Healing Knowledge: Conservation Challenges for Medicinal Plants in Paraguay

Medicinal plants in Paraguay, as part of traditional medicine, are used to maintain health and/or treat specific ailments. These are utilised in many ways within both allopathic and traditional medical systems worldwide. The present study sought to analyse the species of medicinal plants utilised by the Paraguayan population. This analysis was based on publications from 1972 to 2024 and ethnobotanical interviews. The number of mentions over time, the parts of the body targeted by each species, and the plant parts used for medicinal purposes were considered. The publications were compiled from international databases, alongside data derived from ethnobotanical fieldwork. Specifically, 95 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 sellers (yuyeros/as) and users of medicinal plants in municipal markets across various cities in the country. A total of 297 species were recorded in the study, of which 140 were identified during the interviews. Then, 33 of these medicinal species are classified as Endangered (EN) or threatened with extinction (AE) by the Ministry of Sustainable Development of Paraguay (2025). This classification is indicative of the impact of population decline or restricted distribution within the country. Only 15 of these plants are on the IUCN Red List. Notable examples include Balfourodendron riedelianum (Engl.) Engl. and Plectrocarpa sarmientoi (Lorentz ex Griseb.) Christenh. & Byng, categorised as Endangered (EN); Libidibia paraguariensis (D. Parodi) G.P. Lewis, classified as Vulnerable (VU); and Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) Steud. is listed as Critically Endangered (CR). Appropriate conservation efforts could play a key role in preventing further deterioration.