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Kazakh People's Traditional Knowledge of Medicinal Food Plants at Risk

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The Kazakh people in Altay, Xinjiang, possess a rich cultural heritage of traditional knowledge about medicinal food plants (MFPs), shaped by their nomadic pastoralist lifestyle and the unique mountain-grassland ecosystems of the region. However, this biocultural heritage is threatened by human activities, rapid globalization, climate change, and generational knowledge loss. A recent study aimed to document and assess the cultural and ecological relevance of MFPs in the region.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study identified 118 MFP species belonging to 37 families and 85 genera, with Rosaceae, Asteraceae, Polygonaceae, and Fabaceae being the most represented families.
  • Herbaceous plants dominated (69.5%), with fruits (33.9%) and roots (20.3%) being the primary edible parts of the MFPs.
  • The highest medicinal use-value (UV) index was found in Glycyrrhiza uralensis (UV = 0.56), Taraxacum officinale (UV = 0.41), and Codonopsis pilosula (UV = 0.34).
  • MFPs were primarily used to treat digestive (26.1%) and respiratory (17.7%) ailments, reflecting the health challenges associated with a nomadic lifestyle.
  • The study highlighted the need for sustainable utilization of MFPs, including the incorporation of traditional knowledge, phenology-informed harvesting practices, and community-led cultivation of vulnerable species.
  • Kazakh MFPs represent a culturally integrated "medicine-food continuum" intricately adapted to local ecological conditions.
  • Climate change, overharvesting, and generational knowledge loss are key threats to the sustainability of MFPs in the region.
  • The study recommended urgent efforts to preserve this fragile biocultural heritage.

Statistics:

  • 130 informants participated in semi-structured interviews, complemented by focal group discussions, field observations, and voucher specimen collection.
  • 118 MFP species were identified, with 69.5% being herbaceous plants.
  • 33.9% of MFPs had fruits as the primary edible part, while 20.3% had roots.
  • 26.1% of MFPs were used to treat digestive ailments, while 17.7% were used to treat respiratory ailments.
  • The publisher of the Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine is BioMed Central.

Sources:

  • Xinjiang Agricultural University
  • Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine
  • NewsRx
  • Zhao, Y., et al. (2025). An ethnobotanical study on medicinal food plants used by the Kazakh people in Altay, Xinjiang, China. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 21(1), 65.

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