Biodiversity of medicinal plants in Ba Na Nui Chua nature reserves, Da Nang City, Vietnam

Abstract

The medicinal species that reside in natural areas have received increasing scientific and commercial attention in recent years. This study focused on identifying medicinal plants, the current situation of medicinal plants utilization in Ba Na Reserves and conservation threats. The data was collected using interview and questionnaires by selecting 8 healers, 25 patients using purposive sampling method. A total of 280 species of medicinal plants (belonging to 106 families) were identified at our field site. Of those, 22 were threatened species found in the Vietnam Red List. Medicinal plants are mined primarily from natural forests (168 species – 60 %). Herbs were the most common form of medicinal plants used (35.36%), followed by trees (28.21%) and shrubs (20%). Based on indigenous knowledge, such plants were used to treat 15 different diseases. Medicinal plants were most commonly used to treat stomach, colon, inflammatory bowel, liver and kidney disease. Habitat destruction, monoculture, overharvesting were the main threat of medicinal plants in Ba Na nature reserve.