Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis (sect. National Herbarium of the Netherlands), P.O. Box 9514, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2012 Mar 27;140(2):368-78. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.01.028. Epub 2012 Jan 28.
Medicinal plant markets not only provide a snapshot of a country's medicinal flora, they also reflect local health concerns and the importance of traditional medicine among its inhabitants. This study aimed to describe and quantify the Ghanaian market in herbal medicine, and the diversity of the species traded, in order to evaluate their economic value.
Initial visual surveys on the markets were followed by a detailed quantitative survey of 27 stalls in August 2010. Market samples were processed into herbarium vouchers and when possible matched with fertile vouchers from the field.
We encountered 244 medicinal plant products, representing 186-209 species. Fourteen species were sold at more than 25% of the market stalls. Seeds and fruits that doubled as spice and medicine (Xylopia aethiopica, Monodora myristica, Aframomum melegueta) were in highest demand, followed by the medicinal barks of Khaya senegalensis and Pteleopsis suberosa. Plants sold at the market were mostly used for women's health, in rituals, as aphrodisiacs and against sexually transmitted diseases. An estimated 951tons of crude herbal medicine were sold at Ghana's herbal markets in 2010, with a total value of around US$ 7.8 million. Between 20 and 30% of the Ghanaian medicinal flora was encountered during this survey. Roots were less dominant at the market than in dryer parts of Africa. Tons of Griffonia simplicifolia and Voacanga africana seeds and Fadogia agrestis bark are exported annually, but data on revenues are scanty. None of these species were sold on the domestic market.
Our quantitative market survey reveals that the trade in Ghanaian herbal medicine is of considerable economic importance. Regarding the specific demand, it seems that medicinal plants are used to complement or substitute Western medicine. Further research is needed on the ecological impact of medicinal plant extraction.
药用植物市场不仅提供了一个国家药用植物区系的快照，还反映了当地的健康关注点以及传统医学在居民中的重要性。本研究旨在描述和量化加纳草药市场，并对交易物种的多样性进行量化，以评估其经济价值。
对市场进行初步的视觉调查后，于 2010 年 8 月对 27 个摊位进行了详细的定量调查。对市场样本进行处理，制成植物标本，在可能的情况下，与野外采集的可育标本进行匹配。
我们共发现 244 种药用植物产品，代表了 186-209 种物种。有 14 种物种在超过 25%的摊位中出售。既是香料又是药物的种子和果实（Xylopia aethiopica、Monodora myristica、Aframomum melegueta）需求量最大，其次是药用 Khaya senegalensis 和 Pteleopsis suberosa 的树皮。在市场上出售的植物主要用于女性健康、仪式、作为壮阳药和治疗性传播疾病。据估计，2010 年加纳草药市场销售了约 951 吨粗草药，总价值约为 780 万美元。在本次调查中，遇到了 20-30%的加纳药用植物区系。与非洲干燥地区相比，根部在市场上的占比较小。每年出口大量 Griffonia simplicifolia 和 Voacanga africana 的种子和 Fadogia agrestis 的树皮，但收入数据很少。这些物种在国内市场均未销售。
我们的定量市场调查显示，加纳草药贸易具有相当大的经济重要性。就具体需求而言，药用植物似乎被用于补充或替代西药。需要进一步研究药用植物提取对生态的影响。
