Ethnomedicinal plants of the Dumagat community of Paraiso, Culat, Casiguran, Aurora, Philippines

Paper Details

Research Paper 01/03/2021
Views (2969)
current_issue_feature_image
publication_file

Ethnomedicinal plants of the Dumagat community of Paraiso, Culat, Casiguran, Aurora, Philippines

Madel L. Canceran, Paul Henric P. Gojo Cruz, Evaristo A. Abella, Diana C. Castillo, Emmanuel E. Gandalera, Khristina G. Judan Cruz
Int. J. Biosci. 18(3), 261-267, March 2021.
Copyright Statement: Copyright 2021; The Author(s).
License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Abstract

Of the Philippines’ 130 distinct and diverse ethnic groups, the Dumagats of Casiguran, Aurora hosts a rich culture of traditional medicine that utilizes taxonomically diverse ethnobotanicals. This paper highlights the Dumagats’ utilization of ethnobotanicals as medicine.  Dumagat families served as informants and were interviewed for their use of the ethnobotanicals.  The data collected were quantified by calculating the use value and informant consensus factor. A total of 58 ethnobotanicals used for medicinal purposes were listed and classified under 34 families.  Leaves are the commonly used plant part.  Ethnomedicinal plants were often decocted and taken orally. Centella asiatica L., Pinanga sp., Mikania cordata (Burm.f.) B.L. Rob., Pterocarpus indicus Willd., Psidium guajava L., Phyllantus urinaria L., and Imperata cylindrica (L.) Raeusch are the most used medicinal plants in the community with a use value of 1. The disease category with the highest FIC value was injury and poisons of external causes and diseases of the respiratory system with a value of 0.85 High FIC values were observed which suggests further research to validate the medicinal uses of these plants.

Balberona AN, Noveno JJ, Angeles MGB, Santos RI, Cachin EJDJ, Cruz KGJ. 2018. Ethnomedicinal plants utilized by the Ilongot-Eǵongot community of Bayanihan, Maria Aurora, Aurora, Philippines. International Journal of Agricultural Technology 14(2), 145-159.

Blumentrit F. 1980. An attempt writing a Philippine ethnography in: the Negrito Filipino heritage. The Making of a Nation. 1.

Eranista JA. 1994. The Agta situationer. Manila: ECTF.

Olowa LF, Torres MA, Aranico EC, Demayo CG. 2012. Medicinal plants used by the Higaonon tribe of Rogongon, Iligan City, Mindanao, Philippines. Advances in Environmental Biology 6, 1442-1449.

Ong HC, Chua S, Millow P. 2011. Ethno-medicinal plants used by Temuan villagers in Kampung Jeram Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Studies on Ethno- Medicine 5(2), 95-100.

Ragragio EM, Zayas CN, Obico JJA. 2013. Useful plants of selected Ayta communities from Porac, Pampanga, twenty years after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. Philippine Journal of Science 142(3), 169-82.

Raterta R, de Guzman G, Alejandro GJ. 2014. Assessment, inventory and ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Batan and Sabtang Island (Batanes Group of Islands, Philippines). International Journal of Pure Applied Bioscience 2, 147-154.

Sia IC, Sur ALD, Co L, Gaerlan FJM, Naynes RS, Galang RM, Estabillo VB. 1998. Ethnopharmacological study of the Philippine ethnolinguistic groups: the Dumagat people of the provinces of Aurora, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Quezon in Luzon Island. University of the Philippines Manila Journal 4(1).

Thirumalai T, Kelumalai E, Senthilkumar B, David E. 2009. Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the local people in Vellore District, Tamilnadu, India. Ethnobotanical Leaflets 13, 1302–131.

Uddini MZ, Hassan MDA. 2014. Determination of informant consensus factor of ethnomedicinal plants used in kalenga forest, Bangladesh. Bangladesh Journal of Plant Taxonomy 21, 83-91.

Valle DL Jr, Andrade JI, Puzon JJ, Cabrera E, Rivera WL. 2015. Antibacterial activities of ethanol extracts of Philippine medicinal plants against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine 5, 532-540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.04.005

Related Articles

In vitro assessment of the anticancer activity of quinaldic acid against human breast cancer cells (MCF-7)

N. Medhavi, S. M. Sivasankaran, K. Selvakumar, K. Harish, S. Manoharan*, Int. J. Biosci. 29(3), 1-10, September 2026.

In silico molecular docking analysis of quinaldic acid against cancer related targets

N. Medhavi, K. Harish, S. M. Sivasankaran, K. Selvakumar, B. Vidhyambigai, S. Manoharan*, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 129-139, August 2026.

First records of Macrogyrodactylus clarii and six species of Quadriacanthus (Monogenea) infecting Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) across four localities in Senegal

Arfang Diamanka*, Abdou Toure, Sikhou Drame, Cheikh Diop, Ngor Faye, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 118-128, August 2026.

Comparative predictive performance of anthropometric indices and associated risk factors for obesity among Beninese adults: A cross-sectional study

Ganlaky D. Boris, Sègbo Julien A. Gaetan*, Dossou David, Sossa J. Charles, Akpovi D. Casimir, Agbangla Clement, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 105-117, August 2026.

Proximate, mineral and vitamin composition of Uvaria chamae P. Beauv. (Annonaceae) seed flour from Korhogo, northern Côte d’Ivoire

Nyamien Yves Bleouh Jean*, Anon Attoh Hyacinthe, Diallo Koffi, Biego Godi Henri, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 97-104, August 2026.

Acute toxicity of seeds from Sphenostylis stenocarpa (Hochst ex A. Rich.) Harms

Wilfried Zanmenou*, Razack Osseni, Mahouglo Barnabé Houessou, Chimène Agrippine Rodogune Yelouassi, Comlan Kintomagnimessè Célestin Tchekessi, Philippe Sessou, Anatole Laleye, Pierre Dossou-Yovo, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 89-96, August 2026.

Stabilization of cashew apple juice with chitosan: clarification and microbiological quality

Kokora Aya Philomène*, Coulibaly Adama, Cissé Mohamed, Coulibaly Bintou, Konan N’guessan Ysidor, Godi Henri Marius Biego, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 76-88, August 2026.

Implementation and evaluation of limited face to face classes: basis for adoption of health and safety manual

Christian Jude B. Calunsag*, Int. J. Biosci. 29(2), 65-75, August 2026.