**4.2.3 Maintenance of use**

486 Pharmacology

Diadema as adults, and some had migrated through different regions of Brazil, accumulating knowledge on natural resources from human and biological sources. In Diadema, they acquired knowledge from neighbours, books, media (radio, television,

The migrants described their knowledge of 85 plant specimens. As can be seen in Table 1, 78 of them were available in Diadema and were collected, resulting in 65 plant species, the remaining 13 could only be identified to the generic level. The plants belong to 37 taxonomic families, with Asteraceae (16 species), Lamiaceae (8) and Euphorbiaceae (7) as the most common. Previous studies have shown that Asteraceae species are the group most commonly reported to have potential pharmacological properties, not only in the Atlantic Forest (Almeida & Albuquerque, 2002; Begossi et al., 1993; Di Stasi et al., 2002) but also in other Brazilian biomes such as the Amazon Forest (Rodrigues, 2006) the pantanal wetlands (Rodrigues & Carlini, 2004) and the cerrado savannahs (Rodrigues & Carlini, 2005). In a review focusing on plants with possible action/ effects on the central nervous system that were indicated by 26 Brazilian indigenous peoples occupying different Brazilian biomes (Rodrigues et al., 2005), Asteraceae was the second most commonly cited family. The same

Fig. 2. Location of the Municipality of Diadema, in São Paulo state, southeastern Brazil (black square). Interviewees' migration from their cities of origin to Diadema, being PE (Pernambuco state), SE (Sergipe), MG (Minas Gerais) and SP (São Paulo), and the distance of

the displacement (in Km) in each case (adapted of Garcia et al., 2010).

magazines), and personal experiences.

**4.2.2 Plants: Dynamics of use** 

According to the interviewees, 68 of the 78 specimens cited in the present study, were used in their homelands (highlighted with □ in Table 1). The maintenance of their uses was possible since most of them were available in Diadema, though some were brought from their homelands. SE1 brought four plants from Aquidabã - Sergipe state, for pain relief because they are not available or are more potent than the ones found in Diadema: "bálsamo" (*Sedum* sp.), "anador" (*Alternanthera* sp.), "eucalipto/vick" (*Eucalyptus globulus* Labill.) and "novalgina" (*Achillea millefolium* L.).

#### **4.2.4 Incorporation of use**

Fourteen of the 78 specimens listed in Table 1 came to be used by migrants when they arrived in Diadema (highlighted with Δ in Table 1). These incorporations occurred in several ways: through information given by neighbours; through local media, e.g., television, radio, magazines; or through personal efforts, guided by plant organoleptic properties or even by the theory of signatures. This theory, formulated by Paracelsus (XVI century), assumes that characteristics and virtues of herbs can be recognised by their external appearance or "signature" (picture, shape, colour). Finally, observing the relationship between animals and plants can be a valuable guide. PE1 noted that dogs consume "sete-sangria" (*Cuphea carthagenensis* (Jacq.) J. F. Macbr.) when they have diarrhoea; and because it seemed to alleviate their symptoms, he started to use this plant for the same purpose. The migrants incorporated several plants after their arrival in Diadema to treat typical diseases of larger cities: "cipó-cruz" (*Serjania* sp.) to combat high cholesterol; and "guanxuma" (*Sida rhombifolia* L.) and "guiné" (*Petiveria alliaceae* L.) for anxiety. Also included in this category was knowledge concerning local toxic plants, e. g., alamanda-amarela (*Allamanda cathartica* L.) and azaléia (*Rhododendron simsii* Planch.), detailing the risks associated with their consumption. Retracted

Similar results were recorded by Volpato et al. (2009), where the use of some plants have been incorporated in Cuban pharmacopoeia by the Haitians. This occurred, according to the authors, as a result of factors such as cultural contact and exchange of information between migrants and host, and personal experimentation or imitation of local practices by migrants. The same authors conclude that Haitians contributed to what is today considered as traditional Cuban medicine by introducing into the dominant Cuban community practices and uses of plants.


The Influence of Displacement by Human Groups Among Regions in the

*Cajanus cajan* (L.)

Medicinal Use of Natural Resource: A Case Study in Diadema, São Paulo - Brazil 489


The Influence of Displacement by Human Groups Among Regions in the Medicinal Use of Natural Resource: A Case Study in Diadema, São Paulo - Brazil 489

488 Pharmacology


The Influence of Displacement by Human Groups Among Regions in the

Medicinal Use of Natural Resource: A Case Study in Diadema, São Paulo - Brazil 491


The Influence of Displacement by Human Groups Among Regions in the Medicinal Use of Natural Resource: A Case Study in Diadema, São Paulo - Brazil 491

490 Pharmacology


The Influence of Displacement by Human Groups Among Regions in the

Medicinal Use of Natural Resource: A Case Study in Diadema, São Paulo - Brazil 493

*Sonchus oleraceus* L.

*Stachytarpheta cayennensis* (Rich.) Vahl


*Petiveria alliaceae* L.

*Psidium guajava* L.


The Influence of Displacement by Human Groups Among Regions in the

medicines and active ingredients, e.g., Novalgina

adapted with plants exchanged(Pieroni & Vandebroek, 2007).

since they could not be collected and identified as well.

(*Eucalyptus globulus*) for sinusitis, and Anador

**4.2.5 Replacement of use** 

seemed to have a stronger effect.

(2009).

**4.2.6 Discontinued use** 

Medicinal Use of Natural Resource: A Case Study in Diadema, São Paulo - Brazil 495

Three plants used by migrants in their cities of origin were replaced because they were not

1). Most of these replacements were made according to the criteria listed in the previous section. The interviewee MG1 explained that in his homelands, he used "quebra-pedra"\* (*Phyllanthus* cf. *caroliniensis* Walter - Euphorbiaceae) for kidney stone disturbance, but when he arrived in Diadema, he found another plant, "sofre-do-rim-quem-qué" (*Cissus* sp.), that

Another interviewee, PE1, reported that the bark and seeds of "amburana-de-cheiro"\* (*Amburana* cf. *cearensis* (Allemão) A.C. Sm. - Fabaceae s.l.) were widely used for anti-

inflammatory therapy in Pernambuco state but had to be replaced by "mentruz" (*Chenopodium ambrosioides* L.) because the former was not found in Diadema. In addition, SE1 had to replace "pau-de-sapo"\* (*Pouteria* cf. *melinoniana* Boehni - Sapotaceae), whose leaves were used for chronic wounds, with "carrapicho" (*Acanthospermum australe* (Loefl.) Kuntze). The vernacular names of some plants are registered trademarks of allopathic

sedative and for general pain. Contact between migrants and allopathic medicine thus led to the 'baptisms' of these plants, following the observation that both, the commercially available products and herbal source have similar effects, as reported by Pires et al.,

Biocultural adaptation, negotiation and cultural identity are key-issues for issues anthropological in the displacement of human groups between regions (Belliard & Ramírez-Johnson, 2005; Janes & Pawson, 1986). Research in culturally homogeneous places and/or non-urban has shown that to follow the pattern of changes in traditional knowledge and use of plant among migrants must involve the degree the process of acculturation (Bodeker et al., 2005; Nesheim et al., 2006 as cited in Pieroni & Vandebroek, 2007). This dynamic interaction between migrants and host societies may result in changes pharmacopeial

According to MG1, the following plants used in his homeland fell into disuse because they were not found in Diadema, although he tried to acquire them from local commercial sources: "quina"\* (*Strychnos* cf. *pseudoquina* A. St. Hil - Loganiaceae), whose root is used to combat pain in the stomach and intestine; bark oil of "jatobá"\* (*Hymenaea* cf. *courbaril* L. - Fabaceae s.l.), used for combat wounds; "batata-de-purga"\* (*Operculina* cf. *macrocarpa* (L.) Urb - Convolvulaceae), whose tuber is ingested as a purgative and to clean the blood; bark and leaf of "jalapa"\* (*Mirabilis* cf *jalapa* L. - Nyctaginaceae), used to clean the blood; tea of "junco"\* (*Cyperus* cf. *esculentus* L. - Cyperaceae), whose root is used for inflammation; bark or seed of "emburana"\* (*Amburana* cf. *cearensis* - Fabaceae s.l.), used for migraine and sleeping; and bark of "angico"\* (*Anadenanthera* cf. *colubrine* (Vell.) Brenan - Fabaceae s.l.), prepared as a tea for pain in the body and fever. These plants were not described in Table 1,
