title: Ethnopharmacological evaluation of medicinal plants used against malaria by quilombola communities from Oriximiná, Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malaria is the most important parasitic disease in the world, including in the Amazon region, due to its high incidence. In addition, malaria is difficult to control because of the geographical characteristics of the endemic Amazon region. The quilombola communities of Oriximina, located in remote rainforest areas, have extensive experience with medicinal plants due to their close contact with and dependence on local biodiversity as a therapeutic resource. To search for active bioproducts against malaria, based on in vitro tests using blood culture-derived parasites and plants selected by an ethno-directed approach in traditional quilombola communities of Oriximiná, in the Amazon region of Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ethnobotanical data were collected from 35 informants in the quilombola communities of Oriximiná, Brazil, by a free-listing method for the survey of species locally indicated to be effective against malaria and related symptoms. Data were analyzed by salience index (S) and major use agreement. The activity of extracts from 11 plants, selected based on their Salience values (four plants with S>1; seven plants with S<0.1), was measured in vitro in cultures of W2 clone Plasmodium falciparum parasites resistant to chloroquine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-five ethnospecies comprising 40 different plants belonging to 23 botanical families and 37 genera were listed as antimalarials by the ethno-directed approach. Among these, 11 species selected based on their S values were assayed against P. falciparum. The most active plant extracts, with an IC50 as low as 1.6μg/mL, were obtained from Aspidosperma rigidum (Apocynaceae), Bertholletia excelsa (Lecythidaceae) and Simaba cedron (Simaroubaceae), all of which displayed an S value>1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A strong correlation between the consensus of the informants from quilombola communities living in a malaria endemic area and the salience index indicating antiplasmodial activity was observed, where the ethnospecies mostly cited to be effective against malaria produced the most active plant extracts in vitro. It was also evident from the data that these groups approached the treatment of malaria with an holistic view, making use of purgative, depurative, emetic and adaptogen plants.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Bloco A 2° andar, Ilha do Fundão, 21941-590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: oliveiradr@pharma.ufrj.br.
authors.forename: Danilo R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Laboratório de Malaria, FIOCRUZ, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, Barro Preto, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Faculty of Medicine, Av. Alfredo Balena, Pós Graduação em Medicina Molecular, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antoniana U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Krettli
authors.affiliation: Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, Laboratório de Malaria, FIOCRUZ, Av. Augusto de Lima, 1715, Barro Preto, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Faculty of Medicine, Av. Alfredo Balena, Pós Graduação em Medicina Molecular, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anna Caroline C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Aguiar
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisas de Produtos Naturais, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Bloco H, Ilha do Fundão, 21941-590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gilda G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Leitão
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Bloco A 2° andar, Ilha do Fundão, 21941-590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Bloco A 2° andar, Ilha do Fundão, 21941-590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Karine S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Bloco A 2° andar, Ilha do Fundão, 21941-590 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Suzana G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Leitão
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology; D001938:Brazil; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Antiplasmodial activity; Bioprospecting; Ethno-directed; Maroons; Traditional knowledge