Uso tradicional de especies de plantas en trece provincias de Ecuador

The hypothesis that the traditional use of both introduced and native plants in Ecuador is analogous is validated in this research. One hundred and twenty-four interviews were gathered from 13 Ecuadorian provinces, 99 females and 25 males, 107 of which are mixed race and 17 indigenous, the majority of whom are merchants with a primary education and between 1 and 60 years of experience, whose knowledge has been acquired principally from their fathers or mothers about the traditional use of plants. The use of 274 species was registered, 138 (50.36%) of the total species were introduced and 136 (49.63%) were native, 3 of them (1.09%) were endemic; belonging to 224 genera included in 88 botanical families, originating in America (61.85%), Asia (15.68%), Europe (10.45%), Africa (9.58%) and Oceania (2.44%). Twenty-eight uses were presented particularly as medicinal (71 therapeutic uses), their uses highlighted as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibiotic, antispasmodic, diuretic, sedative and anti-flu. The knowledge of traditional plants did not vary significantly among ethnicities and gender; the opposite occurs among age and between native and introduced species. There is great agreement among the informants regarding ethnomedicinal uses of plants with Factor of Informants Consensus (FIC) value of 0.98.Se valida la hipótesis que el uso tradicional de plantas introducidas y nativas es análogo en Ecuador. Ciento veinticuatro entrevistas se desarrollan en 13 provincias de Ecuador, a 99 mujeres y 25 hombres, 107 del total son mestizos y 17 son indígenas, mayoritariamente comerciantes con estudios primarios y constan de 1 a 60 años de experiencia, que adquirieron el conocimiento del uso tradicional de las plantas de sus padres o madres principalmente. Se registra el uso de 274 especies, 138 (50,36%) del total son introducidas y 136 (49,63%) son nativas, 3 de las cuales son endémicas (1,09%); pertenecientes a 224 géneros incluidos en 88 familias botánicas, originarias de América (61,85%), Asia (15,68%), Europa (10,45%), África (9,58%) y Oceanía (2,44%). Se presentan 28 usos generales, particularmente como medicinal (71 usos terapéuticos), destacando el uso como antiinflamatorio, analgésico, antibiótico, antiespasmódico, diurético, sedante y antigripal. El conocimiento tradicional de las plantas no varía significativamente entre etnias y género; lo opuesto ocurre a nivel de edad y entre especies nativas e introducidas. Existe gran concordancia entre los informantes sobre los usos etnomedicinales de las plantas con un valor del Factor de Consenso de los Informantes (FIC) de 0,98