Medicinal plants linked to the Andean heritage and commercialized for skin conditions in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract

This contribution is part of Urban Ethnobotany and includes the registry of 14 species of medicinal plants linked to the Andean heritage and their derived products used to treat skin affections in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Information on these species (their assigned local uses) was obtained from interviews with local informants and from other sources, such as labels, brochures and catalogs, print, and the Internet. A bibliographic review was carried out on the biological activity and effects studied in order to evaluate its correspondence with the assigned local uses. Of the total, nine species (70%) have academic studies related to skin conditions and that are correlated with their local uses. With respect to the commercialized products, half of the species have products that are exclusive to the Bolivian immigrant sector known as “Mercado Boliviano”, Liniers neighborhood (Buenos Aires city).