Post Series: Global Traditional Medicine Systems
In order to spread awareness about the rich living herbal traditions from around the world, this post series is intended to introduce some of the characteristics of the herbal or traditional medicine systems to which plants belong.
Malagasy Traditional Medicine integrates spiritual beliefs, herbal medicine, and practical remedies passed down through generations in Madagascar. Malagasy healers are highly respected within their communities for their knowledge of the medicinal properties of local plants, animals, and minerals. This traditional approach to medicine plays an essential role in healthcare across Madagascar, especially in rural areas where access to modern medical facilities can be limited.
In Malagasy Traditional Medicine, a variety of techniques are used to diagnose and treat illnesses. Healers often employ a holistic approach, addressing both the physical and spiritual aspects of disease. Diagnosis may involve divination or the interpretation of omens and signs to identify the underlying cause of an illness. Treatment techniques include herbal preparations, such as teas, powders, and poultices, made from fresh or dried plant materials. Healers may also use massage, heat, and even animal parts in some rituals, along with protective charms or amulets to ward off negative influences. Many of these techniques are based on balancing natural energies and maintaining harmony with ancestral spirits, who are believed to play a central role in the well-being of individuals.
A range of native plants, many of which are endemic to the country, are central to Malagasy Traditional Medicine. One notable plant is the Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), which is traditionally used to treat a variety of ailments, including diabetes and hypertension. This plant gained global recognition for containing alkaloids like vincristine and vinblastine, which are now widely used in cancer treatment. Saro (Cinnamosma fragrans) is known in Malagasy as ‘that which keeps disease (or evil) away’, and is the most widely used traditional medicine in the west of Madagascar. Aphloia theiformis, a Malagasy Tea, is widely used throughout the country as a rejuvenating tea, and Longoza (Aframomum angustifolium) is a wild cardamom that is used to stay strong and have endurance during long walks in the eastern forest hills.
hashtag#ethnobotany hashtag#medicinalplants hashtag#biodiversity hashtag#traditionalmedicine hashtag#Madagascar
Malagasy Traditional Medicine
