title: Medical potential of plants used by the Q'eqchi Maya of Livingston, Guatemala for the treatment of women's health complaints.
abstract: Investigation on the medical ethnobotany of the Q'eqchi Maya of Livingston, Izabal, Guatemala, was undertaken in order to explore Q'eqchi perceptions, attitudes, and treatment choices related to women's health. Through participant observation and interviews a total of 48 medicinal plants used to treat conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, menstruation, and menopause were collected and identified followed by the evaluation of 20 species in bioassays relevant to women's health. Results of field interviews indicate that Q'eqchi cultural perceptions affect women's health experiences while laboratory results (estrogen receptor and serotonin receptor binding assays) provide a scientific correlation between empirical medicinal plant use among the Q'eqchi and the pharmacological basis for their administration. These data can contribute to Guatemala's national effort to promote a complementary relationship between traditional Maya medicine and public health services and can serve as a basis for further pharmacology and phytochemistry on Q'eqchi medicinal plants for the treatment of women's health conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. joannamichel@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Reinel Eduardo
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.forename: Judy L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bolton
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caceres
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Veliz
authors.forename: Djaja Doel
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Soejarto
authors.forename: Gail B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Mahady
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D001681:Biological Assay; D003625:Data Collection; D036262:Empirical Research; D005260:Female; D006166:Guatemala / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007197:Indians, Central American / Q000208:ethnology*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000187:drug effects; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008593:Menopause / Q000187:drug effects; D008598:Menstruation / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011247:Pregnancy; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D016387:Women's Health