Medical ethnobotany of the Q'eqchi Maya of Guatemala: Attitudes, symptoms and herbal treatment choices related to women's health

Background and Objectives Investigation on the medical ethnobotany of the Q'eqchi Maya of Livingston, Izabal, Guatemala was undertaken in order to document Q'eqchi perceptions, attitudes, and treatment choices related to women's health and to assess the bioactivity of plants used to treat menstruation and menopause. Methods Data were obtained through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, focus groups and plant walks with 50 Q'eqchi community members including five midwives, five traditional male healers and 40 community members, both male and female. A total of 48 medicinal plants were collected and identified based on Q'eqchi uses of the plants to treat conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, menstruation, and menopause. Nineteen of these plants were then tested in estrogen receptor and serotonin receptor binding assays. Results Among the Q'eqchi, women's health complaints are often thought to be caused by an imbalance between hot and cold and a woman's spiritual disconnection to nature and her community. Furthermore, gender roles and cultural taboos have a significant influence on health seeking behaviors and treatment choices. Seventy-five percent (n = 14) of the plants tested showed significant activity in both estrogen and serotonin binding assays. Conclusions The Q'eqchi Maya of Livingston possess their own cultural perceptions of women's health which affect attitudes, symptoms and treatment choices related to menstruation and menopause. Laboratory results provide a scientific correlation between Q'eqchi empirical medicinal plant use and the pharmacological basis for their administration but suggest that further research is needed to assess the safety and efficacy of their continued use.