INVESTIGATION OF MEDICAL PLANTS USED TO TREAT KIDNEY -RELATED DISEASES BELONGING TO EXPERIENCES OF ETHNIC COMMUNITIES IN THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE

Abstract

Indigenous medical experience is a cultural feature of ethnic minorities, making an important contribution to the care and protection of the health of ethnic minorities. In this study, we have investigated and classified herbs as well as remedies used by ethnic communities in Thai Nguyen province to treat kidney-related diseases. The obtained results showed that there are a total of 157 species of plants belonging to 126 genera, 71 families of 5 phyla of higher vascular plants that are used as medicine for kidney diseases, mainly in the Rubiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae, Moraceae families and Ficus, Alocasia, Morinda, Pandanus, Rubus genera. This study also investigated and enumerated 20 herbal remedies of ethnic communities in Thai Nguyen province used to treat kidney-related diseases such as renal insufficiency, glomerular nephritis,  renal edema and some other nephropathy. The results of the study provide data for preserving the diversity of medicinal plant species as well as preserving the valuable experiences of ethnic community in disease treatment.