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Medicinal plants in the treatment of skin diseases: an ethnobotanical study in various populations of the Bolívar department, Colombia

Sandra Milena Coronado Rios,Jorge Sánchez-Hoyos,María Isabel Quintana-Torres,Harold Gómez-Estrada

Published 2025 in Acta Botánica Mexicana

ABSTRACT

Background and Aims: Dermatological conditions are a significant source of global morbidity, as reported by the Global Burden of Disease study. In low- and middle-income countries with predominantly rural populations and limited healthcare access, traditional medicine is often the first line of treatment. In Colombia, despite the widespread use of medicinal plants to treat skin disorders, scientific documentation remains limited. This study aimed to record the plant species used by rural and semi-rural communities in the department of Bolívar for dermatological treatments.Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in eight localities in central and northern Bolívar, Colombia. A semi-structured questionnaire, based on TRAMIL guidelines, was used to collect data on four categories of dermatological conditions. The Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) and Fidelity index (FI) were calculated to assess the consistency and specificity of plant use.Key results: A total of 156 participants (109 women, 47 men) provided 385 use reports. The most frequently cited conditions included infections (165 reports), trauma-related injuries (136), insect bites (48), and inflammatory skin diseases (36), all associated with high ICF values. The species with the highest FI were Gliricidia sepium (21.01%) and Persea americana (20.29%) for infections, Aristolochia anguicida (50%) for insect bites, Heliotropium indicum (38.82%) and Bixa orellana (31.76%) for injuries, and Malachra alceifolia (44.44%) for inflammatory disorders. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part (72.73%), and poultices were the most common preparation method (39.74%). The data suggest a high degree of shared ethnobotanical knowledge, although a decline in intergenerational transmission was observed.Conclusions: Traditional medicine plays a crucial role in the management of dermatological conditions in the Colombian Caribbean region, highlighting the need for phytochemical and pharmacological studies to validate the efficacy and safety of medicinal plant species.

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