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The presence of medicinal plants in scientific journal from the colonial and neocolonial Cuba

2010; Volume: 15; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

1028-4796

Ana Ibis García Hernández, Francisco J Morón Rodríguez, Cristina Larrea-Killinger,

Historical Studies in Science

INTRODUCTION: the medicinal plants and their formulas were a therapeutic resource of Cuban medicine in the colonial and neocolonial period, there is not available a retrieved information of papers published in scientific journals of that period. OBJECTIVES: to identify and to collect the scientific papers on the medical uses of medicinal plants during the colonial and neocolonial period. METHODS: a review in 16 leading Cuban medical scientific journals of that period, collecting the data from a form designed to that end. RESULTS: we found 5 journals, 53 papers on medicinal plants: 8 in Repertorio Medico Habanero (1840-1843), 37 in Anales de la Real Academia de Ciencias Medicas, Fisicas y Naturales de La Habana (1865-1958), 1 in Revista Medica de La Isla de Cuba (1858), 2 in Gaceta Medica de La Habana (1878-1880) and 5 in Cronica Medico-Quirugica de La Habana (1875-1940) where the search wasn't concluded, the species, parts used, preparations, indications, as well as the studies conducted were varied, in the 11 remainder it wasn't possible to get information on medicinal plants. CONCLUSIONS: in the reviewed literature of this period not much information was published on the use of medicinal plants and related studies.