Ethnobotany of dye plants in Dong communities of China

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine

Chunlin Long¹  Qiyi Lei³  Jiangju Zhou³  Shenghua Li²  Xianjin Wu²  Weijuan Huang⁵  Zhiyong Guo⁵  Bo Liu⁵  Selena Ahmed⁴  Yujing Liu⁵ 

[1] Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China;Key Laboratory of Hunan Province for Study and Utilization of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources, Huaihua University, Hunan 418000, China;Kaili University, Guizhou 556011, China;Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems Program, Department of Health and Human Development, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA;College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China

关键词: Medicinal value;    Ethnobotany;    Dye plant;    Dong people;   

Others  :  1230078
DOI  :  10.1186/1746-4269-10-23

 received in 2013-08-19, accepted in 2014-01-02,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Dyes derived from plants have an extensive history of use for coloring food and clothing in Dong communities and other indigenous areas in the uplands of China. In addition to use as coloring agents, Dong communities have historically utilized dye plants for their value for enhancing the nutritive, medicinal and preservative properties of foods. However, the persistence of plant-derived dyes and associated cultural practices and traditional knowledge is threatened with rapid socio-economic change in China. Research is needed to document the ethnobotany of dye plants in indigenous communities towards their conservation and potential commercialization as a sustainable means of supporting local development initiatives.

Methods

Semi-structured surveys on plants used for coloring agents and associated traditional knowledge were conducted in fifteen Dong villages of Tongdao County in Hunan Province of South Central China during 2011–2012. Transect walks were carried out with key informants identified from semi-structured surveys to collect samples and voucher specimens for each documented plant species for taxonomic identification.

Results

Dong households at the study sites utilize the flowers, bark, stems, tubers and roots of 13 plant species from 9 families as dyes to color their customary clothing and food. Out of the documented plants, a total of 7 are used for coloring food, 3 for coloring clothing and 3 for both food and clothing. Documented plants consist of 3 species that yield black pigments, 3 for brownish red/russet pigments, 3 for red pigments, 2 for dark blue pigments and 2 for yellow pigments. In addition to dyes, the plants have multiple uses including medicinal, ornamental, sacrificial, edible, and for timber.

Conclusions

The use of dyes derived from plants persists at the study sites for their important role in expressing Dong cultural identity through customary clothing and food. Further research is needed to evaluate the safety of dye plants, their efficacy in enhancing food items and their commercial potential. Conservation policies and management plans are called for to preserve these ethnobotanical resources in a sustainable manner that supports local livelihoods while maintaining cultural practices.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Liu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Mati E, de Boer H: Contemporary knowledge of dye plant species and natural dye use in Kurdish Autonomous Region, Iraq. Econ Bot 2010, 64:137-148.
• [2]Turkmen N, Kirici S, Özguven M, Inan M, Kaya DA: An investigation of dye plants and their colourant substances in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. Bot J Linn Soc 2004, 146:71-77.
• [3]Li W, Li D: Dyeing technology with biological dyes. Silk 1996, 7:32-34.
• [4]Zhou DY, Du ZY, Zheng X, Zhang K: Advances in the research of curcumin biological activity. Guangdong Chem Industry 2013, 40(261):91-92.
• [5]Chen JG: The application of national plant pigment in China. Chinese Wild Plant Resour 2000, 19:21-24.
• [6]Wang JR, Long CL: Ethnobotanical study of traditional edible plants of Jinuo nationality. Acta Bot Yunnan 1995, 17:161-168.
• [7]Sun YH: Yellow plant dyes and dyeing. Silk 2003, 1:31-33.
• [8]Zhang WW, Gao PP, Lü GL, Yu ZC, Yang B, Dai XQ: Natural dye extraction from Reynoutria japonica and its usage in cotton dyeing. J Zhejiang Sci-Tech Univ 2008, 4:008.
• [9]Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission: Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (2010 Edition), Volume I. Beijing: China Medical Science Press; 2010.
• [10]Liu Y: A brief medical introduction to several Dai edible vegetables. Chinese J of Ethnomedicine and Ethnopharmacy 1998, 32:19-20.
• [11]Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission: Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (2005 Edition), Volume I. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House; 2005.
• [12]Tang SX, Zheng HL: A promising natural edible plant pigment–yellow pigment from Buddleia officinalis. Chinese Wild Plant Resour 1991, 4:4-8.
• [13]Li XL, Sun GJ: The effective ingredients from Buddleja officinalis and Daphne odora to be bacteriostasis. Northwest Pharm J 1996, 11:165-166.
• [14]Cui Y, Zhang YW: The research progress of Buddleja officinalis. J Gansu College of TCM 2010, 27:65-68.
• [15]Zhu JR, Sang GW: China Pharmacopoeia committee: Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of clinical drug instructions: the volume of chemical medicine and biological products. Beijing: People’s Health Publishing House; 2005.
• [16]Yang B, Tao L, Li C: Research progress on chemical compositions and pharmacological activities of Buddleja lindleyana. Chinese Med Modern Distance Educ of China 2009, 010:144-145.
• [17]Kawase M, Motohashi N, Satoh K, Sakagami H, Nakashima H, Tani S, Shirataki Y, Kurihara T, Spengler G, Wolfard K, Molnár J: Biological activity of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) peel extracts. Phytother Res 2003, 17:495-500.
• [18]Tian ZH: Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of Ardisia creata Sims. Northwest Pharm J 1998, 13(003):109-110.
• [19]Wang HZ, He GB, Sun JQ: The contracting action of total triterpenoid saponins from Ardisia crenata on uterus. Chin Herbal Med 1988, 19:19-20.
• [20]Liu DL, Wang NL, Zhang X, Gao H, Yao XS: Two new triterpenoid saponins from Ardisia crenata. J Asian Nat Prod Res 2007, 9:119-127.
• [21]Gao PP, Yu ZC, Zhang WW, Lv GL, Yang B, Dai XQ: The extraction of natural dyes from Reynoutria japonica and its application in soybean protein fabrics. Silk 2009, 1:016.
• [22]Chen ZH: The exploration of extracting black pigment from Liquidambar formosana leaves. J Chem Industry of Forest Prod 1998, 1:20.
• [23]Akinloye AJ, Illoh HC, Olagoke AO: Screening of some indigenous herbal dyes for use in plant histological staining. J For Res 2010, 21(1):81-84.
• [24]Bhuyan R, Saikia CN: Isolation of colour components from native dye-bearing plants in northeastern India. Bioresour Technol 2004, 164(5):873-877.
• [25]Bechtold T, Mussak R: Handbook of Natural Colorants. Wiley Series in Renewable Resource: New Jesey; 2009.
• [26]Bechtold T, Turcanu A, Ganglberger E, Geisslerb S: Natural dyes in modern textile dyehouses — how to combine experiences of two centuries to meet the demands of the future? J Clean Prod 2003, 11:499-509.
• [27]Bechtold T, Mahmud-Ali A, Mussak R: Natural dyes for textile dyeing: a comparison of methods to assess the quality of Canadian golden rod plant material. Dyes Pigments 2007, 75:287-293.
• [28]Gilbert KG, Cooke DT: Dyes from plants: past usage, present understanding and potential. Plant Growth Regul 2001, 34:57-69.
• [29]Lambaré DA, Hilgert NI, Ramos RS: Dyeing plants and knowledge transfer in the Yungas communities of Northwest Argentina. Econ Bot 2011, 65(3):315-328.
• [30]MacFoy C: Ethnobotany and sustainable utilization of natural dye plants in Sierra Leone. Econ Bot 2004, 58:S66-S76.
• [31]De Mayolo KKA: Peruvian natural dye plants. Econ Bot 1988, 43(2):181-191.