CARACTERIZACIÓN DEL COMERCIO DE PLANTAS MEDICINALES EN LOS MERCADOS POPULARES DE CARACAS, VENEZUELA

RESUMENPara caracterizar el comercio de plantas medicinales en Caracas, Venezuela, se visitaroncinco mercados populares y 10 herbolarios, entrevistando los vendedores para determinarlas especies comercializadas, usos tradicionales, su versatilidad e importancia relativa.Se registraron 198 especímenes, identificándose 164 especies, de 72 familias. La mayoríason cultivadas, pero también se comercializan especies silvestres provenientes de los Andesy Guayana. Se registraron 120 usos, distribuidos en 18 categorías de enfermedades,principalmente del sistema digestivo, infecciosas y parasitarias, piel y tejido subcutáneo.Predominaron las especies multipropósito (164, IVF > 0,5), mientras que 125 presentaronuso significativo (NUS > 20%). El análisis de agrupamiento evidenció la existencia de dosgrupos de herbolarios. Se recomienda complementar este estudio con evaluaciones farmacológicasy ecológicas.ABSTRACTTo characterize the commercial trade of medicinal plants in Caracas, Venezuela, fivepopular markets and 10 herb stalls were visited. Stall keepers were interviewed to determinewhich species were being sold and which were their traditional uses. One hundred ninetyeight samples were recorded and 164 species from 72 families were identified. Most of thesespecies are cultivated although wild species from the Andes and Guayana have also beencommercialized. One hundred twenty different uses of these plants were recorded and categorizedaccording to 18 disease types, especially those associated with digestive system,infectious and parasitic diseases, as well as those related to skin and subcutaneous tissue.Multi-purpose species were dominant (164, IVF > 0,5), while 125 species show significant use (NUS > 20%). The cluster analysis evidences two groups of stalls. A complementarystudy considering pharmacological and ecological assessments is recommended