By Maryann Readal
Madagascar, an historic island off the coast of East Africa, holds a treasure of distinctive crops rising in its various ecosystems. The island is the fifth largest island on the earth and is about 1.5 instances the dimensions of California with a inhabitants of about 30 million (World Financial institution Group, 2024). It separated from Africa thousands and thousands of years in the past creating its personal distinctive haven for crops and animals. Based on a current report, there are greater than 12,000 recognized plant species with at the least 2,500 nonetheless to be found or documented in Madagascar (Essential Ecosystem Partnership Fund, 2024). Ninety six p.c of those crops are endemic. It’s estimated that greater than 2,300 of the recognized crops are used medicinally by the Malagasy individuals. Ninety p.c of those medicinal crops haven’t been commercialized (Rabarison, 2015).
The nation’s cities and villages are distant, and their financial disadvantages are profound with 81% of its inhabitants dwelling beneath the poverty fee of $2.15 per day (World Financial institution Group, 2024). Out of necessity and due to easy accessibility to crops, the Malagasy realized to place their crops to good use. Even so, how the individuals found crops that heal, in addition to complement their diets, is actually a surprise. There’s nonetheless a lot to be realized about native plant use in nations corresponding to Madagascar.
A 2013 research (Razafindraibe, 2013) confirmed that Malagasy ladies and healers are the main suppliers of well being care of their communities and that crops that can be utilized for digestive, reproductive, prenatal, and postpartum well being are probably the most regularly used crops. This commentary was bolstered by Nationwide Park Information, Ms. Ursula Kalo, who commented that many Madagascar crops are used for ladies’s well being, fertility, contraception, or for male virility. In Madagascar, 70% of plant-based medicines are constituted of an infusion of plant leaves. And as documented within the literature, the identical plant utilized by one ethnic group could also be used for various well being causes by one other group.
This text will spotlight a really small sampling of the medicinal crops I found throughout a go to to simply one of many nation’s wealthy rainforests, the Masaola Nationwide Park, the biggest protected space in Madagascar and thought of to be a biodiversity hotspot.
Usually, we contemplate basil to be a culinary plant. Nonetheless, in Madagascar, clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum), often known as African basil, is used as a medication to remedy many diseases from diarrhea to fungal and bacterial infections, irritation, and pneumonia. Additionally it is used to deal with postpartum infections. One other plant, whip vine (Flagellaria indica), is used to make baskets and thatched roofs. As well as, the plant’s stem is used to make a contraceptive, and the boiled root is used as a well being tonic for male virility. One other plant, Commelina madagascarica, often known as dayflower/spiderwort, is utilized by some Malagasy peoples to deal with female and male infertility, and in accordance with Ms. Kalo, “Helps to calm a lady right down to have a child.” Additionally it is used to induce abortion. For a lot of gardeners in america, the Asiatic dayflower (C. communis)—a relative of the highly effective C. madagascarica—is taken into account a weed!
One other plant used to deal with sexual well being is Zanthoxylum tsihanimposa, or prickly ash. It’s used to deal with erectile dysfunction and venereal illness, in addition to malaria and wounds. Cinnamosma madagascariensis treats issues of childbirth, along with erectile dysfunction and tooth decay. The leaves of Afromomum angustifolium, Madagascar cardamom, are cooked with rice and given to new moms to assist with lactation. And attention-grabbing to notice, the stem of the vanilla orchid (Vanilla madagascariensis), which drapes bushes within the rainforest, is used to deal with erectile dysfunction and can be used as an aphrodisiac. By the way, Madagascar produced three million tons of vanilla in 2022, making it the biggest exporter of vanilla on the earth (World Inhabitants Evaluate, 2024). Madagascar can be the world’s principal provider of cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) and ylang ylang (Cananga odorata).
Different crops noticed outdoors of the rainforest had been some that we develop in our gardens. Lantana camara is considered one of them. This lantana is utilized by the Malagasy individuals to deal with wounds, hypertension, malaria, and diarrhea. Catharanthus roseus, rosy periwinkle, is one other plant that we develop in our gardens, primarily as a decorative. It’s native to Madagascar and is used to deal with leukemia and different cancers. Turk’s cap (Malviciscus arboreus), whereas having solely minor medicinal worth, is hung outdoors the home saying that somebody has died.
There’s appreciable concern that as underdeveloped nations, corresponding to Madagascar, catch as much as the remainder of the world, a lot ethnobotanical information will probably be misplaced. It will negatively influence the invention of recent medicine to deal with sickness. Madagascar is taken into account a biodiversity hotspot, and there may be potential for the pure riches of its ecosystems to be overused and depleted because the nation strikes towards modernization. Consequently, helpful and distinctive plant species could possibly be misplaced.
Curiously, I did uncover that there’s a distinction between printed details about medicinal crops in Madagascar and the way they’re utilized by a few of its indigenous individuals. The literature means that little or no analysis has been accomplished on the ethnomedical practices of the eighteen ethnic teams in Madagascar and that extra of those distinctive practices have to be documented earlier than the knowledge is misplaced (Rakotondrafara, 2018). Because of this journey, I’m satisfied that there’s nonetheless a lot to study medicinal crops in lots of the underdeveloped nations of the world.
Medicinal Disclaimer: It’s the coverage of The Herb Society of America, Inc. to not advise or advocate herbs for medicinal or well being use. This data is meant for instructional functions solely and shouldn’t be thought-about as a suggestion or an endorsement of any specific medical or well being remedy. Please seek the advice of a well being care supplier earlier than pursuing any natural therapies.
Photograph Credit: 1) Madagascar rainforest (Wikimedia Commons, unknown photographer); 2) Village ladies promoting spices and straw merchandise (Ursula Kalo); 3) Clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum, Wikimedia Commons, Nivo H. Rakotoarivelo) and whip vine (Flagellaria indica, Wikimedia Commons, Patrice Antilahimena); 4) Dayflower (Commelina madagascarica, Wikimedia Commons, Nadia Volomboahang), prickly ash (Zanthoxylum tsihanimposa, Wikimedia Commons, Tabita Randrianarivony), and vanilla (Vanilla madagascariensis, Wikimedia Commons, Richard Randrianaivo); 5) Lantana (Lantana camara, Maryann Readal) and rosy periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus, Maryann Readal); 6) Turk’s cap (Malviciscus arboreus, Maryann Readal).
References
Essential Ecosystem Partnership Fund. 2024. Madagascar and Indian Ocean Islands—Species. Accessed 10/3/24. https://www.cepf.web/our-work/biodiversity-hotspots/madagascar-and-indian-ocean-islands/species
Rabarison, Harison. 2015. Nationwide biodiversity and motion plans 2015-2025. Accessed 9/4/24. https://www.cbd.int/nations?nation=mg
Rakotondrafara, A., et al. 2018. Ethnobotany of medicinal crops utilized by the Zafiminary clan in Madagascar. Accessed 10/3/24. https://www.phytopharmajournal.com/Vol7_Issue6_06.pdf
Razafindraibe, M., Kuhlman, A.R., Rabarison, H., et al. 2013. Medicinal crops utilized by ladies from Agnalazaha littoral forest (Southeastern Madagascar). J. Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine Vol. 9, Issue73. Acccessed 9/26/24. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24188563/
United Nations. N.D. Madagascar–Nation profile. Accessed 10/3/24. https://www.cbd.int/nations/profile?nation=mg
World Financial institution Group. 2024. World Financial institution in Madagascar. Accessed 10/9/24. https://www.worldbank.org/en/nation/madagascar/overview
World Inhabitants Evaluate. 2024. Accessed 9/4/24. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/vanilla-production-by-country
