American palm ethnomedicine: A meta-analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many recent papers have documented the phytochemical and pharmacological bases for the use of palms (<it>Arecaceae</it>) in ethnomedicine. Early publications were based almost entirely on interviews that solicited local knowledge. More recently, ethnobotanically guided searches for new medicinal plants have proven more successful than random sampling for identifying plants that contain biodynamic ingredients. However, limited laboratory time and the high cost of clinical trials make it difficult to test all potential medicinal plants in the search for new drug candidates. The purpose of this study was to summarize and analyze previous studies on the medicinal uses of American palms in order to narrow down the search for new palm-derived medicines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Relevant literature was surveyed and data was extracted and organized into medicinal use categories. We focused on more recent literature than that considered in a review published 25 years ago. We included phytochemical and pharmacological research that explored the importance of American palms in ethnomedicine.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 730 species of American palms, we found evidence that 106 species had known medicinal uses, ranging from treatments for diabetes and leishmaniasis to prostatic hyperplasia. Thus, the number of American palm species with known uses had increased from 48 to 106 over the last quarter of a century. Furthermore, the pharmacological bases for many of the effects are now understood.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Palms are important in American ethnomedicine. Some, like <it>Serenoa repens </it>and <it>Roystonea regia</it>, are the sources of drugs that have been approved for medicinal uses. In contrast, recent ethnopharmacological studies suggested that many of the reported uses of several other palms do not appear to have a strong physiological basis. This study has provided a useful assessment of the ethnobotanical and pharmacological data available on palms.</p

A repercussão de um diagnóstico de síndrome de Down no cotidiano familiar: perspectiva da mãe La repercusión de un diagnóstico de Síndrome de Down en el cotidiano familiar: perspectiva de la madre The impact of a Down Syndrome diagnosis on the family dynamic: mother's perspective

OBJETIVOS: Identificar como a mãe percebe o processo de revelação do diagnóstico de Síndrome de Down (SD) e as repercussões disto no cotidiano familiar, o conhecimento sobre a SD e as expectativas em relação ao futuro do filho. MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo de natureza qualitativa. Os informantes foram três mães de crianças menores de um ano que estiveram internadas na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva pediátrica do Hospital Universitário da Universidade Estadual de Maringá nos anos de 2004 e 2005. RESULTADOS: Os dados revelaram que às vezes este diagnóstico é informado em circunstâncias e momentos inadequados, que as mães conhecem pouco sobre a SD e que quando os problemas de saúde são muitos, suas expectativas se restringem a melhoria e avanços em curto prazo. CONCLUSÃO: O desconhecimento, as reações e atitudes das famílias, como, por exemplo, esconder o diagnóstico da família ampliada e até mesmo do pai, constituem indicativos da necessidade de apoio profissional a essas mães/famílias.<br>OBJETIVOS: Identificar cómo percibe la madre el proceso de revelación del diagnóstico de Síndrome de Down (SD) y las repercusiones de éste en el cotidiano familiar, el conocimiento sobre el Síndrome de Down y las expectativas en relación al futuro del hijo. MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo de naturaleza cualitativa. Los informantes fueron tres madres de niños menores de un año que estuvieron internados en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos pediátrica del Hospital Universitario de la Universidade Estadual de Maringá en los años 2004 y 2005. RESULTADOS: Los datos revelaron que a veces este diagnóstico es informado en circunstancias y momentos inadecuados, que las madres conocen poco sobre el Síndrome de Down y que en cuanto a los problemas de salud son muchos, sus expectativas se restringen a la mejoría y avances a corto plazo. CONCLUSION: El desconocimiento, las reacciones y actitudes de las familias, como, por ejemplo, esconder el diagnóstico a la familia ampliada y hasta al mismo padre, constituyen indicativos de la necesidad de apoyo profesional a esas madres/familias.<br>OBJECTIVES: To describe mothers' perception of the information process of the diagnosis of Down Syndrome and its impact on the family dynamic, and to describe mothers' knowledge of Down Syndrome and expectations regarding their child's future. METHODS: This was a qualitative descriptive study. The sample consisted of three mothers of children under 12 months years old who were in-patients in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of a University Hospital in 2004 and 2005. RESULTS: The findings suggested that sometimes the information process of the diagnosis of Down syndrome is inappropriate, mothers lack knowledge of the Down syndrome, and mothers' expectations regarding their child's future are focused on short term progresses and improvements. CONCLUSION: Lack of knowledge and uncertainty of behaviors and attitudes of family members regarding the diagnosis of Down syndrome lead mothers to hide the diagnosis from extended family members and in many instances even from the father. These suggest the need of professional support for the mothers and their family