Revision and Analysis of Important Information about Traditional Medicine of the Northeast Recorded on Palm Leaves

Abstract

   The objectives of this study were to analyze information about traditional medicine of the northeast which had been recorded on palm leaves and to translate it into modern Thai. The palm leaves in this study were kept in nine temples in Mahasarakham Province. There were 488 palm leaves (952 pages). The palm leaves were translated from dhama script and tai noi script into modern Thai word by word.
The results showed that:
1. The information on the palm leaves included information on: the suitable days and times for collecting herbs, the names of diseases or symptoms, and formulas and methodology for mixing the ingredients. In addition to traditional medicine, the palm leaves included techniques for controlling elephants and smelting iron.
2. A total of 3,475 formulas were recorded, with 26 methods for mixing and 18 methods for applying medicine.
3. The formulas on the palm leaves indicated that they originally came from only six sites. Most of them were from the North of Thailand.
4. The system of recording was analyzed. It was found that the recording was done individually for each formula. When a folk healer got a good formula, he/she would record it. The recording was not the complete formula; each folk healer kept some part in his or her memory.
5. A suitable system for translating information on traditional medicine from palm leaves into the Thai language should comprise three experts: A folk healer who can read dhama script and tai noi script, an ethnobotanist and an ancient language specialist. After the experts revise the contents of the palm leaves, a folk healer, who is a specialist in each symptom or disease, re-checks the translation. Using this method it has been possible to develop or update the formulas so that they fit the plants and animals that are found in the present
day.