Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37853377›Full record

ReviewJournal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine2023

Traditional medical practices for children in five islands from the Society archipelago (French Polynesia).

François Chassagne, Jean-François Butaud, Raimana Ho, Eric Conte, Édouard Hnawia, Phila Raharivelomanana

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Protective Effects ofAntioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

François ChassagneUMR 152 PharmaDev, Université Paul Sabatier, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Toulouse, France. francois.chassagne@ird.fr.
Jean-François ButaudCorrespondant du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (PatriNat), Paris & Consultant en foresterie et botanique polynesienne, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Raimana HoUMR 214 EIO, Université de Polynésie Française, IFREMER, ILM, IRD, Faaa, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Eric ConteMaison des Sciences de l'Homme du Pacifique (UAR 2503), Université de la Polynésie Française / Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Tahiti, French Polynesia.
Édouard HnawiaUMR 152 PharmaDev, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Nouméa, New Caledonia.
Phila RaharivelomananaUMR 214 EIO, Université de Polynésie Française, IFREMER, ILM, IRD, Faaa, Tahiti, French Polynesia.

Funding

Institut de Recherche pour le Développement MLD2022
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTraditional Polynesian medicine for children has been poorly documented, and few data are available on their efficacy and safety. In this context, the aim of this study was to identify traditional practices used for treating children and then assess the efficacy and safety of the most cited remedies by reviewing the literature.

methodsIn 2022, a semi-structured survey was carried out on five islands from the Society archipelago (Bora Bora, Huahine, Moorea, Raiatea, and Tahiti). A total of 86 participants were interviewed including 19 experts in herbalism. A thorough literature review was performed on the most cited plant species to gather the relevant ethnobotanical, pharmacological, and clinical data of each remedy.

resultsParticipants mentioned using 469 remedies to treat 69 health disorders. The most represented health categories were digestive system, skin disorders, infectious diseases, and respiratory system. A total of 67 plant species (representing 731 use-reports) were mentioned and Annona muricata, Gardenia taitensis, and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis were the main plants reported. Regarding the safety of cited remedies, one plant (Microsorum grossum) showed high risk of toxicity, and its use should be avoided in infants and children.

conclusionOur survey confirms the importance of traditional medical practices for children in the Society Islands. A lack of data in children for most cited remedies demonstrate the need for more pharmacological and toxicological research on Polynesian medicinal plants. Finally, the potential risk of toxicity for some cited plant species reported calls for a better information of traditional medicine users and healers.

Indexed as

PhytotherapyPlants, MedicinalChildEthnobotanyHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeHumansMedicine, TraditionalPolynesiaEfficacyEthnobotanyPacificSafetyTraditional medicine

Identifiers

PMID37853377
PMCPMC10585756

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.