The Ethnobotanical Survey of Plants Used for Treatment of Bone Disorders

Abstract

Objective: To study the ethnobotanical plants and formulae used as tonics for bone and tendon functions, remedies for bone disorders, and tonics for postmenopausal women. Method: The study was carried out by interviewing traditional healers in Amphur Muang, Mahasarakham Province. Results: The results showed that 12 traditional healers were male with ages of 60 to 70 years. They had an experience of treatment of bone and bone-related disorders about 20 to 40 years. Seven formulae and 2 individual plants commonly used for bone disorders were from 42 individual ethnobotanical plants and 31 families. These individual plants and formulae were classified into 4 groups including 1) remedy for bone fracture 2) pain relief and tonics for tendon 3) women’s blood tonics and 4) tonics for blood circulation and bone functions. Conclusion: Ethnobotanical plants used as remedies and tonics for bone, tendon, blood circulation in Amphur Muang, Mahasarakham province were identified. There is a need to investigate chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of the plants as well as to perform the quality control of the herbal formulae.Keywords: ethnobotanical plants, bone tonics, tendon tonics