TRADITIONAL USES OF ORGANIC MEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES

Medicinal herb species constitute a valuable resource for low-income residents. They can be found in Latin American front and backyards, tended by the household members in a co-operative manner, without the use of chemicals. In 1998, the Portuguese Tropical Research Institute had initiated field research in the Brazilian Amazon, focusing on urban agriculture practices within the municipality of Belem. So far, five other cities have been investigated regarding traditional medicinal knowledge: Lima, Peru; Santiago, Chile; Mexico City, Mexico; Havana, Cuba; and San Jose, Costa Rica. Research results on the issue of organic medicinal herb production in urban and peri-urban areas will provide support and build confidence in the tradi¬tional uses of medicinal plant species. The hope is to contribute to a healthier urban environment and to gather information for researchers and farmers engaged in the production, evaluation or use of herbal medicines.