Ethnopharmacological study of floristic speciesin mountain communities of eastern Cuba

Abstract

A study was carried out on the traditional medicinal use of the flora, by inhabitants of four mountain communities in Yateras, Baracoa and San Antonio del Sur municipalities, in Guantánamo province, in eastern Cuba. A non-probabilistic intentional sample was considered, made up of 40 plant-knowledgeable inhabitants, to whom a survey was applied. From the data obtained, the general use value index for each species was calculated. As a result, a total of 119 species were identified, grouped into 53 botanical families and with 54 properties or therapeutic categories attributed by the inhabitants, finding the Fabaceae family with the largest number of species represented in popular traditional use. In addition, a low use value index was found for most of the species, which implies little coincidence between the species used by different inhabitants.