Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China; Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw, 05282, Myanmar.
Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2021 Jan 30;265:113320. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113320. Epub 2020 Aug 28.
Plants from the family Ericaceae, and in particular those in the genus Rhododendron are frequently reported to contain grayanotoxins. Plant products such as honey and herbal medicines made from these plants occasionally contain grayanotoxins, and in turn may lead to intoxication. The balance between the benefits and risk of poisoning from Rhododendrons is of concerns. This study explores the ethnobotanical knowledge of the people in Yunnan, China as regards the consumption of Rhododendron flowers, and gives special focus to their assessment of the benefit-risk balance.
An ethnobotanical survey was conducted across 14 county-level local markets in north and central Yunnan province, during which a total of 82 stalls selling Rhododendron flowers were visited and 204 people were interviewed. Voucher specimens were obtained under the guidance of collectors, and details about local practices and knowledge were recorded using semi-structured interviews and participatory observations.
The consumption of the corollas of Rhododendron decorum Franch. Flowers (RDf) or Rhododendron pachypodum Balf. f. & W.W. Sm. Flowers (RPf) as a seasonal delicacy is a long-standing tradition in the study area. RDf are widely consumed in northwest and northeast Yunnan, while RPf are more prevalent in the central regions of Yunnan, and there is a high consistency in the knowledge of the process for detoxification or palatability for each species. The main reasons for eating the flowers were listed as health benefits (mostly clear heat), wild collected, tradition and good flavor. All RPf consumers stated that the corolla from this species is not toxic, while 67.4% of the RDf consumers claim that the corolla from RDf is toxic. We compared the two species and analyzed their process intensities, poisoning cases and cautions, market trade forms and existing toxicity studies, which agreed well and consistently that the corolla of RDf deserve more toxicity attention than RPf.
Our study provides a window to look into the ways, beyond honey and herbal medicine, by which Rhododendron species have influenced human wellbeing. The local culture can justify eating Rhododendron flowers, and meanwhile, has developed a series of skills to avoid the side effects of eating them, and therefore the study also provides a good case to answer more general questions about the rationality of eating any plant products by assessing the trade-off between benefits and side effects.
来自石南科的植物，特别是杜鹃属植物，经常被报道含有格雷氨毒素。植物产品，如蜂蜜和草药，来自这些植物，偶尔会含有格雷氨毒素，进而可能导致中毒。杜鹃属植物中毒的益处和风险之间的平衡是人们关注的问题。本研究探讨了中国云南人民对杜鹃花消费的民族植物学知识，并特别关注他们对收益-风险平衡的评估。
在云南省北部和中部的 14 个县级市场进行了民族植物学调查，共访问了 82 个销售杜鹃花的摊位，采访了 204 人。在采集者的指导下获得了凭证标本，并使用半结构访谈和参与式观察记录了当地做法和知识的详细信息。
作为季节性美食，食用马缨花（Rhododendron decorum Franch.）或大白花杜鹃（Rhododendron pachypodum Balf. f. & W.W. Sm.）的花瓣是该研究区域的悠久传统。马缨花在云南西北部和东北部广泛食用，而大白花杜鹃在云南中部更为流行，对于每种物种的解毒或美味的知识具有高度一致性。食用这些花的主要原因是健康益处（主要是清热）、野生采集、传统和良好的风味。所有食用大白花杜鹃的人都表示该物种的花瓣无毒，而 67.4%食用马缨花的人则表示马缨花的花瓣有毒。我们比较了这两个物种，并分析了它们的加工强度、中毒案例和注意事项、市场贸易形式和现有的毒性研究，结果一致且一致认为，马缨花的花瓣比大白花杜鹃更值得关注毒性。
我们的研究提供了一个窗口，可以了解杜鹃属植物影响人类健康的方式，除了蜂蜜和草药之外。当地文化可以证明食用杜鹃花是合理的，同时也发展了一系列避免食用副作用的技能，因此，通过评估收益和副作用之间的权衡，本研究也为回答关于食用任何植物产品的合理性的更一般问题提供了一个很好的案例。
