@article{fdi:010077986,
  title = {{F}orest fevers : traditional treatment of malaria in the southern lowlands of {L}aos},
  author = {{E}lliott, {E}. and {C}hassagne, {F}. and {A}ubouy, {A}gn{\`e}s and {D}eharo, {E}ric and {S}ouvanasy, {O}. and {S}ythamala, {P}. and {S}ydara, {K}. and {L}amxay, {V}. and {M}anithip, {C}. and {T}orres, {J}. {A}. and {B}ourdy, {G}enevi{\`e}ve},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{E}thnopharmacological relevance: {M}alaria is still a highly challenging public health issue in southern {L}ao {PDR}, with increasing cases of artemisinin resistance and {P}lasmodium vivax infections which are more complicated to treat. {T}raditional medicine has a long history of use in {L}aos, and is primarily practised by traditional village healers, who possess unique bodies of transmitted knowledge focused on herbal prescriptions, including those for the treatment of malaria. {V}illagers also use plants for healthcare in the home. {T}he aim of the study is to document local fever concepts and use of herbal remedies, and examine whether they may have potential as complementary treatments against malaria. {M}aterials and methods: {T}he study took place in {C}hampasak province in the far south of {L}aos, in primarily lowland areas. {F}irst, 35 traditional healers across the 10 districts of the province were interviewed to elicit details about knowledge and treatment of fevers. {S}econd, a household survey was conducted in a village in a malaria-endemic area; 97 households were interviewed on fever incidence, differentiation, treatment-seeking behaviour and knowledge of plant-based remedies for fevers. {P}lants indicated by both healers and villagers were collected and voucher specimens deposited in the herbarium of the {N}ational {U}niversity of {L}aos for identification. {R}esults: {M}alaria is a well-known pathology among the healers and villagers of lowland {C}hampasak province; biomedical treatments are preferentially used, but traditional medicine is a popular complementary method, especially in chronic cases with additional symptoms. 30 different fever types were recorded, which were usually named symptomatically, and grouped into 12 categories. {S}ome were described as forms of malaria, which was conceived as a dynamic, changing pathology affecting many body systems. {H}ealers formulate treatments based on symptoms and the person's constitution, and with the intention of creating specific pharmacological actions associated with temperature or flavours. 11 of the healers gave prescriptions for malaria (27 in total), including 47 identified plant species. {T}he most-used plants (4 or more use-reports) were also the most cited in the literature for use against malaria, demonstrating a correspondence between {L}ao healers and other traditional medical systems. {F}urthermore, some of these species show promising results for future research, especially {A}morphophallus paeniifolius ({D}ennst.) {N}icolson and {A}locasia macrorrhizos ({L}.) {G}. {D}on. {C}onclusion: {T}raditional healers are important actors in the treatment of malaria in southern {L}aos, and herbal remedies should be evaluated further by the use of reverse treatment outcome trials, especially those which may be of use as complementary remedies in treating {P}. vivax. {I}nitiatives on knowledge transmission, medicinal plant conservation and healthcare integration are also urgently needed.},
  keywords = {{L}aos ; {M}edicinal plants ; {T}raditional medicine ; {H}erbal medicine ; {T}raditional healers ; {N}osology ; {F}ever ; {E}mic fever classification ; {M}alaria ; {P}lasmodium ; {LAOS}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {E}thnopharmacology},
  volume = {249},
  numero = {},
  pages = {art. 112187 [35 p.]},
  ISSN = {0378-8741},
  year = {2020},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.jep.2019.112187},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010077986},
}