Medicinal Plants of Tecopatlán, Jalisco, Mexico: Description of The Uses and Environmental Availability

This study seeks to generate, and increase, awareness of local medicinal flora of the west central region of Mexico and provide information about the potential utility of medicinal plants. The research was conducted in the town of Tecopatlán, Jalisco, which is located in the influence zone of the Sierra of Manantlan Biosphere Reserve. In order to characterize the traditional knowledge of the use of medicinal plants and the local environment, we interviewed thirty-four adults who reported a total of seventy-three unique medicinal plant species. The most commonly reported illnesses were diabetes, cough, and kidney problems. Local perspectives attributed the acquisition of medicinal plant knowledge to both individual life experiences and personal characteristics that indicated a potential to learn and use plants for healing. The documentation of shared cultural knwoledge reinforces the value of the knowlege and provides a basis for conservation of the knowledge and sustainable use of the medicinal plants.