Medical ethnobotany survey of the Senegalese community living in Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy)

Abstract

<span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US" lang="EN-US">The present work aims to study the use of plant species with curative intent within the Senegalese community who live in the city of Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy). The article mainly focuses on the integration of traditional medicine and biomedicine, on the codification of knowledge capital, behaviors, as well as health information. The purpose of this investigation is to: shed light on this interesting and somewhat unknown wealth of knowledge, enhance it and evaluate the process of integration with the local culture. We have tried to define, through an ethnobotanical survey, the plant species used traditionally to treat various ailments and gather the knowledge that different members of the community have of them. The survey revealed the use of 23 plant species belonging to 11 families, with a prevalence of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Fabaceae</i> (30.4%), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Anacardiaceae</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Combretaceae</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Malvaceae</i> (13% each). An overall analysis of data showed that, in addition to the therapeutic uses to treat diseases of easy resolution, there are also applications for specific diseases, such as leprosy, diabetes and malaria.

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