Research Paper Ethnobotanical study of plants used for therapeutic purposes in the Atlantic Forest region, Southern Brazil Bianca Tribess a , Gabrielli Melatto Pintarelli b , Larissa Alida Bini a , Anderson Camargo a , Luís Adriano Funez b , André Luís de Gasper b , Ana Lúcia Bertarello Zeni a,n a Laboratory of Bioactive Substances Analysis, Department of Natural Sciences, Center of Exact and Natural Sciences, Regional University of Blumenau, Rua Antônio da Veiga, 140, CEP: 89012-900 SC, Brazil b Laboratory of Botany, Department of Natural Sciences, Center of Exact and Natural Sciences, Regional University of Blumenau, Brazil article info Article history: Received 10 November 2014 Received in revised form 16 January 2015 Accepted 2 February 2015 Available online 11 February 2015 Keywords: Ethnobotany Therapeutic species Atlantic Forest Serra do Itajaí National Park abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance: Atlantic Forest is a biome in dangerous situation and it lacks wider information on species with medicinal purposes used by people in this area. In this study an ethnobotanical survey was conducted in Apiúna district, Brazil with the goal of assessing traditional knowledge of medicinal plants used by rural communities in a region covered by Atlantic Forest. Materials and methods: The ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews and a free list of plants used for medicinal purposes. The respondents were selected by snow ball method. Therefore, the therapeutic use of plants was investigated and the species cited was collected and identified. Local plant uses were evaluated using ethnobotanical indices of diversity and equitability, and then compared with those obtained in other regions of Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Besides, the informant consensus factor (ICF) was calculated. Results: A total of 162 species belonging to 61 families were recorded, mainly Asteraceae and Lamiaceae. Furthermore, the species cited, 45.06% were native and 54.94% were considered exotic. The most frequently reported medicinal uses were the symptoms and signs (17.42%), digestive system (15.33%) and, infectious and parasitic diseases (12.73%). Although, the ICF calculation showed that mental and behavioral (0.85), respiratory system (0.79) and, digestive and genitourinary system diseases (0.78 for both) were the categories with higher values reached. Usually, the administration is oral from leaves preparations. Conclusions: Folk medicine in rural communities in this region of Atlantic Forest is an important source of primary health care. The results indicate an available knowledge of medicinal plants uses in this area, when compared to other regions previously studied. The fact that this research was conducted next to a conservation area makes it possible to dispose the knowledge organized here into a tool for environ- mental education as well as preservation. Moreover, the pharmacological information will further contribute for the validation and the use of these species in Brazilian health programs benefiting the population. & 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction All cultures and ancient civilizations developed and promoted their own therapeutic systems, making use of locally available biological resources based on empirical observations and their inferences (Sharma et al., 2012). Medicinal plants are still used worldwide for the treatment of diseases and afflictions (Govaerts, 2001). This knowledge in the past represented the sole therapeutic option for many communities; still a fact today largely in more isolated com- munities (Oliveira et al., 2011). The adoption of plants for therapeutic purposes is also reflected in numbers, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 80% of worldwide population utilizes plants for the treat- ment of various diseases. Herbal medicines are easily available, low cost and exert fewer side effects compared to the allopathic system of medicine (UICN et al.,1993; Sandhya et al., 2011). Precisely, ethnobotanic studies popular information which the community acquires and transmits orally from generation to generation regarding the general use of plants (Begossi, 1998; Contents lists available at ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jep Journal of Ethnopharmacology http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.02.005 0378-8741/& 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. n Correspondence to: Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Campus I, 89012-900 Blumenau, SC, Brazil. Tel.: þ55 47 3321 0116; fax: þ55 47 3321 0231. E-mail addresses: anazeni@furb.br, zeni.ana@gmail.com (A.L.B. Zeni). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 164 (2015) 136–146