3.1 Age and gender structure of the master of medical knowledge
According to the investigation, the number of medicinal materials that were mastered by men is much higher than that of women (Fig. 2). We could see that there were 299 herbs provided by men, while only 128 kinds were provided by women. The number of herbs provided by women was less than half of that provided by men. Besides, there were no female vendors among aged 20-30, and the number of medicinal materials provided by male vendors is very small, only 10 kinds (Fig. 2). The knowledge of medicinal plants of Chuanqing People was mainly mastered by the middle-aged and older people, and the Chuanqing People who were aged from 31to 70 years old had the most knowledge.
Fig. 2 The demographics of vendors
3.2 Taxonomic characteristics of medicinal plants
A total of medicinal plant species belonging to 92 genera of 53 families were recorded from Chuanqing People (Fig. 3). The dominant family of Chuanqing People's medicinal plants was Orchidaceae and Asparagaceae (6 species respectively), such as Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Rchb.f., Reineckea carnea (Andrews) Kunth, Asparagus filicinus Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don, etc. Followed by Berberidaceae and Asteraceae (5 species respectively), such as Senecio analogus DC., Dysosma delavayi (Franch.) Hu. Berberidaceae and Compositae (5 species respectively), Apocynaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, and Polygonaceae (4 species respectively). The remaining families are presented by 4 or fewer entities.
Fig. 3 The dominant medicinal plant families in the herbal market of Dragon Boat Festival in Nayong
3.3 Analysis of medicinal parts
Sixteen medicinal parts of medicinal plants were used by Chuanqing People, of which the whole plant was the most (36.19%), such as Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo, Taraxacum mongolicum Hand. - Mazz., etc. Followed by roots (24.76%), rhizomes (12.38%), root tubers (8.57%), leaves (3.81%), fruits (1.90%), flowers (1.90%), stems (1.90%), aerial parts (1.90%) and others (6.65%) (Fig. 4). The proportion of using roots and whole plants as medicinal parts reached 60.95%, which was not conducive to the sustainable development of plants.
Fig. 4 The proportion of used parts of medicinal plants in herbal market of Dragon Boat Festival in Nayong
3.4 Medication methods
Twenty medicinal methods of Chuanqing People were recorded. Decoction (44.35%) was the most commonly used medical method, such as Disporopsis fuscopicta Hance, Verbena officinalis L., Polygonum aviculare L.and so on. Followed by alcohol maceration (18.55%), bath (6.45%), cook with pork (5.65%), mash (4.84%), cook with chicken (3.23%), powder with boiled water (3.23%), steam with honey (3.23%), slice (2.42%), vinegar maceration (1.61%) and others (6.48%) (Fig. 5). For the Chuanqing People, most of the medicinal materials were used in the treatment of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diseases. Also, there were some special medical methods for Chuanqing People, such as souping with glutinous rice and firing with eggs.
Fig. 5 The proportion of medicinal uses of medicinal plants in the herbal market of Dragon Boat Festival in Nayong
3.5 Functions and indications
According to the International Classifification of Primary Care (ICPC) (https://www.who.int/classififications/icd/en/)[23], seventy-one investigated human ailments are divided into 12 categories by Chuanqing People on the herbal market of DBF(Table 1). Most medicinal materials were used to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. This is because Nayong County had a humid climate and most of the people were engaged in agriculture, which leads to many diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, such as rheumatism and bruise.
Table 1. The number of categories of aliments
Category
|
Number
|
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
|
34
|
Diseases of the digestive system
|
18
|
Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
|
17
|
Diseases of the genitourinary system
|
16
|
Diseases of the respiratory system
|
15
|
Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
|
5
|
Diseases of the circulatory system
|
5
|
Diseases of the nervous system
|
3
|
Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism
|
2
|
Diseases of the ear and mastoid process
|
2
|
Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period
|
1
|
Diseases of the eye and adnexa
|
1
|
3.6 Analysis of the UV value and CI value of medicinal plants of Chuanqing People
The UV value of medicinal plants used by Chuanqing People ranged from 0.019 to 0.288, while many species were with low UV values and CI value. Appendix 1 showed that the highest UV values and CI value were calculated for Hedera nepalensis var. sinensis (Tobler) Rehder (UV & CI=0.288), Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux, Plantago major L., Polygonum capitatum Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don, Paris polyphylla Smith, Potentilla discolor Bunge (UV & CI=0.134) The UV of seven medicinal plants (UV & CI>0.1) probably because they were widely distributed in the local habitat of Nayong County and relatively easy to obtain; Secondly, these plants might be more effective than other plants, so they were more popular in local communities. Last but not least, nourishing and rheumatism were the most common problems for Chuanqing People. The high demand for these herbs and their effectiveness might be the main reason for the high frequency of the herbal market on DBF.
3.7 Analysis of rare and endangered information
A total of 11 medicinal plants were recorded in the Information System of Chinses Rare and Endangerous Plants (ISCREP)( Table 2), and 11 species were recorded as national protected plants (10.78%)., Among them, five species protected by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), six species were recorded in International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), including low-risk (1 mention), near-risk (2 mentions), vulnerable (2 mentions) and endemic species (2 mentions) in China. Six medicinal species were endemic to China.
Table 2. Records of ISCREP
Scientific name
|
National protection
|
CITES
|
IUCN
|
Endemism
|
Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils
|
(Ⅱ)
|
Ⅱ
|
NT
|
Houpoea officinalis (Rehder& E. H. Wilson) N. H. Xia & C. Y. Wu
|
(Ⅱ)
|
NT
|
Only in China
|
Rhodiolayunnanensis(Franch.) S. H. Fu
|
(Ⅱ)
|
LC
|
Only in China
|
Pleione yunnanensis (Rolfe) Rolfe
|
(Ⅱ)
|
Ⅱ
|
VU
|
Cibotium barometz (L.) J. Sm.
|
(Ⅱ)
|
Ⅱ
|
Only in China
|
Aristolochiatuberosa C. F. Liang et S. M. Hwang
|
(Ⅱ)
|
VU
|
Only in China
|
Paris polyphylla Smith
|
(Ⅱ)
|
Citrus cavalerieiH. Lév. ex Cavalier
|
(Ⅱ)
|
Only in China
|
Dendrobium officinale Kimura & Migo
|
(Ⅰ)
|
Only in China
|
Taxus chinensis (Pilg.) Rehder
|
(Ⅰ)
|
Ⅱ
|
VU
|
Gastrodia elata Blume.
|
(Ⅱ)
|
Ⅱ
|