RESUMO
ABSTRACT Fabaceae is one of the largest families of ethnopharmacological importance. From this botanical group, important chemical constituents that act in the treatment and/or healing of various bodily systems arise. The objective of this study was to evaluate the most versatile Fabaceae species and the agreement of use among the informants, in the Chapada do Araripe Savanna. The research included five rural communities located in the municipalities of Nova Olinda, Crato, Barbalha, Moreilândia and Exu, covering the states of Ceará and Pernambuco. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 126 informants, adopting the snowball technique and using a standardized form. The relative importance and the Informant Consensus Factor were analyzed for the selection of species with therapeutic potential. Twenty-six medicinal species, distributed across 22 genera, were associated with seventy therapeutic purposes. As for the habitat of the species, the arboreal habitat predominated (76.92%). In relation to the plant parts, the bark (28.57%) and stem inner bark (26.53%) were the most used structures. Among the species, four showed great versatility in relation to their uses, with relative importance (RI>1), these being: Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (1.70), Stryphnodendron rotundifolium Mart. (1.52), Bowdichia virgiloides Kunth (1.10) and Amburana cearenses (Allemand) A. C. Sm. (1.02). These species had eight to thirty curative properties and ranged from five to twelve body systems. The therapeutic indications cited were grouped into sixteen categories of body systems, of which Sensory System Disorders and Mental and Behavioral Diseases presented maximum values for the Informant Consensus Factor. For the Sexual Impotence category there was no agreement, whereas for the remaining systems the Informant Consensus Factor ranged from 0.33 to 0.91. The study evidences that the information of use and/or knowledge are shared among the people within the community, proving the great importance of Fabaceae in the use of medicinal plants.
RESUMO
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional medical systems represent an important source of knowledge about the use of biodiversity. Ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies can encourage bioprospecting in the pursuit and selection of promising medicinal plants. This study investigated the diversity of medicinal plants in a disjunct area of cerrado in Chapada do Araripe, Ceará, Brazil, and assessed the species of interest for bioprospecting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Structured and semi-structured interviews were conducted through free listing, and the informants were recruited using the "snowball" technique. The relative importance and informant consensus factor were analyzed for the selection of plant species with therapeutic potential. RESULTS: A total of 68 species were recorded and cited for 91 therapeutic purposes. Of these, 10 species showed great versatility of use, including Copaifera langsdorffii Desf., Caryocar coriaceum Wittn., Himatanthus drasticus (Mart.) Plumel, Stryphnodendron rotundifolium Mart., and Dimorphandra garderiana Tull. The therapeutic citations were grouped into 16 categories of body systems, of which Injuries, Poisonings and Other Consequences of External Causes, and Neoplasias showed the highest agreement of use. CONCLUSIONS: Regarding the diversity of the species, some including Tocoyena Formosa (Cham. & Schlecht.) Schum., Himatanthus drasticus, Caryocar coriaceum, Roupala montana Aubl. and Stryphnodendron rotundifolium showed both high relative importance and strong consensus among informants, and although many have already been investigated scientifically, others are almost unknown with respect to their medicinal properties and can be targets for bioprospecting.
