Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Natural Products pp 353–370Cite as

Biological, Economic, Ecological, and Legal Aspects of Harvesting Traditional Medicine in Ecuador

  • Chapter

  • 3857 Accesses

Abstract

Harvesting and further developing the traditional herbal remedies in Ecuador (THME) is a very promising area from various perspectives that might be considered and subject to serious analysis. The coincidence of the richest biodiversity in South America confined within a small geographical area presents inherent scientific, pragmatic, and logistical advantages; moreover, Ecuador at this time uses the US dollar as its only currency. This implies that any economic planning can be done by investors using the widest known monetary instrument. Another important development taking place in this country is the effort presently under way to implement proper legal measures to protect foreign investment. At any rate, the endeavor of harvesting and developing THM requires in Ecuador, as in any other fragile location, an integral approach to avoid serious mistakes seen in the past. If such conditions are met, it is very likely that the participating individuals will be conscientious enough to place the interests of collectivity ahead of their own and protect, as their own, the very source that generates any potential earnings: a healthy and rationally used environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Medicinal plants for conservation and health care. FAO-Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Corporate document repository, 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Said M. Potential of herbal medicines in modern medical therapy. Ancient Sci Life 1984;4(1): 36–47.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Burneo D. Mecanismos de financiamiento para la conservación de la biodiversidad. In: Carmen Josse (ed), La biodiversidad del Ecuador Informe 2000. 2000;287–305.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Buitrón C. Ecuador: uso y comercio de plantas medicinales, situación actual y aspectos importantes para su conservación. 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bravo E. La problemática mundial de los recursos fitogenéticos. In: Castillo R, et al. (eds), Memorias de la II reunión nacional sobre recursos filogenéticos. 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Suärez L. La importancia de la biodiversidad. In: Varea A (ed), Biodiversidad, bioprospección y bioseguridad. 1997;17–32.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Estrella J, Tapia C. Investigación y conservación de los recursos filogenéticos: las experiencias del INIAP. In: Mena PA, Suárez L (eds), La investigación para la conservación de la diversidad biológica en Ecuador. 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ministerio del Ambiente (Ministry of the Environment of Ecuador). Estrategia para el desarrollo forestal sustentable del Ecuador. 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Proyecto de protección de la Biodiversidad. In: Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador (Ministry of the Environment of Ecuador), Estrategia nacional para la protección y el uso sustentable de la vida silvestre en Ecuador. 1999.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Steere WC. El descubrimiento y distribución de la Cinchona pitayensis en el Ecuador. Flora (Inst. Ecuat.) 1944;4:1–9.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cabarle BJ, et al. An assessment of biological diversity and tropical forests for Ecuador. A World Resources Institute report to USAID/Ecuador 1989.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Myers N. Threatened biota: “hot spots” in tropical forests. Environmentalist 1988;8:187–208.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Suárez L, Albán MA. La biodiversidad en las políticas y en la legislación. In: Carmen Josse (ed), La biodiversidad del Ecuador Informe 2000. 2000;263–283.

    Google Scholar 

  14. El manejo para la protección y el uso sustentable de la vida silvestre en el Ecuador: diagnóstico de la situación actual. Instituto de Ecología Aplicada (ECOLAP) 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Thorpe JP, Smartt J. Genetic diversity as a component of biodiversity. In: Heywood VH (ed), Global biodiversity assessment. 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Alvarez A, Granizo T. La organización de la información sobre biodiversidad: el Centro de datos para la conservación. In: Mena A, Suárez L (eds), La investigación para la conservación de la diversidad biológica en el Ecuador. 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Simpson, D, Sedjo R, Reid J. Valuing biodiversity: an application to genetic prospecting. J Polit Econ 1999;104(1):163–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Fernández M. La articulación de la medicina académica con la tradicional como estrategia de salud. In: Naranjo P, Crespo A (eds), Etnomedicina Progresos Italo-Latinoamericanos. 1997;II:193–200.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Adger WN, Brown K, Cervigni R, Moran D. Total economic value of forests in Mexico. Ambio 1995;24:286–296.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Bush MB. Amazonian conservation in a changing world. Biol Conserv 1996;76(3):219–228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Lapa A, Mesia S, Souccar C. Validation of medicinal plants: a major enterprise. In: Naranjo P, Crespo A (eds), Etnomedicina Progresos Italo-Latinoamericanos. 1997;I:195–206.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Vogel J. (1997). “The Successful Use of Economic Instruments to Foster Sustainable Use of Biodiversity: Six Case Studies from Latin America and the Caribbean”. Biopolicy Journal, Vol. 2, Paper 5. White Paper, final report, Commissioned by the BiodiversitySupport Program on behalf of the Inter-American Commission on Biodiversity andSustainable Development, for the Summit of the Americas on SustainableDevelopment, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, December 6-8, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Ruiz Pérez M, Sayer J, Cohen S. Extractive reserves, IUCN-Commission of European Communities-CNPT, Gland, Switzerland. 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Ellerman D, Jacoby HD, Decaux A. The effects on developing countries of the Kioto Protocol and CO2 emissions trading. Discussion Article. The Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Aylward B. The economic value of pharmaceutical prospecting and its role in biodiversity conservation. 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Balick M, Cox PA. Ethnobotanical research and traditional healthcare in developing countries. In: Non-wood forest products 11. FAO-Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 1995.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Our Common Future. Rio Conference on the Environment. Convention text. Rio de Janeiro. 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Liebstein AM. Therapeutic effects of various food articles. Amer Med 1927;33–38.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Blixt S. The role of genebanks in plant genetic resource conservation under the convention on biological diversity. In: Krattiger AF, McNeely JA, Lesser, Miller KR, St. Hill Y, Senanayake R (eds), Widening Perspectives on Biodiversity. IUCN. 1994.

    Google Scholar 

  30. World Health Assembly (WHA 31.33) on Medicinal Plants. World Health Organization (WHO). Geneva. 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Abdo S, Játiva C, et al. Importancia etnobotánica de las compuestas en la Sierra Ecuatoriana. In: Biodiversidad, bioprospección y bioseguridad. Varea A. 1997;11–24.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Bonifaz C. La diversidad florística del occidente ecuatoriano. In: Suárez L (ed), Ecuador y biodiversidad. 1998.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Maldonado ME, Vidari G, et al. Investigación fotoquímica de Schistoscarpa aff euphatorioides y Grias Neubertti McBride. In: Etnomedicina Progresos Italo-Latinoamericanos. Naranjo P, Crespo A. 1997;I:59–73.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Villacrés V, Suárez M, et al. Actividad antimicrobial y prueba de de mortalidad con camarones salinos de la Minguartia guianensis Aubl. y Clavija procera. In: Naranjo P, Crespo A (ed), Etnomedicina Progresos Italo-Latinoamericanos. 1997;I:87–95.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Chiriboga X, Villar del Fresno A, et al. Actividad antinflamatoria de plantas medicinales del Ecuador. In: Naranjo P, Crespo A (eds), Etnomedicina Progresos Italo-Latinoamericanos. 1997;I:49–58.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Alacaraz MJ, Moroney, et al. Effects of hypolaetin-8-glucoside and its aglycone in vivo tests and antiinflamatory agents. Planta Médica. 1989;55:107–108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Wintern CA, et al. Carragenin induced edema in hing paw of the rat: an assay for antiinflamatory drugs. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 111:544–547.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Vásquez L. Implicaciones éticas de los derechos de propiedad intelectual. In: Varea A (ed), Biodiversidad, bioprospección y bioseguridad. 1997;143–149.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fundación GEA, Proyectos Ambientales; and Extracta Ecuador S.A., Quito, Ecuador

    Alexandra Guevara-Aguirre & Ximena Chiriboga PhD

Authors
  1. Alexandra Guevara-Aguirre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ximena Chiriboga PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China

    Lixin Zhang PhD

  2. SynerZ Pharmaceuticals Inc., Lexington, MA

    Lixin Zhang PhD

  3. Charles A. Dana Research Institute (R.I.S.E.), Drew University, Madison, NJ

    Arnold L. Demain PhD

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2005 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Guevara-Aguirre, A., Chiriboga, X. (2005). Biological, Economic, Ecological, and Legal Aspects of Harvesting Traditional Medicine in Ecuador. In: Zhang, L., Demain, A.L. (eds) Natural Products. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-976-9_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-976-9_16

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-383-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-976-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation