Traditional Medicine in Ecuador

Traditional Medicine in Ecuador

Population Overview 14 officially recognized indigenous nationalities Based on the 2010 census: 7% of the population identifies as indigenous Around 90% of this population is impoverished Illiteracy is at 28% with an average of 5.6 years of school 23% of indigenous households report insufficient food supply

Medicinal Plants in the Amazon

Uses Mal aire/mal viento - bad air/bad wind Impersonal, evil forces that collect in lugares pesados/malignos such as gravesites, abandoned houses, ravines and gorges Once contaminated it quickly spreads resulting in decamiento (decay)and death if left untreated Symptoms include: Chills, shaking, paleness, nausea and diarrhea Espanto/susto Illnesses caused by a frightening experience, if severe can result in loss of soul Causes include: accidents, animal encounters, and death of a loved one Symptoms include: loss of appetite, crying, vomiting, and bad dreams

Uses Brujería - witchcraft Duende - spirit Manipulating negative energy to cause harm to others Encounter with a specific spiritual being in the countryside Mal prójimo - Evil/bad neighbor Negative thoughts by one group travel as destructive forces to the subject Manifest as vibraciones

Types of Plants Chilca, pumin, clavel, eucalipto, marco, capuli, Santa Maria, romera, ruda Gathered from the wild, purchased locally, or grown in home gardens

Protocols Performed by a curandero or a fregadora Use plants with a strong odor, believed to draw out the mal aire Weave multiple plants together to create a escobita/ramos benditos (holy branches/broom), warm over a fire, rub over the patient s body Crush plants and rub over patient Boil the plants, spray over patient using tube or mouth Immerse/infuse for difficult cases Dispose of used materials in a safe place to prevent re-infection Similar process used in Salumerio (house cleansing)

Limpias Limpias are based on the Andean belief that Mother Nature is sacred and is key to cure any ailment. Limpias vary in cost but are fairly low cost. Eggs and guinea pigs are often used to absorb a patient s mal aire. Performed by yachacs (shamans) and parteras (midwives).

Limpia Cuy Also known as shoqma or soba. Requires a live cuy. Shaking and rubbing the cuy across the patient s body absorbs the mal aire from the patient. This results in the death of the cuy. Post-mortem dissection of the cuy reveals pathology of the patient.

Limpia Cuy Diagnosis Diagnosis and Cleansing

Limpia Huevo Two raw eggs are needed. Eggs are rubbed and shaken across the patient s body. The eggs are cracked and the contents are analyzed for mal aire.

The Jambi Huasi Clinic in Otavalo Founded in 1990. Fee-for-service clinic. Integrates western and traditional medicine with providers having training in both. The Quichua system operates on the idea of harmony: balance between mind and body, hot and cold, and the self and the environment.

Discussion: Placebo Effect Few scientific studies have been conducted to assess whether Andean medicine is truly successful or if it only works as a placebo. Ecuador constitutionally protects traditional healers, but lacks clear regulations as to how the public health system can interact with them. Indigenous people have less access to healthcare.

References Cavender, A. and Albán, M. The use of magical plants by cuaranderos in the Ecuador highlands. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 22 Jan 2009, 5: 321. Mignone J, Bartlett J, O Neil J, Orchard T. Best practices in intercultural health: five case studies in Latin America. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 2007;3: 31. doi:10.1186/1746-4269-3-31. Health Policy Plan. 2010 May;25(3):209-18. doi: 10.1093/heapol/czp052. Epub 2009 Nov 16. World Bank Report on indigenous peoples, poverty, and human development in Latin America. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-18483584 http://www.thelearnedpig.org/the-jambi-huasi-clinic/298