Tarahumara medicine, part 3

In this third and final part of a series on the Tarahumara people of Sojahuachi, Chihuahua, Mexico, we look at a few more of the medicinal plants that they use in their system of healing and disease prevention.
In Part 1 of this series, I mentioned pinole as an energy food that the Tarahumaras carry with them when they run great distances. For those of you not familiar with this food, I will explain it briefly. It is simply maìz, or dry flint corn kernels, such as are used to make masa for tortillas or tamales, except that the corn is dry-roasted over a fire on a clay or iron comal or sarten, until it is parched or lightly brown. The corn is then ground into a coarse or fine flour or pinole on a metate. This dry pinole is then carried in a small bag by the runners to supply them with energy as they run or hike great distances, through mountains and up and down canyons. Sometimes the pinole is mixed with honey, miel de maguey, salt, piloncillo, piñones, semillas de calabaza, peanuts, bee pollen, ajonjolí, sunflower seeds, pecans, etc., to increase the food value of the pinole. The runners stop at springs or creeks to get a drink of water to wash down their indigenous "trail mix." Pinole supplies energy and curbs the appetite, so it is a food that can also be used by individuals who want to lose weight.
Let us now continue with the medicinal plants of the Tarahumara. Moradilla is a small, low-growing herb with small purple flowers. It is taken in tea form, three times a day, to treat diarrhea. The Tarahumara believe that this form of diarrhea is attributed to water, and can be caused by getting wet, drinking cold water, or simply by being in humid conditions. The Tarahumara believe that getting their feet in water or sitting on wet or damp soil can also cause dysentery and diarrhea. The root of the herb Nachurl'i is used to treat fever associated with measles. It is boiled and taken three times a day as a tea. The Tarahumara believe that one should not bathe a child with measles, nor expose them to the wind. If the wind hits the sick person, then the measles cannot leave and the patient can die. A different species of plant by the same common name is used when there is pain in the kidneys or bladder caused by a stone, or when there is difficulty in urination. The leaves and root of this plant is made into a tea and given to the patient. The herb Ramesowe, which we know around here as yerbanìs, is used to treat fever and susto. It is brewed into a tea, sweetened, and taken three times daily. During the rainy season, it is abundant, and it is collected and used as a daily beverage in place of coffee. The herb Ripul'iki is used to treat empacho and diarrhea. The root is taken as a tea once daily. Rocorojco, a species of oak tree with large leaves, is used to treat inflammation of the tonsils, difficulty in urinating, fever, and to wash wounds. Two other species of oak also used are the chuchurique and the ichiguri. The Ros'sabl'i, or estafiate as it is known around here, is used to treat stomachache. Rowi Nacara is used to treat inflammation of the tonsils and earaches. The root of Ruckebl'I is used to treat kidney pain, when it is associated with working too much or too hard. It is taken as a tea, three times a day. The flower of Santa Rita is used to treat diarrhea. It is brewed into a tea and sweetened with sugar. Shinonowa is yet another herb used to treat kidney problems and sustos. Shistacami is used to treat fever associated with dysentery, diarrhea and colic. The leaves and root of Soiwil'i in tea form is used to treat stomachache and diarrhea. The root of Upaguaca is used to treat chest pain, back pain, and cough, as well as pain in the lungs, fever, and flu. The leaves and fruit of Uitzara, or pinguica, as I know it, are used to treat cough. The Tarahumara think that coughs can be caused by cold weather, change of weather, or by drinking cold water. Verbena is used to treat cuts, wounds, and sores, as well as stomachache. The Tarahumara assume that sores develop from lack of washing or bathing, or as a result of having a fever. A species of pine called Willoko is used to treat cough. They utilize the pine cones or awichul'i in combination with uitzara as a tea. Other species of pine utilized for cough are the ojkoco, sawako, and the objokoara. Cough due to the cold is believed to be caused by a person going from a warm area to a cold one, and feeling a hot sensation in the chest. The tos seca, or tos ahogadora, the Tarahumara believe, is associated with individuals who have the flu or a chest cold.
This will conclude our look at the medicinal plants of the Tarahumara. As I have mentioned in earlier columns, the information presented is purely for educational and informational purposes. Please do not try to self-medicate with herbs, unless you can identify them, and are very familiar with their proper use. Also, always consult with your physician, or health care practitioner, before using any herbal remedy. For questions or comments on this column, I can be reached via e-mail at glorioso@netscorp.net. For more information on herbal medicine in South Texas, go to www.laredosnews.com and click on "The Medicine Man" column or on the "Medicine Man Archives," for a collection of previous articles.