Plantas silvestres consumidas como tés recreativos por grupos de rancheros en Baja California Sur, México / Wild plants consumed as recreational teas by groups of ranchers in Baja California Sur, Mexico

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Los tés recreativos son bebidas preparadas, por infusión/ebullición, de diferentes partes de plantas que se consumen en un entorno social/alimenticio. Se consideran generalmente saludables y con usos medicinales, aunque ese no es su único propósito de consumo. En México, los tés recreativos prácticamente no se mencionan en los estudios etnobotánicos. Este estudio describe la etnobotánica, contenido de fenólicos y actividad antioxidante de plantas silvestres empleadas como tés recreativos en dos rancherías de las zonas montañosas de la región de Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, México: Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra La Laguna y comunidad San Blas-Cacachilas. Métodos: La información etnobotánica se obtuvo mediante encuestas semi-estructuradas y estancias con los rancheros de ambas comunidades. Se calculó el porcentaje de citas, preferencia y valor cultural de cada especie registrada, además de describir sus usos medicinales adicionales. El contenido de fenólicos y actividad antioxidante se determinó por métodos colorimétricos y fueron correlacionados con parámetros etnobotánicos. Resultados clave: Se registraron 12 taxa de plantas silvestres para elaborar tés recreativos, 11 en Sierra La Laguna y seis en San Blas-Las Cacachilas. La damiana (Turnera diffusa) obtuvo el mayor valor cultural (71.2%), seguido de margarita (Aloysia barbata) (41.1%) y anís silvestre (Tagetes filifolia/T. micrantha) (21.5%). Los tés recreativos tuvieron sus principales usos medicinales como antigripales/antitusivos y relajantes generales. El contenido de antioxidantes presentó correlación negativa con el porcentaje de citas y la preferencia. Los usos etnofarmacológicos de A. barbata y el helecho peyote (Pellaea ternifolia) son descritos por primera vez, y se documentaron nuevos usos para la damiana y el cerezo (Prunus serotina). Conclusiones: Los rancheros de Baja California Sur tienen gran afinidad por el consumo de tés recreativos de plantas silvestres, y aquellos usados para tratar padecimientos comunes como gripe/tos o estrés son los preferidos. El presente es el primer estudio etnobotánico específico para tés recreativos en México.

Environmental traditional knowledge in a natural protected area as the basis for management and conservation policies.

Ethnobotany is an adequate tool to identify the most import wild edible plants used by local people and to develop strategies for its sustainable use and policy making. This research records the wild edible plants used by the inhabitants of the Sierra la Laguna Biosphere Reserve, in Mexico, and identified priority species for sustainable development. The employed quantitative approach included the application of a food-oriented index named Food Significance Index (FSI), which integrated cultural, agricultural and food parameters; moreover, it used multivariate analysis to identify priority edible species for use and/or conservation. Fifty taxa were identified as the most important wild edible plants in the reserve, integrated into five priority groups. Foods in priority group 1 had the highest culinary diversity by grouping three fruits (Ficus petiolaris, Stenocereus thurberi, and Cyrtocarpa edulis), one almond-like seed (Cnidoscolus maculatus), one vegetable (Matelea cordifolia), and one condiment (Capsicum annuum). Priority groups 2-5 were selective for one or two types of food, such as fruits, teas, or seeds. Since group 1 was the most diverse, the FSI and the employed strategy permitted to identify the priority wild edible plant species with the highest potential for food security. The selected six species should be included in the future management program of the reserve as the priority wild edible plants to develop strategies for conservation, sustainable use, and improvement of the local population income. General policies to manage the selected six species are outlined.

Chemical composition and biological activities of Helicteres vegae and Heliopsis sinaloensis.

CONTEXT: Helicteres vegae Cristóbal (Sterculiaceae) (Hv) and Heliopsis sinaloensis B.L. Turner (Asteraceae) (Hs) are endangered and poorly studied plant species; related plants have been used against chronic-degenerative and infectious diseases. Therefore, Hv and Hs could be sources of bioactive compounds against these illnesses. OBJECTIVE: To determine the chemical composition and biological activities (antioxidant, antimutagenic and antimicrobial) of Hv and Hs leaves (L) and stems (S). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Methanol extracts (ME) of each plant/tissue were evaluated for their phytochemicals; phenolics (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS); antioxidant activity (AA) (0.125-4 mg/mL) (DPPH, ABTS, ORAC and ß-carotene discoloration); antimutagenicity (0.5 and 1 mg/plate) (Ames assay, tester strain Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium YG1024, 1-nitropyrene as mutagen); activity against human pathogens (1 mg/mL); and toxicity (0.01-2 mg/mL) (Artemia salina assay). RESULTS: All ME showed flavonoids and triterpenes/steroids. The ME-SHv had the highest content of total phenolics (TP) (2245.82 ± 21.45 mg GAE/100 g d.w.) and condensed tannins (603.71 ± 1.115 mg CE/100 g d.w.). The compounds identified were flavonoids (kaempferol 7-O-coumaroylhexoside, and two kaempferol 7-O-rhamnosylhexosides) and phenolics [rosmarinic acid, and 3'-O-(8″-Z-caffeoyl) rosmarinic acid]. The ME-LHs showed the highest content of flavonoids (357.88 mg RE/g d.w.) and phenolic acids (238.58 mg CAE/g d.w.) by HPLC. The ME-SHv showed the highest AA. All ME were strong antimutagens (63.3-85.7%). Only the Hs extracts were toxic (ME-LHs, LC50 = 94.9 ± 1.7 µg/mL; ME-SHs, LC50 = 89.03 ± 4.42 µg/mL). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Both Hv and Hs are potential sources of preventive and therapeutic agents against chronic-degenerative diseases.