Traditional Knowledge and Medicinal Plant Use in North Toraja: An Ethnobotanical Survey

Abstract

Ethnobotany, as the study of interactions between humans and plants, plays an essential role in documenting traditional knowledge that contributes to health, culture, and biodiversity conservation. This research aims to explore and document the diversity of medicinal plants used by the communities of North Baruppu and South Baruppu, North Toraja, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. A qualitative descriptive approach was applied through semi-structured interviews with 50 respondents, including traditional healers, elders, and community members, combined with observation and herbarium specimen collection for taxonomic identification. Data were analysed using ethnobotanical indices to assess species importance and usage patterns. The results identified Ageratum conyzoides L. (Bosi-bosi), Orthosiphon aristatus (Kumis kucing), and Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. (Pegagan) as the most frequently cited plants, with leaves as the dominant part utilised and boiling as the primary preparation method. These plants were mainly employed to treat cancer, ulcers, fever, hypertension, and gout. The study reveals that demographic factors, such as age, education, and occupation, significantly influence the transmission and practice of ethnobotanical knowledge. The findings emphasised the urgency of preserving traditional knowledge amid socio-economic change and highlighted its potential contribution to pharmacological research and sustainable community health strategies.