Ethnopharmacological notes about ancient uses of medicinal plants in Tras-os-Montes (northern of Portugal)

Aim of the study: In order to preserve the ancestral knowledge, an ethnopharmacological study has been carried out in two councils belonging to Tras-os-Montes region a small area located in the northern of Portugal. In that area, medicinal plants, most of the species wild, are still in use among farmers, shepherds and other people who live far from villages and built-up areas. Materials and methods: Among the 46 people that were interviewed (mean age of 66 years old), 88 species belonging to 42 families of vascular plants were identified for treatment of various human ailments. An ethnopharmacological report is made consisting of species names, vernacular names, popular uses of the plants and their pharmacological properties. Results and conclusion: The most dominant family is Lamiaceae (18%) and the most frequently part of the plant used for the treatment of diseases are leaves (37.9%). The largest number of taxa is used to treat gastrointestinal disorders (73.9%). (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.