topical
				UC	bone pains	bark	peel	topical
	Erythrina senegalensis DC.	n’txákarfatch	Moreira 47,	FB	sore throat	bark	boil	drink
			175		palpitations	root	peel and macerate	drink
				TC/DC	pregnancy	bark	peel and boil	drink
	Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) G.Don	n’iú	Moreira 164	FB	treponematoses rheumatism	leaves leaves	triturate triturate	poultice poultice
				TC/DC	stomach ache	bark	boil	drink
	Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir.	n’sia	Moreira 9	TC/DC	cough, chest ache	bark	boil	drink
	Samanea dinklagei (Harms) Keay	masamp	Moreira 152	DC	lower back pain	root	boil	drink and wash
Loganiaceae	Usteria guineensis Willd.	n’átá uóké	Moreira 293	AS	lower back pain	leaves	triturate	poultice
Malvaceae	Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn.	n’kauuê	Moreira 59	TC/DC	open wound	bark	triturate	topical
	Cola nitida (Vent.) Schott. & Endl.	n’kola	Moreira 72	DC	venereal disease	leaves	burn and boil	topical and wash
	Hibiscus sterculiifolius (Guill. & Perr.) Steud.	n’fakaf	Moreira 75	DC	influenza lice	leaves leaves	macerate macerate	drink wash
	Sida acuta Burm.f.	n’téksen	Moreira 10	TC/DC	lice	leaves	macerate	wash
Menispermaceae	Cissampelos mucronata A.Rich.	n’néo fáfak	Moreira 40	TC/DC	stomach ache	root	macerate	drink
	Triclisia patens Oliv.	manar kambantxô	Moreira 132	HBC	expectant mother’s lack of milk	leaves	macerate	drink
Moraceae	Ficus exasperata Vahl	n’txéf	Moreira 197	TC/DC	impotence	leaves	macerate	drink
	Ficus aff. umbellata Vahl	n’fór	Moreira 84	TC/DC	toothache	stem	scrape	topical
				UC	lower back pain	leaves	triturate	topical
	Ficus sur Forssk.	n’tonkindjá	Moreira 128, 131	AS	lower back ache	root	triturate and boil	poultice
				FB	failure to menstruate	root	macerate	drink
				TC/DC	stomach ache	bark	macerate	drink
Myrtaceae	Psidium guajava L.	goiaba	Moreira 66	TC/DC	dysentery	leaves	boil	drink
Passifloraceae	Smeathmannia pubescens Sol. ex R.Br.	n’baptame	Moreira 337	AS	stomach ache venereal disease	root root	boil boil	drink drink
Phyllanthaceae	Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill.	n’tak	Moreira 171, 261	AS	stomach ache	root	boil	drink
				FB	haemorrhoids	leaves	triturate and macerate	drink
	Hymenocardia acida Tul.	matik sé	Moreira 166	FB	treponematoses	leaves	paste	poultice
					rheumatism	leaves	paste	poultice
				TC/DC	temporary blindness	leaves	macerate	wash
	Phyllanthus muellerianus (Kuntze) Exell	mafér	Moreira 148	FB	pregnancy	leaves	boil	drink
Plantaginaceae	Scoparia dulcis L.	n’txinké	Moreira 109	UC	eye pain	leaves	macerate	topical
					children’s stomach ache	leaves	boil	drink
Poaceae	Oxytenanthera abyssinica (A.Rich.) Munro	n’fon	Moreira 87	UC	abortion post-natal problems	leaves leaves	boil boil	drink drink
Rubiaceae	Aidia genipiflora (DC.) Dandy	n’armass	Moreira 335	AS	impurity	root	foam	wash
					pregnancy	leaves	macerate	drink
	Canthium sp.		Moreira 165	FB	treponematoses	leaves	paste	poultice
					rheumatism	leaves	paste	poultice
	Crossopteryx febrifuga (Afzel. ex G.Don) Benth.		Moreira 174	FB	pregnancy	leaves	macerate	drink
	Gardenia ternifolia subsp. jovis-tonantis (Welw.) Verdc. var. jovis tonantis	n’dué	Moreira 125	AS	impurities	root	foam	wash
	Morinda chrysorhiza (Thonn.) DC.	n’tunké	Moreira 118	AS TC/DC	post-natal post-natal	leaves leaves	boil boil	drink wash
	Morinda morindoides (Baker) Milne-Redh.	n’txéf kam nhalankôk	Moreira 113	AS	body aches	leaves	boil	fumigate
	Pavetta corymbosa (DC.) F.N.Williams		Moreira 269	HBC	open wound	bark	peel and triturate	topical
	Psychotria peduncularis (Salisb.) Steyerm.	n’tokoi	Moreira 161	AS	open wound	leaves	heat	topical
				FB	children’s disease	leaves	boil	drink
	Sarcocephalus latifolius (Sm.) E.A.Bruce	n’fol	Moreira 82	AS	intestinal parasites	root	scrape and macerate	drink
				HBC	constipation	leaves	boil	drink
				TC/DC	stomach ache	root	peel and macerate	drink
				UC	pregnancy	leaves	macerate	drink
Rutaceae	Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck	n’sinim nelbéne	Moreira 67	TC/DC	scabies	leaves	boil	wash
					venereal disease	leaves and root	boil	drink
					chronic open wound	fruit	moisten	topical
					haemorrhoids	fruit	boil	drink
	Zanthoxylum leprieurii Guill. & Perr.	mabár	Moreira 104	UC	risk of miscarriage	root	peel and macerate	drink
Sapindaceae	Allophylus africanus P.Beauv.		Moreira 160	HBC	pregnancy	leaves	boil	drink
				FB	swollen limbs	leaves	macerate	drink and wash
	Lecaniodiscus cupanioides (Planch.) ex Benth.	n’sonran	Moreira 80	UC	cough	root	peel, triturate and macerate	drink
					hoarseness	root	peel, triturate and macerate	drink
	Paullinia pinnata L.	n’fankok	Moreira 76	HBC	diarrhoea in children	leaves	macerate	drink
				FB	weakness in children	leaves	macerate	drink and wash
				UC	scabies	leaves	boil	wash
Smilacaceae	Smilax anceps Willd.	n’pôrkam nunpun	Moreira 298	AS	body aches	root	boil	drink
Thymelaeaceae	Dicranolepis disticha Planch.	n’saldendek	Moreira 97	UC	intestinal parasites	root	peel, triturate and macerate	drink
Vitaceae	Cissus rufescens Guill. & Perr.		Moreira 232	FB	swollen limbs	leaves and root	peel and triturate	topical
Zingiberaceae	Aframomum alboviolaceum (Ridl.) K.Schum.	mabôbé	Moreira 115	AS	stomach ache	root	boil	drink
Unidentified		mabobese tchill	Moreira 74	DC	children’s disease	root and leaves	boil and paste	drink and poultice
		méné	Moreira 41	TC/DC	swollen limbs	leaves	boil	wash and fumigate
		n’pitió	Moreira 28	TC/DC	dental caries	bark	triturate	topical
		n’timé	Moreira 153	FB	children’s disease	leaves	macerate	drink
		olo	Moreira 35	TC/DC	pulmonary complaints	leaves	macerate	drink

^a Voucher: plant specimens are deposited in LISC Herbarium (IICT -Tropical Research Institute, Lisbon)
^b Healer: AS Arafan Sane, DC Dgibi Camará, FB Fatu Bangorá, HBC Hajia Bintu Camará, TC Tcherno Camará, TC/DC Tcherno Camará and Dgibi Camará, UC Usumane Cassamá

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ISSN: 1746-4269

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