Thạc Sĩ The study of ethnomedicine of chu ru and raglai ethnic groups in phươc bình national park, ninh thuâ

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY - H! CHÍ MINH CITY
UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE
Major: Ecology
A THESIS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF BIOLOGY
2011


TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . ii
ABSTRACT (ENGLISH) . iii
ABSTRACT (VIETNAMESE) . v
TABLE OF CONTENTS . vii
LIST OF TABLES . xii
LISTS OF FIGURES xiv
INTRODUCTION . 1


CHAPTER 1. LITERATURE REVIEW . 3
1.1 Ethnomedicine - A subdiscipline of Ethnobotany . 3
1.1.1 Definitions 3
1.1.2 Quantification in Ethnobotany or Quantitative Ethnobotany . 4
1.1.3 Traditional medicine and Western medicine: conflict and cooperation . 5
1.1.4 Some trends in ethnomedical studies . 6
1.2 Vietnamese traditional medicine . 8
1.2.1 History of traditional medicine in Vietnam 8
1.2.2 Medicinal plants in Vietnam 10
1.3 Chu Ru and Raglai ethnic minorities 14
1.3.1 Malayo-Polyenesian ethnic group 14
1.3.2 Chu Ru people 16
1.3.3 Raglai people 19

CHAPTER 2. METHODOLOGY 22
2.1 Aim of the study 22
2.2 Scope of the study . 22
2.3 Contents of the study 22
2.4 Study period 23
2.5 Study area 23
2.5.1 Physical features 23
2.5.1.1 Geography . 23
2.5.1.2 Geomorphology . 24
2.5.1.3 Climate and hydrology . 24
2.5.1.4 Soil condition . 25
2.5.1.5 Soil utilization and vegetation cover of forest . 26
2.5.1.6 Flora 27
2.5.1.7 Fauna . 27
2.5.2 Economical and social characters . 28
2.5.2.1 Economical and social situation
in the core zone of the National Park . 28
2.5.2.2 Economical and social situation in the buffer zone . 28
2.6 Study population 30
2.6.1 Chu Ru and Raglai community in Ph#$c Bình National Park,
Bác Ái District, Ninh Thu,n Province 30
2.6.2 Study hamlets . 32
2.7 Materials 32
2.8 Study methodology . 32
2.8.1 Communicating with local people 33
2.8.2 Collecting information about ethnical medicinal plants . 33
2.8.2.1 Semi-structured interviews 33
2.8.2.2 Field trips . 34
2.8.2.3 Questionnaire interviews . 35
2.8.3 Collecting and processing samples 36
2.8.3.1 Sample collecting . 36
2.8.3.2 Sample processing . 37
2.8.3.3 Botanical identification 37
2.8.4 Database building 38
2.8.5 Data analysis and comparison 39
2.8.6 Calculating Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) of medicinal plants 39


CHAPTER 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 41
3.1 Biology of medicinal plants in the study area . 41
3.1.1 Distribution of taxa of medicinal plants . 41
3.1.2 Growing form of medicinal plants . 45
3.1.3 Habitat of medicinal plants 46
3.2 Medicinal plants used by Chu Ru and Raglai ethnic groups 48
3.2.1 Demography of local informants 48
3.2.2 Medicinal plants reported by the local informants . 51
3.2.3 Indigenous nomenclature . 58
3.2.4 Local affections and therapeutic pathway 62

1.1 ETHNOMEDICINE - A SUBDISCIPLINE OF ETHNOBOTANY
1.1.1 Definitions
The term “Ethnomedicine” was suggested by Huges for the first time in 1968 to
refer to the study of the healthcare system including beliefs and practices related to
diseases and health as products of indigenous cultural development which were not
explicitly derived from a conceptual framework of modern medicine [41], [43],
[55], [89]. Nowadays, Ethnomedicine also refers to the study of traditional
medicine practices in their whole [85].
In fact, Ethnomedicine is considered as one of the sub-disciplines of Ethnobotany.
Ethnobotany term was suggested by John Harshberger for the first time in 1896 to
delimit a specific field of botany describing the use of plants by aboriginal people.
Prior to the use of this defined term, many botanists already included this idea
within their studies. For instance, one of Carl von Linne’s early publications,
“Flora lapponica” (1737), included a discussion of the ways in which plants were
specifically utilized for medical purpose by the Lapplander people [54]. Later,
Harshberger has proposed a new discipline - Ethnobotany - with its own definitions,
scope, objectives and methodologies. Although Harshberger opinions remained the
core of this science throughout the 20th century, Ethnobotany has undergone many
changes and reforms in the research approach [60], [81].
The term “Ethnobotany” is composed etymologically by two words “ethnic”
(ethno-) and “plant” (botany), designing the relationship between people and their
surrounding plants [19], [34], [54]. Indigenous people manage and use their natural
resources (plants, animals and minerals) for construction, food and health care in
their daily life. This last part of Ethnobotany includes Ethnomedicine and/or
Ethnopharmacology, literally people science of medicine and remedies respectively.
4
Ethnomedicine covers a very wide spectrum, which may be classified into two
types: the personalitic systems, where supernatural ascribes to angry deities, ghosts,
ancestors and witches predominate, and the naturalistic systems, where illness was
explained in impersonal, systemic terms. The personalistic system appeared to
predominate in traditional medical systems of native America, parts of China, South
Asia, Latin America and most of the communities in Africa. The other one
predominates in Japan, South-East Asia and in the traditional Chinese medicine
[55].
1.1.2 Quantification in Ethnobotany or Quantitative Ethnobotany [36], [52]
Ethnobotany is drawn from many different disciplines and perspectives, which adds
to its complexity but do not impose any special limits to its development as an
experimental science. In addition, the fact that Ethnobotany can be seen as a field
where various spheres of knowledge overlapped should not in itself raise any doubt
about its own orientation. However, it is the target of criticisms based on the view
that it is an immature or “weak” science.
In the past, ethnobotanical studies in general and ethnomedicinal studies in
particular were often criticized about their methodology