Ethnobotanical study on herbal market at the Dragon Boat Festival of Chuanqing people in China

Abstract Background The Chuanqing people (穿青人) are a linguistic group native to the Guizhou Province of China, with unique culture and rich knowledge traditional medicinal plants. Herbal market at Dragon Boat Festival (DBF) plays an important role in inheritance among people. This study aims record profile plants people, discuss dilemmas faced by their inheritance, propose some strategies for passing down information, which is critical protection people’s medical knowledge. Methods Data were collected through key informants semi-structured interviews free listing. Collected voucher specimens identified using botanical taxonomy method deposited herbarium. analyzed use-value (UV) cultural importance index (CI) values. Medicinal compared Information System Chinese Rare Endangered Plants Academy Sciences. Results Pharmacopoeia People’s Republic China (ChP), Quality Standard Traditional Medicine National (QSG), medicines Southeast Asian countries. A total 102 species from 53 families 92 genera recorded, Orchidaceae Asparagaceae (six each), Berberidaceae Asteraceae (five each) as predominant families. whole plant (36%) was most common part. Decoction (44%) preparation method. Seventy-one investigated human ailments grouped into 12 categories. Diseases musculoskeletal system (34 mentions) frequently mentioned this study. Moreover, used taxon Hedera sinensis (Tobler ) Hand.-Mazz. (UV CI = 0.29). medicine highly similar ChP QSG. In comparison countries’ medicines, except same methods, similarities terms ingredients, plants, disease treatment very low. Conclusions herbal DBF platform exchanging about facing many challenges its development. To solve these problems, highlights providing basic data further research minority medicine.