Quantitative analysis and systematic review of the traditional plants used by Sama Tribe of Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines

J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 109 | Concepcion et al. RE RERE RESEARCH SEARCHSEARCH SEARCH PAPER PAPERPAPER PAPER OPEN ACCESS OPEN ACCESSOPEN ACCESS OPEN ACCESS Quantitative analysis and systematic review of the traditional plants used by Sama Tribe of Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi, Philippines Clarito F. Concepcion * , Mae - Hada J. Sali, Al - Fayed P. Sudaria, Angelika L. Lim Department of Biological Sciences, Coll ege of Science and Mathematics, Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga City, Philippines Article published on July 14, 2023 Key words: Lamiaceae, Sama, Simunul, Tawi - Tawi, Traditional plants Abstract This ethnobotanical study documents the medicinal plants that are utilized by the Sama tribe of the Simunul, Tawi-Tawi. It aimed to establish the quantitative analysis and systematic review of the ethno medicinal practices of the Sama Simunul, Tawi-Tawi. Snowball sampling was utilized as the sampling method and descriptive research design was utilized. Interviews and semi-structured questionnaires were translated into the Sama dialect. This was utilized in gathering the data from the 50 Sama healers residing at Simunul, TawiTawi, and which majority of them were female. The collection and identification of plants, plants were pressed and mounted using the herbarium techniques, and the validation of the identified plant species was verified after. The systematic review was utilized to determine the active bio-isolates and bioactivities of the medicinal plants that are utilized by the Sama healers. Use-category, use-report, use value, informant consensus factor, and fidelity level were used for the quantitative ethno medicinal analysis. Forty-seven (47) medicinal plants were cited by the respondents and thirty (30) families were identified. Lamiaceae is the most widely used plant family by the Sama healers due to its medicinal constituents, which include a strong aromatic essential oil, tannins, saponins, and organic acids. The leaves were the most used for treatment. In terms of preparation, decoction was commonly used, and it was taken orally. * Corresponding Author: F. Concepcion  [email protected] Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES) ISSN: 2220-6663 (Print) 2222-3045 (Online) Vol. 23, No. 1, p. 109-135, 2023 http://www.innspub.net J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 110 | Concepcion et al. Introduction The foundation of medical care in developing nations is traditional medicine, which has been accepted and handed down by the local healers that are passed down from generation to generation since it is believed to be effective, safe, cost-effective, and accessible to the underprivileged and those residing in distant places (Baddu and Ouano 2018). World Health Organization (WHO) stated that 60% of people worldwide utilize traditional medicine and in 80% of the world's poorest countries, basic medical care is almost solely provided by these methods, notably herbal medicines. Between 35,000 and 70,000 plant species are thought to be utilized medicinally worldwide, with about 7000 of them being native to South Asia. Approximately 1500 medicinal herbs utilized by Filipino traditional healers have been recognized, and 120 species possess their safety and efficacy verified by scientific study (Dapar et al., 2020). Medicinal plants have been employed as therapeutic alternatives that might be used especially for certain health issues and include a wide range of compounds that can be used to treat chronic as well as infectious conditions. They are high in secondary metabolites and essential oils that have medicinal value (Baddu and Ouano 2018). Further, Tantengco et al. (2018) mentioned that indigenous tribes in the Philippines have utilized plants as medicines to treat a variety of medical conditions like headaches, stomachaches, coughs, colds, toothaches, urinary tract infections, chickenpox, and dysentery. The appalling state of poor people's health, particularly among indigenous peoples, has a dramatic influence on their quality of life in many rural areas of Mindanao, Philippines. The concern is ascribed to a lack of access to both privately and publicly funded healthcare practitioners, as well as the high cost of synthetic medications. As a result, researchers are looking into alternative forms of treatment, like utilizing medicinal plants (Pucot et al., 2019). The Subanen lumads, Muslim tribes of the Tausug, Sama, and Yakan, as well as Chavacano and Cebuano locals, reside in the southernmost region of the Philippines. Each of these indigenous communities is rich in folkloric medicinal plant knowledge and practices that are passed down from one generation to the next (Madjos and Ramos 2021). Among these tribes, the Sama of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi also utilizes medicinal practices. Simunul is one of the coastal municipalities in the island province of Tawi-Tawi which is subdivided into fifteen (15) barangays (PhilAtlas 2021). The Sama people of Tawi-Tawi are called by their place of residence. For instance, there are the Sama Balimbing, Sama Simunul, and Sama Sibutu. So, this study focused only on the traditional practices of the Sama Simunul where medicinal plants are commonly used for a variety of health-related concerns due to readily available sources. Significance of the Study This study will benefit society, those indigenous people who have limited access to health care services, contribute to the conservation of traditional knowledge of the Sama Tribe in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, and will lead to additional pharmacological and clinical research to find new drugs to improve the health-care system considering that the herbal plants have been used in traditional medicine. Scope and Delimitation of the Study This study was only focused on the medicinal herbs utilized by the Sama Tribe of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi, which comprises of nine (9) barangays, are the Bagid, Bakong, Doh-Tong, Luuk Datan, Manuk Mangkaw, Maruwa, Mongkay, Sokah-Bulan, and Timundon in terms of the plant species used, parts of the plants, preparation, mode of administration and aliments treated using medicinal plants. The subject in this study consisted of only fifty (50) Sama Simunul “healers” residing at Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi. J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 111 | Concepcion et al. Objectives of the study This study aims to establish a quantitative analysis and systematic review of the ethnobotanical practices of the Sama tribe in Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi. Specifically, this study aimed to: 1. Provide a qualitative profile of the medicinal herbs utilized by the Sama community in Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi in terms of: a) Plant species used. b) Parts of the plants used. c) Preparation of the herbal plants d) Mode of administration e) Ailments treated using herbal plants. 2. Determine the active bio-isolates and bioactivities of medicinal herbs utilized by the Sama community in Simunul Island, Tawi-Tawi through a systematic review of medicinal plants. 3. Conduct a quantitative ethnobotanical analysis by calculating the: a) Usereport b) Usevalue c) Fidelity level d) Informant consensus factor Materials and methods Clearance for the Study The researchers obtained ethics approval from the Western Mindanao State University-Research Ethics Oversight Committee (WMSU-REOC), Zamboanga City. Given that the study's respondents include indigenous people, formal approval has been requested from the municipal mayor, barangay captains, and the provincial director of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF). The exemption certification from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)-IX was obtained because there is no current NCIP office in the Province of Tawi-Tawi. Moreover, the researchers/project proponents have submitted a completed application form to the appropriate provincial offices and agree to follow the rules and/or additional conditions. Ethnobotanical Survey The data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and informal interview was conducted which was performed in the Sinama dialect for a minimum of ten minutes. The questions that have given were based on the traditional treatment utilizing herbal plants, specific parts of the herbal plants used, mode of preparation, mode of administration, and ailments being treated using medicinal plants (Abe and Ohtani, 2013). Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Age According to Nzimande et al. (2021) being over 18 years old and being a diviner, diviner trainee, herbalist, or herbalist trainee were requirements for study participation (Table 1). Geographic origin Locals from Barangays Bagid, Bakong, Doh-Tong, Luuk Datan, Manuk Mangkaw, Marowa, Mongkay, Sokah Bulan, and Timundun were selected since this study was mainly focused on the medicinal plants and practices from areas that are determined to be nonindustrialized (Table 1). Years of experience According to the traditional medicine practice act (2000) a minimum of five years of relevant experience after completion in a recognized institution for traditional medicine (see Table 1). Table 1. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria in Selecting the healers and their practices in using medicinal plants. Characteristics Inclu sion Exclusion Age ≥ 18 years old < 18 years old Geographic origin Local healers residing at the parameter of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi Local healers residing outside of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi Years of experience ≥ 5 years of practice < 5 years of practice Collection and Identification of Plants Samples of medicinal plants were collected with the assistance of the Sama healers. The collected plants were pressed on Herbarium sheets following the herbarium process. J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 112 | Concepcion et al. These specimens have been identified by the botanist from the Jose Vera Santos Memorial Herbarium (PUH) of the University of the Philippines Diliman and will be stored in Western Mindanao State University's Department of Biological Sciences where they will serve as documentation of the medicinal plants utilized by the Sama Simunul. The hierarchical classification and description of plant samples have been obtained, and the specimens' local names have been linked also to the Dictionary of Philippines Plant Names. All binomial names have their spelling, synonyms, and family classification verified using Tropicos, World Flora Online, The Plant List, Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and the International Plant Names Index. Quantitative Ethnobotanical Analysis Use categories Data on medicinal plants has been categorized in this study into 16 categories, most of which are based on the WHO’s (World Health Organization, 2011) International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). Categories include certain infectious and parasitic diseases (1), neoplasms, tumors, and tissue proliferation (2), Endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases (3), neurological diseases (4), eye diseases (5), ear diseases (6), cardiovascular diseases (7), respiratory diseases (8), gastrointestinal diseases (9), skin and it is a subcutaneous tissue disease (10). Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (11), diseases of the genitourinary system (12), applications in pregnancy and childbirth, postpartum and infant care (13), symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical findings not elsewhere classified (14), Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (15) and factors affecting one’s health state and use of medical services (16) (Ong and Kim 2014). Usereport In this study, the researchers evaluated the following factors to determine the use-report of the plants. Each time a plant is indicated as being utilized for a certain use, that use-report counts as one. Even when an informant utilizes a plant for many uses that fall into the same category, it is still recognized as a single usereport. A multiple use-report will be assessed if at least two informants mention the same plant for the same reason (Dapar et al., 2020). Use-value To calculate the Use-value, researchers applied this formula: UV=(∑Ui)/n Where n denotes the overall number of informants and Ui is the number of use-reports reported by each informant for a particular species. Use-values for a plant are high when there are numerous reports of its use, indicating that the plant is essential, and low (around zero) when there are few reports. It enables the provision of a quantitative measure for the relative importance of locally recognized plant species (Ducusin, 2017). Informant Consensus Factor Researchers used the following formula to determine the Informant Consensus Factor (ICF): ICF= (ܰ௨௥ − ܰ௧)/(ܰ௨௥ − 1) where Nur is the total number of informant usage reports for each category, and Nt is the total number of taxa utilized for a certain category. For a given category, just one or a small number of plant species are reported to be utilized by a large percentage of informants, yielding high ICF values (which are close to 1.00), while low ICF values signify disagreement among informants over the best plant to employ. ICF can thus be used to pinpoint particularly interesting species for the search for bioactive compounds. It is used to assess how well the informants' knowledge of each category of medicinal plants agrees with one another (Dapar et al., 2020). Fidelity Level To calculate the Fidelity level researchers used the formula of: ܨܮ (%) = ܫ ௉ ܫ ௨ 100 Iu is the overall number of informants indicating the plant for any use or purpose regardless of category, and Ip is the number of informants who independently suggested a certain species for a specific ailment. J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 113 | Concepcion et al. The highest value (1.00) indicates a high level of informant agreement demonstrating the efficacy of medicinal herbs in each category of condition (Heinrich et al., 1998), however, a minimum value of 0.00 denotes that there was no information sharing between the informants (Abu-Irmaileh and Afifi, 2003). Fig. 1. Location of Simunul Island and the Fifteen Barangays. Systematic Review Data mining in systematic reviews was used as a pattern by Alebie et al. (2017). A web-based systematic research literature technique was used as part of the search strategy. A variety of search techniques were utilized to gather journal articles on ethnobotanical or ethno medicinal plants that would be used in traditional practices. Look for published MSc/Ph.D. theses using the Google search engine and local university websites and utilize worldwide scientific databases like PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify journal articles that have already been published. The results of the search were checked twice: the first step was involved reviewing the titles and abstracts of identified journal articles and theses. Next, pertinent prospects have been downloaded and reviewed for inclusion (Madjos and Ramos 2021). Data Analysis For descriptive statistics, the researcher used the SPSS software tools. The family was alphabetically organized and a thorough review of the medicinal plants’ scientific name (with authority), local vernacular term (as common names), Tagalog name/English names, parts used, preparation, mode of application and administration was included. Institutions conducting published research or unpublished these has been highlighted. The bioactivities of medicinal herbs, bioactive isolated natural compounds, and their claimed uses have all been considered in the complete literature research (Madjos and Ramos, 2021). Result and discussion Result Demography of Informants A total of fifty (50) respondents were included in this study, where majority came from barangay Doh-Tong (9), and least from the barangays of Bakong and Mongkay (4). These were equivalent to 18% and 8%, respectively. In terms of age, majority of the respondents were 35-49 years old which obtained twenty (40%) and least were four (8%) came from 18-34 years old. Of this total number, thirty-seven (74%) were females and thirteen (26%) were males (Table 2). Table 2. Sociodemographic profile of Sama healers of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi Category Subcategory No. of informants % of informants Barangay Bagid 5 10 Bakong 4 8 Doh -tong 9 18 Luuk Datan 5 10 Manuk Mangkaw 7 14 Marowa 5 10 Mongkay 4 8 Sokah -Bulan 6 12 Timundun 5 10 Age 18 -34 years old 4 8 35 -49 years old 20 40 50 -65 years old 18 36 More than 65 years old 8 16 Gender Male 13 26 Female 37 74 Education Level Primary Education 11 22 Secondary Education 18 36 Higher Education 21 42 Civil Status Single 10 20 Married 33 66 Widowed 7 14 J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 114 | Concepcion et al. In terms of educational attainment of the Sama healers, higher education with twenty-one (42%) earned the highest percentage, while only eleven (22%) achieved primary education. As for their civil status, majority of them were married (33) which obtained the highest percentage (66%), whereas only 7 (14%) were obtained in widowed (Table 2). Traditional Practices of Medicinal Plants There were 47 plant species identified and classified into their respective families. The data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and an informal interview. Abokado (4), aloe vera (9), alugbati (2), balabat (1), bawang poteh (22) bawing (14), biyabas (33), buyu (6), dulow (3), gumamela (27), ibah (3), iyah-iyah (6), kabasi (1), kalamansi (3), kalamunggay (4), kamatis (1), kambang tulih (7), kapal-kapal (24), lagundi (9), lakdan bulan (15), lansang-lansang (3), lara (7), luuyah (13), mangkuru (13), maras (14), mayana (9), nangka (8), nangkabalanda (15), paliya (21), pandan (3), paragis (7), patawali (4), pait-pait (24), patik-patik (46), pijuhun (5), pilarang (42), pinggi kayuh (7), salimbangun (1), santul (2), sibukow (3), sibuyas (2) , sillay (25), sokah (2), sokah-sokah (15), sulasi (13), tangan-tangan (23), and timun (3). These plant species mentioned by the Sama healers of Tawi-Tawi belong to 30 families as shown in Table 3: Acanthaceae (2), Amaryllidaceae (3), Annonaceae (1), Arecaceae (1), Asphodelaceae (1), Asteraceae (1), Basellaceae (1), Caricaceae (1), Crassulaceae (1), Cucurbitaceae (3), Euphorbiaceae (3), Fabaceae (3), Lamiaceae (4), Lauraceae (1), Malvaceae (1), Meliaceae (1), Menispermaceae (1), Moraceae (1), Moringaceae (1), Myrtaceae (1), Oxalidaceae (1), Pandanaceae (1), Phyllanthaceae (2), Piperaceae (2), Poaceae (2), Rubiaceae (1), Rutaceae (1), Solanaceae (2), Verbenaceae (1), and Zingiberaceae (2). The majority of these plant species utilized to treat ailments such as hypertension, cough, postpartum care, fever, and boils. Table 3. Showing the collected medicinal plant samples, parts used, preparation, mode of administration, and ailments the plants treated. Scientific name Vernacular name Common name Parts used Preparation Mode of administrat ion Ailments No. of Use Report No. of species used per family Acanthaceae 2 Andrographis paniculata Nees Pait-Pait Bitterweed Leave, Whole plants Infusion with water/ Decoction Oral Diabetes, Blurry eyes, Hypertension, Fever, Detoxification 24 Justicia gendarussa Salimbangun willow - leaved justicia Leaves Heating Topical application Dislocation 1 Amaryllidaceae 3 Allium cepa L. Sibuyas Onion Specialized stem Washed Topical application Insect bites, Mild burns 2 Allium sativum L. Bawang poteh Garlic Clove/ Specialized stem Pounding, No preparation Ingestion Hypertension, Diabetes, Fever, Toothache 22 Crinum asiaticum Pijuhun Giant crinum Leaves Heating Topical application Inflammation 5 Bark Extraction Oral Sore throat Annonaceae 1 Annona muricata L. Nangka balanda Guyabano Leaves Decoction Oral U.T.I, Hypertension, Postpartum care 15 Fruit Washed Ingestion Arecaceae 1 Cocos nucifera Sokah Coconut Exocarp Decoction Topical application, Oral Postpartum 3 Asphodelaceae 1 Aloe vera Aloe vera Aloe vera Leaves Extraction Topical application Hair problems, Inflammation 9 J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 115 | Concepcion et al. Scientific name Vernacular name Common name Parts used Preparation Mode of administrat ion Ailments No. of Use Report No. of species used per family Asteraceae 1 Blumea balsamifera (L.) DC. Lakdan Bulan Sambong Leaves Decoction Oral Cough, Fever, Hypertension, Diarrhea 15 Basellaceae 1 Basella alba Alugbati Malabar spinach Leaves Pounding Topical application Boils, wounds 2 Caricaceae 1 Carica papaya Maras Papaya Fruit No preparation Ingestion Constipation, Hypertension 14 Leaves Infusion with water, Deccoction Oral Fever, Malaria, Dengue Crassulaceae 1 Kalanchoe pinnata Kapal-kapal Cathedral bells Leaves Pounding Topical application Fever, joint pain, abscess, boils, headache 24 Cucurbitaceae 3 Momordica charantia Paliya Ampalaya/Bitter melon Fruit Extraction Oral gastroenteritis (infants), Diabetes, Hypertension, Diarrhea, Detoxification, Phlegm, Emetic 21 Leaves Decoction Cucumis sativus Timun Cucumber Fruit Washed Topical application Cheilitis 3 Cucurbita maxima Kabasi Squash Fruit Decoction Ingestion Blurry eyes 1 Euphorbiaceae 3 Euphorbia hirta Patik-Patik Hairy Spurge Whole plant Decoction Oral Fever, Dengue, Malaria, cough 46 Jatropha curcas TanganTangan Physic nut Leaves Pounding, Heating Topical application Boils, Cheilitis, abscess, inflammation 23 Manihot esculenta Crantz Panggih kayu Cassava Leaves, Stem, Decoction Oral Detoxification, Diarrhea, Fever, anemia 7 Fabaceae 3 Caesalpinia sappan L. Sibukow Sappan wood Bark, Stem Decoction Oral Anemia 3 Mimosa pudica L. Iyah-iyah Makahiya / Sensitive plant Leaves, Roots, Whole plant Decoction Oral U.T.I, Hypertension 6 Pounding Topical application Inflammation Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers. Kambang tuli West indian pea Bark Infusion with water Oral Sore throat, Ulcer 7 Leaves Decoction Oral Fever, Cheilitis Lamiaceae 4 Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth Mayana Coleus Leaves Pounding Topical application Boils, Abscess 9 Ocimum africanum Sulasi Lemon basil Leaves, Flower Pounding Inhalation Vertigo, Fainting, Fever 13 Origanum vulgare L. Pilarang Oregano Leaves Infusion with water/ Decoction Oral Cough, Fever, Fatigue, Dyspnea 42 Vitex negundo L. Lagundi Five - leaved chaste tree Leaves Decoction Oral Cough, Fever 8 Lauraceae 1 Persea americana Abokado Avocado Leaves Decoction Oral Stomachache, Diarrhea, U.T.I., 4 Malvaceae 1 Hibiscus rosasinensis Gumamela China rose Flower, leaves Pounding Topical application Boils 27 Infusion with water Oral Hypertension J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 116 | Concepcion et al. Scientific name Vernacular name Common name Parts used Preparation Mode of administrat ion Ailments No. of Use Report No. of species used per family Maliaceae 1 Sandoricum koetjape Santul Santol Bark Decoction Oral Diarrhea 2 Leaves Decoction Topical application Postpartum care Menispermaceae 1 Tinospora crispa (L.) Hook.f. & Thomson Patawali Petawali Stem, Bark Infusion with water, decoction Oral Hypertension, fever, Diabetes 4 Moraceae 1 Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. Nangka Jackfruit Bark, Leaves Decoction Oral U.T.I, Hypertension, Diabetes 8 Moringaceae 1 Moringga oleifera Lam. Kalamungga y Malunggay / horse raddish Leaves Infusion with water, Extraction Oral Diabetes, Hypertension, Anemia 4 Myrtaceae 1 Psidium guajava Biyabas Guava Fruit No preparation Ingestion Diarrhea 33 Leaves Decoction Oral Diabetes, Fever, Postpartum care, Acnescars, Diarrhea, Detoxification Topical administrat ion Skin rashes Oxalidaceae 1 Averrhoa bilimbi L. Ibah Bilimbi Fruit Decoction, Washed Oral, Ingestion Arthritis, Headache 3 Leaves Pounding Topical application Inflammation Pandanaceae 1 Pandanus amaryllifolius Pandan Pandan Leaves, Roots Decoction Oral Hypertension, Body ache 3 Phyllaanthaceae 2 Phyllanthus niruri Sokah-Sokah Gale of the wind Whole plant Pounding Topical application Skin rashes, inflammation 11 Leaves Decoction Oral Hypertension Breynia oblongifolia Balabat Coffee bush Leaves Pounding Topical application Wounds 1 Piperaceae 2 Peperomia pellucida Lansang - Lansang pepper elder Leaves, Roots Decoction Oral Kidney problems, U.T. I 3 Piper betle (L.) Buyu Betel Leaves Washed, Extraction Oral Hypertension, Diabetes 6 Pounding Topical application Bleeding Poaceae 2 Cymbopogon citratus Sillay Lemon Grass Roots, Leaves, Whole plant Decoction, Infusion with water Oral Fever, Hypertension, Relapse 25 Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn Paragis Goose grass Leaves, Roots Infusion with water, Decoction Oral Fever, Hypertension, Cheilitis, Cough 7 Rubiaceae 1 Morinda citrifolia L. Mangkuru Noni Fruit Washed Ingestion Hypertension, Tumor, Fever 13 Leaves Heating Topical application Headache, inflammation Rutaceae Citrofortunella microcarpa Kalamansi Calamansi Fruit Extraction Oral Cough 3 1 Leaves Decoction Diarrhea Solanaceae 2 Capsicum frutescens L. Lara chili pepper Leaves Pounding Topical Application Boils, Abscess 7 Decoction Oral Fever Solanum lycopersicum L. Kamatis Tomato Fruit No preparation Topical application Wound 1 J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 117 | Concepcion et al. Scientific name Vernacular name Common name Parts used Preparation Mode of administrat ion Ailments No. of Use Report No. of species used per family Verbenaceae 1 Lantana camara Bawing Lantana Leaves, Roots Decoction Oral Hypertension, Diabetes 13 Zingiberaceae 2 Curcuma longa L. Dulow Turmeric Whole plant Pounding Topical application Inflammation/ 3 Infusion with water Oral Diabetes Zingiber officinale Luuya Ginger Rhizome Decoction Oral Hypertension, cough, colds, sore throat 12 Qualitative Profile Among the parts of the medicinal plant, leaves (54%) were the most used part of the plant for treatment, while exocarp (0.36%) was least used part (See Fig. 2). The mode of preparation of these medicinal plants, decoction (46%) got the highest citation whereas steaming of the medicinal plants (0.18%) achieved the lowest (See Fig. 3). Oral (62%) was the most common mode of preparation whereas inhalation (2%) was the least common mode (Fig. 4). Fig. 2. Plant parts used by the Sama healers for medicinal applications. Fig. 3. Mode of preparation of medicinal plants used by the Sama Simunul healers. Forty-two (42) ailments were identified and among these ailment hypertension obtained the highest scored which garnered 97 (19.25%) and was the most frequently reported case while cold, malaria, dyspnea, phlegm, stomachache, gastroenteritis, acne scar, fatigue, body ache, mild burn, and insect bite with 1(0.2%) was the least (Appendix 7/Fig. 5). Fig. 4. Mode of administration of medicinal plants used by the Sama Simunul healers. Quantitative Ethnomedicinal Analysis The category 14 obtained the highest cited for usereport (111) with use-value of 2.22. On the other hand, category 2 got the lowest for use-report (2) with usevalue of 0.04. Category 2 obtained the highest value for the Informant consensus factor (ICF) with an ICF value of 1 and the lowest was category 15 which obtained an ICF value of 0.33. Lastly, for Fidelity level category 11 got the highest value with 79.16% wherein Jatropha curcas was the most cited plant. In contrast, category 15 obtained the lowest with 6.06% fidelity level wherein Psidium guajava was the cited plant (Table 4). J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 124 | Concepcion et al. Plants Sama Simunul Sama Tumalutab (Aharaja et al., 2022) UR UV UR UV Carica papaya 14 0.28 0 0 Ocimum africanum 13 0.26 0 0 Morinda citrifolia L. 13 0.26 3 0.06 Lantana camara 13 0.26 0 0 Zingiber officinale 12 0.24 0 0 Phyllanthus niruri 11 0.22 0 0 Aloe vera 9 0.18 0 0 Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth 9 0.18 1 0.02 Vitex negundo L. 8 0.16 6 0.12 Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. 8 0.16 1 0.02 Manihot esculenta Crantz. 7 0.14 0 0 Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Pers. 7 0.14 0 0 Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn 7 0.14 0 0 Capsicum frutescens L. 7 0.14 0 0 Mimosa pudica L. 6 0.12 1 0.2 Piper betle (L.) 6 0.12 0 0 Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (L.) Vahl 0 0 6 0.12 Crinum asiaticum 5 0.10 0 0 Mesosphaerum suaveolens (L.) Kuntze 0 0 5 0.10 Costus woodsonii Maas 0 0 4 0.8 Coleus amboinicus Lour 0 0 4 0.08 Sida acuta Burm.f. 0 0 4 0.08 Urena lobata L. 0 0 4 0.08 Persea americana 4 0.08 0 0 Tinospora crispa (L.) Hook.f. & Thomson 4 0.08 6 0.12 Moringga oleifera Lam . 4 0.08 2 0.04 Flemingia strobilifera (L.) R.Br. 0 0 3 0.06 Cucumis sativus 3 0.06 0 0 Caesalpinia sappan L . 3 0.06 0 0 Averrhoa bilimbi L . 3 0.06 0 0 Pandanus amaryllifolius 3 0.06 0 0 Peperomia pellucida 3 0.06 5 0.10 Citrofortunella microcarpa 3 0.06 0 0 Curcuma longa L. 3 0.06 0 0 Cocos nucifera 3 0.06 0 0 Chrysophyllum cainito L. 0 0 3 0.06 Calophyllum inophyllum L 0 0 2 0.04 Allium cepa 2 0.04 0 0 Centella asiatica (L.) Urban 0 0 2 0.04 Artemisia indica Willd. 0 0 2 0.04 Basella alba 2 0.04 0 0 Sandoricum koetjape 2 0.04 0 0 Dracaena trifasciata (Prain) Mabb. 0 0 1 0.2 Justicia gendarussa 1 0.02 0 0 Cucurbita maxima 1 0.02 0 0 Breynia oblongifolia 1 0.02 0 0 Orthosiphon aristatus (Blume) Miq. 0 0 1 0.02 Solanum lycopersicum L. 1 0.02 0 0 Table 10. Comparison between Sama of Tumalutab, Zamboanga City and Sama of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi in terms of highest Fidelity level. Plants Ailments Sama Simunul Sama Tumalutab (Aharaja et al., 2022) Fidelity Level Fidelity Level Justicia gendarussa (Salimbangun) Dislocate 1 0 Cocos nucifera (Sokah) Postpartum care 1 0 Cucumis sativus (Timun) Cheilitis 1 0 Caesalpinia sappan L. (Sibukow) Anemia 1 0 Cucurbita maxima (Kabasi) Blurry eye 1 0 Breynia oblongifolia (Balabat) Wound 1 0 Solanum lycopersicum L . ( Kamatis) Wound 1 0 Coleus amboinicus Lour. Cough 0 1 Calophyllum inophyllum L. Sore eyes 0 1 J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 125 | Concepcion et al. Plants Ailments Sama Simunul Sama Tumalutab (Aharaja et al., 2022) Fidelity Level Fidelity Level Hibiscus rosa - sinensis L. Boils 0.666666667 1 Annona muricata L. Hypertension 0.375 1 Vitex negundo L. Cough 0.75 1 Moringa oleifera Lam Anemia 0.25 1 Centella asiatica (L.) Urban Fever 0 1 Artemisia indica Willd. Menstrual Cramp 0 1 Table 11. Comparison between Sama of Tumalutab, Zamboanga City and Sama of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi in terms of the Informant Consensus Factor. Category Sama Simunul Sama Tumalutab (Aharaja et al., 2022) No. of use - report No. of species/taxa Informant Consensus Factors No. of use - report No. of species/taxa Informant Consensus Factor 1 20 4 0.84 13 5 0.67 2 2 1 1 3 2 0.50 3 25 9 0.67 4 2 0.67 4 N/A N/A N/A 1 1 0 5 3 2 0.5 2 1 1 6 N/A N/A N/A 4 1 1 7 103 22 0.79 15 8 0.50 8 56 11 0.81 23 6 0.77 9 49 10 0.81 22 8 0.67 10 68 12 0.83 5 3 0.50 11 45 12 0.75 3 2 0.50 12 10 5 0.55 6 5 0.20 13 19 4 0.83 3 2 0.50 14 111 19 0.83 16 8 0.53 15 7 5 0.33 11 6 0.50 16 N/A N/A N/A 3 1 1 The systematic review of the medicinal plants mentioned by the Sama healers were summarize in Table 5. All the plant species listed in this study possessed bioactivities and bio-isolates that elaborated the plants' efficacy in treating various diseases. Discussion The sociodemographic profiles of the key informants were documented through a semi-structured questionnaires and informal interviews. As shown in the table 1, majority of the respondent were female. In terms of medicinal knowledge women know more and are responsible for the health of the family and providing treatment to a certain illness while men were responsible in providing support and financial needs of the family. This is supported by the numerous studies from around the world that have documented the crucial role that women play as keepers of knowledge about medicinal plants. Moreover, in the study of Costa et al. (2021), their findings showed that the knowledge of valuable plants was structured by gender and discovered that women have a higher repertoire of known plant species and tend to share what they know more than males. By contrast, in the study of Reyes-Garcia et al. (2010), stated that men were responsible for managing the home economics and supplying resources, therefore they have a greater understanding of natural resources for other uses. Learning on how to utilize medicinal plants and that are passed down orally from generation to generation also suggest that the knowledge about the uses of these herbal medicine may be compromised by the development of modern medicine nowadays. Ducusin (2017) has mentioned that knowledge or information about these ancient herbal medications is no longer considered to be valuable by today's younger and more educated population. The traditional knowledge of herbal medicine and practices that has been passed down from the ancestors has also been threatened with extinction by the development of modern medicine and technology. J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 126 | Concepcion et al. All the parts of the various plant species were used in treating various diseases. The most frequently used part was the leaves (54%). One reason for this is that leaves are the easiest part of a plant to collect, and they are also more readily accessible. Several ethnobotanical studies in the Philippines reported similar results with the leaves as the most frequently used plant parts (Abe and Ohtani, 2013; Gruyal et al., 2014; Olowa and Demayo, 2015; Tantengco et al., 2018; Nuneza et al., 2021). Leaves have high storage of chemical compounds through photosynthesis which are active components of most herbal preparation in high concentrations (Nuneza et al., 2021). As opposed to taking the stem, root, or entire plant, which may endanger plant life, removing the leaves’ biomass within normal bounds does not impact the survival of the plant (Jadid et al., 2022). Whole plant (16%), fruit (8%), flower (7%), roots (6%), cloves (4%), bark (2%), rhizome (2%), stems (1%), and exocarp (0%) are also used in the preparations (Fig. 1) in which photosynthates can be found in other sections of the plant, including the roots, bark, fruits, and seeds (Ducusin, 2017). The main mode of preparation used by the Sama healers was decoction (46%). Decoction can be prepared easily and usually taken orally for faster absorption. This was similar to the results of other ethnobotanical studies (Baddu and Ouano, 2018; Nuneza et al., 2021; Cordero et al., 2022) where decoction was the most common method and can be prepared by boiling the herbal plants for a certain period of time in order to extract the active components and allow it to cool before administration (Tantengco et al., 2018). The next frequently used mode of preparation was pounding (20%) which was the major method of remedy preparation and according to the study of Yimam et al. (2022), pounding was better way of preparation that no need for extra equipment to extract the active substances. Followed by infusion, which involved pouring hot water onto the plant material and letting it cool before administration (Tugume et al., 2019). Similar studies also showed that decoction and infusion were the method that was usually prepared for the preparation (Brahmi et al., 2022; Cordero et al., 2022) other preparations includes also roasting, washed, extraction, paste, no preparation, and steaming (Fig. 2). Most of the medicinal plants were taken Oral and some were applied in a form of topical application, ingestion, and inhalation (Fig.3). Oral is considered the best method since it is quick and easy, and it provides for higher absorption of the medicinal plant's bioactive components, which may help to explain why oral is most common mode of administration (Brahmi et al., 2022). Followed by topical application (31%), which is done by applying plant parts directly on the affected area of the body such as skin allergies, wounds, and pimples. Additionally, in the study of Rigat et al. (2015) topical application of plants may also relate to the necessity to clean, moisturize, and care for the skin, which serves as a barrier to shield the body from outside aggressors. Among the 42 of ailments identified, the majority were hypertension, followed by fever, cough, and inflammation. Based on the respondents, unhealthy diet, physically inactive and obesity were the factors that contribute to hypertension. According to Singh et al., (2017) stated that hypertension is a major public health issue because of its high prevalence and one of a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Factors that associated with hypertension are gender, age group, socioeconomic status, tobacco, alcohol consumption, overweight, and obesity. Use-report and Use-value depict the relative significance of medicinal plants for certain ailments or applications. There were three medicinal plants with the highest Use-report: Euphorbia hirta (UR = 46; UV = 0.92) in 3 categories which were category one (1), category eight (8), and category fourteen (14). This implies that medicinal plants with high UV are the most important and valued medicinal plants in the community. Followed by Origanum vulgare L. (UR = 42; UV = 0.84) which obtained the second highest use-value and was utilized in 4 categoriescategory one (1), category seven (7), category eight (8) J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 127 | Concepcion et al. and category fourteen (14), and Psidium guajava (UR = 33; UV = 0.66) in 7 categories which were category one (1), category three (3), category nine (9), category ten (10), category eleven (11), category thirteen (13), category fifteen (15) (See Appendix 15). Medicinal plants with high UV are the most culturally important, preferred, and agreed to be utilized for certain ailments by the Sama Simunul. Albuquerque et al., (2006) mentioned that high-use-value plants may be used medicinally and conservation efforts for these significant species must be given a top priority. A total of 7 plant species were found to have 100% FL values, ranging from 0% to 100% (See Appendix 16). Plants with the highest FL were Justicia gendarussa for dislocation, Cocos nucifera for postpartum, Cucumis sativus for cheilitis, Caesalpinia sappan L. for anemia, Cucurbita maxima for blurry eye, Breynia oblongifolia for wound and Solanum lycopersicum L. for wound. These FL values demonstrate that some of the informants who claimed to utilize these certain plant species were effective in treating ailments within the locality. Belgica et al. (2021), mentioned that the highest fidelity level may indicate the plant species most effective at treating a particular ailment, while the lowest level may suggest plant species were less effective at treating a particular disease. Further, in the study of Bibi et al. (2022), FL% essentially represents the importance of a plant for a certain usage. Many ethnomedicinal research studies have also shown that plants that have the highest FL% are the most beneficial. The highest ICF value (1.0) was the category 2-the neoplasm, tumor, and tissue growth while category 15, on the other hand, has the lowest ICF value (0.33). As shown in the table 4, the highest value indicates that the informants used a particular plant species consistently in the category and it also implies that the informants have agreed on certain plant that used in each category. Belgica et al. (2021) stated that medicinal plants with higher informant consensus should be given special consideration for future ethno pharmacological study, and these species are often used and have been used by people for a long time. ICF values indicated credible suggestions for individual species treating various health conditions and therapeutic plants treating various health issues. Further, a low ICF indicates that less traditional treatments are being used due to the accessibility of commercial medications that offer contemporary substitutes for herbal remedies (Caunca and Balinado, 2021). A systematic review of the different published articles showed significant bioactivities and important bioisolates for the medicinal plants used by the Sama healers of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi (Table 5). The family that has the highest number of medicinal plants used by the Sama Simunul healers is Lamiaceae. The Lamiaceae family has a wide variety of species that might be herbs, herbaceous plants, shrubs, or tree species. This family contains numerous species that are abundant in terpenes and flavonoids, with diterpenoids being the most prevalent. These different bioactive substances provide the Lamiaceae family of plant features including antioxidant, insecticidal, fungicidal, and bactericidal effects, which might lead to a collection of potential pharmacological and commercial value (Ramos da Silva et al., 2021). Furthermore, in various genera of the Lamiaceae family, rosmarinic acid (RA) is a phenolic molecule that has significant biological properties including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, allergic, anti-depressant, and anti-inflammatory properties (Shekarchi et al., 2012). Raja (2012) also mentioned that the medicinal components of the Lamiaceae family consist of strong aromatic essential oil, tannins, saponins, and organic acids as backed by the study of Ramos da Silva et al., (2021) stated that the Lamiaceae family contains various aromatic plant species that are used in traditional medicine as well as the pharmaceutical and food sectors due to their biological attributes. Its uses mainly pertain to its essential oils, which have a variety of functions including antioxidant, antibacterial, and anticancer actions. Essential oils (EOs) are aromatic and volatile compounds that present in many plant components including leaves, flowers, seeds, roots, and fruits. J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 20 23 128 | Concepcion et al. Because of a lack of medical services or facilities in the locale, the Sama tribe of Simunul relies on medicinal plants that are available in the area for treating certain diseases. Conclusion The study reported that there forty-seven (47) medicinal plants utilized by the Sama healers of Simunul, Tawi-Tawi to prevent and to treat certain diseases. Leaves got the highest cited part of the plant used for treating the diseases. For the preparation of the medicinal plants, a decoction was utilized most and most of the medicinal plants were taken through orally. On the other hand, quantitative ethno medicinal analysis showed that Euphorbia hirta got the highest Use-report and Use-value. The plant with the highest fidelity level for boils was Hibiscus rosa-Sinensis. For the informant consensus factor, Morinda citrifolia L. achieved the highest which falls within the category of neoplasms, tumors, and tissue growth. These medicinal plants were commonly used to treat fever, hypertension, cough, and postpartum care which may suggest that these diseases were widespread in the area. The family that has the highest number of medicinal plants used by the Sama Simunul healers to treat diseases is Lamiaceae which has four cited medicinal plants. Bioactivities and bioisolates of plants discovered through systematic review indicate that medicinal plants have a major impact on treating the many illnesses found in Simunul, TawiTawi. Lastly, in comparison between two studies showed for the Sama Simunul healers, the medicinal plant that achieved the highest report was Euphorbia hirta (46) and for the Use-Value got 0.92, and Euphorbia hirta was highly used to treat fever and dengue. For the Sama Tumalatub, the medicinal plant that obtained the highest Use-report (25) and UseValue (0.50) was the Psidium guajava where it was employed in many indigenous systems of medicine. For the Fidelity level of the Sama Simunul, Jatropha curcas got the most cited plant (79.16%). And a total of 7 plant species were found to have 100% FL values which were Justicia gendarussa for dislocation, Cocos nucifera for postpartum, Cucumis sativus for cheilitis, Caesalpinia sappan L. for anemia, Cucurbita maxima for blurry eye, Breynia oblongifolia for wound and Solanum lycopersicum L. for wound. In contrast to the Sama Tumalutab, a total of 8 plant species were found to have 100% Fl values, ranging from 4% to 100%. 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