Study of medicinal plants used by the Tikunas indigenous community of the upper Amazon (Macedonia)
A study of the plants associated with most common diseases in the TIKUNA community of Macedonia (located 57 km from Leticia, Colombia) were carried out from February 2008 to October 2009. Three types of surveys based on the "TRAMIL were applied. Total 115 plants with medicinal use and 308 remedies applied to cure various diseases were determined comprising 109 genera and 99 species. For each plant the vernacular name, Tikunas name, collection number, taxonomic family, traditional uses, part used, medicinal properties, method of preparation and administration, how was prepared (combined with a plant or animal) and whether it should be "diet" or not were documented. Each plant was documented: photographed on the field, collected and identified previously in SINCHI Leticia. The level of TRAMIL significant use value was calculated as well as phytoendemicity and fitoetnoaloctoneidad.
Families Arecaceae, Bignoniaceae and species such as the Rubiaceae and Yarumo (Cecropia sciadophylla) the Carambolo (carambola), cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa), the Acapu (Minquartia guianensis), the Lancetilla (Alternanthera brasiliana) and the Amacizo (Erythrina fusca) have great cultural value within the community. Additionally the use and application of different plants to relieve ailments were found shared by trapezium ethnic, although the validity or importance of plants depends on the cosmology and cosmogony of each community.
