Diversity of edible plants with ethnomedicinal properties utilized by the Ayangans of Northern Philippines

This ethnobotanical study documents the customary wisdom on medicinal edible plants used by the Ayangan community of the Northern Philippines. Semi-structured interviews with 50 informants were conducted and assessed using quantitative indices such as the fidelity level (FL), informant consensus factor (ICF), frequency of citation (RFC) and use value (UV). The study recorded 64 medicinal edible plants from 33 families, the most prevalent of which is the Fabaceae family. The majority of the edible plants were classified as vegetables. The leaf was the most commonly exploited plant portion for medical purposes. The Ayangans used these plants to treat 57 medical conditions, with cough being the most frequently reported. The decoction was the predominant preparation method and direct consumption of fresh or cooked edible plants was the primary mode of administration using a single plant or plant part. Capsicum frutescens L. had the highest RFC, while Carica papaya L. had the highest UV. The species with 100% fidelity levels included Ageratum conyzoides L., Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle, Carica papaya L., Areca catechu L. and Psidium guajava L., highlighting their significance in traditional medicine. Dermatological conditions had the highest ICF. These findings can help protect local plant biodiversity, traditional knowledge and future pharmaceutical developments of the identified edible plants with medicinal properties.