Since the manifestations of skin di

Since the manifestations of skin disease are usually openly visible, patients may feel embarrassed.
Nowadays, alternative medicine is promoted; therefore, efforts are being made to discover new herbal
formulas for healing skin diseases. This study aimed to (1) investigate the diversity and source of
medicinal materials for treating skin diseases, and (2) document the folk knowledge of using herbal
medicines from the three southern border provinces of Thailand; Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. Semistructured
interviews with ten healers were conducted to collect information including the formula
name, herbal ingredients, material parts used, preparation, properties and treatment methods. The data
were then further analysed. The results showed that 42 multi-species formulas and 30 single species
were used to treat 22 skin diseases. The formulas were comprised of 54 plants and eight chemical
elements or compounds. Most formulas were used for treating shingles, scabies, urticaria and itching of
unknown cause. The most popular materials for various diseases were: Senna alata for ringworm and
pityriasis versicolor, Areca catechu for shingles, Knema globularia for scabies and Tamarindus indica for
itching of unknown cause. A review of the literature revealed that 36 plant species had already been
tested for their pharmacological activities. The remaining species should be investigated for biological
activity to confirm the folk utilization of the medicinal materials.
ã 2015 Elsevier