Inventory of medicinal plants and local wisdom of Bune Ethnic in utilizing plant medicine in Pinogu, Bonebolango District, Gorontalo Province

Abstract

Katili AS, Latare Z, Naouko MC. 2015. Inventory of medicinal plants and local wisdom of Bune Ethnic in utilizing medicinal plants in Pinogu, Bonebolango district, Gorontalo province. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 1 (1): 78-84. Gorontalo province has five indigenous ethnic communities, namely Bajo, Bune, Atinggola, Polahi and Gorontalo. The Bune community is basically living on agriculture and has their own language, known as Suwawa or Bonda language. Owing to the rich biodiversity of flora, the Bune has long inherited ethnomedicinal wisdom from their ancestors. The aim of this study is to inventory plants used as medicine and to explore the ethnomedicinal wisdom in the Bune ethnic. Data was collected from survey and interview in the Bune community using snowball sampling method. This study revealed 46 plant species of which various parts (leaves, flowers, stem and roots, rhizome and fruits) are used as herbal medicines. The herbals are used to treat 25 kinds of diseases. There is 6 wisdom related with healing rituals and the use of the herbals. There are also 7-most eminent medicinal plants, namely: Tapeompuha (local name) for dysentery disease, Luato (local name) for any kinds of diseases, Tunuhulungo (local name) for skin diseases (local name), Sofa (local name) to treat stings/bites of venomous animals, Mahkota Dewa (Indonesian name) to cure diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure, Rosella (Indonesian name) to cure cancer; and herbs containing of Lantolo (local name), Bumba (local name), and Dadap (Indonesian name) to cure malignant cancer. The Bune still adheres the values and norms inherited from their predecessor, especially in utilizing plants to cure disease.