In order to identify plants used for medicinal purposes in the 19th century, this work analyzed six codices entitled "books of medicinal formulations" kept in the archives of the São Bento Monastery of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The survey was carried out by way of a systematic reading of the six volumes and preparation of a list of terms that refer to plants used on a regular basis in the infirmary and pharmacy at the monastery in Rio de Janeiro from 1837 to 1840, and from 1860 to 1880. It was therefore possible to create a list of popular names from the formulas and this "direct reference" categorized the popular names that made direct reference to a given plant. These plants were then identified by consulting the specialized literature and botanists. At the end of this stage we obtained the taxonomic clues that made reference to the popular names of the plants. A total of 150 direct references to plants were encountered in the codices, of which 92% (138) were identified botanically, representing 67 families comprising 123 genera and 152 species and varieties. These documents record the history of medical practice in Brazil and constitute the primary reference source for information about the traditional repertoire of medicinal plant species used in the 19th century.
document analysis; historical ethnobotany; medicinal plants; Rio de Janeiro; 19th century
