Mexico has a strong history of use of traditional medicine, based on different needs or services: pregnancy and deliveries, bone-healers, traditional medics. These traditions are a mix of pre-Hispanic indigenous cultures and beliefs, as well as the use of local herbs, remedies, etc., and the practices brought by the Spanish which have been widely documented (Lozoya X & Zolla, 1984). These practices are different between states and regions and their prevalence of use is highly correlated with higher percentage of rural population/localities, some of them presenting a wide diversity of “remedies”. For example, one of the first studies of traditional medicine practices in the State of Chiapas (southeast of the country) documented the use of 206 plants for a huge diversity of ailments and diseases such as stomach ache, burns, cough, wounds, head ache, tuberculosis, diabetes, diuretics, empacho (colloquial for indigestion) or verguenza (literal translation, shame) (Lozoya X & Zolla, 1984). Since these first studies, many more have documented the use of alternative or complementary medicine use in the country. Notwithstanding the fact that most likely some “remedies” are being used to manage or treat symptoms of dementia like memory loss, no information or published studies are identified on the use of these alternative practices to treat or manage dementia.

References:

Lozoya X, & Zolla C. (1984). Medicina Tradicional en México. Boletín de La Oficina Sanitaria Panamericana (OSP), 96(4). https://iris.paho.org/bitstream/handle/10665.2/17007/v96n4p360.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y