Original Article
Traditional Remedies for Ailments Prevalent Amongst the Thengal- Kacharis of Lakhimpur District, Assam, India
Ankur Jyoti SAIKIA*, Vipin PARKASH
Rain Forest Research Institute (Indian Council Forestry Research and Education), Mycology and Soil Microbiology Research &Technology Laboratory, Silviculture and Forest Management Division, Deovan, Jorhat-785001, Assam, India; [email protected]
(*corresponding author); [email protected]
Abstract
Assam, the ‘Gateway of North-East India’, is renowned for its phyto-diversity, myriad ethnic make-up and age-old tradition of indigenous healthcare. This paper documents the indigenous ethno-medicinal knowledge of the Thengal-Kachari tribesmen, who belong to the greater Bodo-Kachari ethnic group, residing in Lakhimpur district of Upper Assam. The information was collected through questionnaires in consultation with the tribal Bej’s (local healers). Plant and animal species were identified with the help of relevant standard literature and presented along with their part(s) used, method(s) of preparation and modes of administration in target diseases.
About 30 species of plants, belonging to 22 plant families, and 4 species of animals belonging to 4 animal families, were collected and enumerated for their traditional usage in treatment of 13 diseases. With respect to usage, there were more plant parts (86.49%) utilized than animal parts (13.51%), of which aboveground phyto-biomass was used in bulk (64.71%) quantity, herbs being utilized in major proportion (14). The correlation of ethnomedicinal usage with Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical database evidently points out the medicinal implication of data claimed by this tribe. The present study, thus, underlines the potential for further documentation of such ethno-medicines from local healers from the rest pockets of the region for further phyto-chemical analysis, forestry practices and biodiversity conservation studies pertaining to medicinal plant utilization by this hitherto less studied ethnic group.
Keywords: Bodo-Kachari ethnic group, cross-cultural comparison, documentation, Dr. Duke’s ethnobotanical database, ethnomedicinal plants
Available online: www.notulaebiologicae.ro Print ISSN 2067-3205; Electronic 2067-3264 Not Sci Biol, 2016, 8(4):401-407. DOI: 10.15835/nsb.8.4.9847
Introduction
Since remote past, the tribal people have been utilizing plants for curing diseases or alleviating bodily affliction, apart from depending for food, fire, fabric, dwelling, etc. Perhaps as early as the Neanderthal man, plants were believed to have healing powers, but as no mode of recording events existed in prehistoric times, there were no data on the methods of treatment practiced in that period (Jain, 1986). By virtue of a harmonious proximity with nature and steady nomad-to- cultivator transition, these tribesmen had developed their indigenous knowledge systems with respect to curing of diseases and ailments. The practice of ethnomedicine by different ethnic groups to cure diseases and ailments bears a testimony to indigenous knowledge system. Ethnomedicine can be defined as “those beliefs and practices relating to disease which are the products of indigenous cultural development and are not explicitly derived from the conceptual framework of modern medicine” (Hughes, 1968).
In spite of incredible progress in the field of allopathic medicines, the pharmacological researcher wants to go “back to
nature”. This present day relevance of ethnomedicines springs out due to three main reasons, viz. high cost of medicines, side- effects and gradual resistance of microbiota to the antibiotics. It is estimated that a total of 60% of the world population and 80% of the population in developing countries depend on traditional medicines, mostly plant drugs for their primary health care needs (Baker et al., 1995; Shrestha and Dhillion, 2003).
The tribesmen residing in the remotest parts and pockets of North-Eastern India still rely to a great extent upon the empirical folk medicines, or simply ethnomedicines. Based upon the ethnic, linguistic and cultural affiliations, the tribal population of India can be divided into three distinct territorial zones, viz. the North-Eastern zone, the Central zone and the Southern zone (Borah, 2012). Anthropologically, the tribesmen of North-Eastern India can be broadly divided into two racial categories, e.g. the Khasi and Jaintia tribes belonging to the Mon-Khmer culture of Austoic dialect, and the other mongoloid ethnic groups of the region belonging to the Tibeto-Burman subfamily of Tibeto-Chinese linguistic group (Dutta and Dutta, 2005; Kala, 2005; Parkash et al., 2013).
Received: 06 Jun 2016. Received in revised form: 21 Oct 2016. Accepted: 13 Dec 2016. Published online: 16 Dec 2016.
Materials and Methods
A survey was carried out during 2011-2012 to collect plant samples with ethnomedicinal claims amongst the Thengal- Kachari tribesmen associated with them. The standard methods of ethnobotanical studies followed, which were undertaken after procedures of several researchers (Jain, 1986;
Jain, 1995; Martin, 1995; Parkash and Aggarwal, 2010). The direct approach of ethnobotanical studies was taken under consideration. During the field surveys, villagers were consulted about their primary methods of treatment during ailments. As a result, information about persons in local healing practices (Bejs) were obtained, attempts were made to come in contact with those healers, with the basic aim of documentation of knowledge. While collecting information on ethnomedicinal claims, semi-structured questionnaires were used and later the data was analyzed. Detailed information with regard to their vernacular names, plant parts used, process of preparation of medicine e.g. either individually or in combination with other plant/ animal parts, mode of application and doses for the treatment of a particular disease were recorded. All voucher specimens were identified using relevant floras and standard literature (Kanjilal et al., 1934, 1940; Haridasan and Rao, 1985, 1987). The medicinal values claimed by these healers were cross-checked with ethnomedicinal data on medicinal plants from Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical database (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1992-2016).
The present study has brought to light 30 species of plants belonging to 22 plant families and 4 species of animals belonging to 4 animal families, used by Thengal-Kacharis in treatment of 13 ailments (Table 1, Fig. 5). For curing different ailments, plant parts (86.49%) were rather used than animal parts (13.51%). Of these plant parts, the above ground parts were used in bulk (64.71%) quantity, in comparison to the underground parts (35.29%). Amongst the aboveground plant parts, maximum usage was reported in case of leaves (8 species) followed by fruits (6 species), flowers, bark and stem (2 species each) (Fig. 2). Utilization of herbs was maximum (14), followed by shrubs and trees (7 each), while climbers contributed the least (3) (Fig. 3).
Keeping in mind the multitude of ethnic communities and tribes along with the variety of phyto-resources, there is ample scope of hidden indigenous knowledge in the North- Eastern part of India.
Up till now, different authors have reported 1,350 ethnomedicinal uses of plants in the region (Dutta and Dutta, 2005), but there is still research to be done. For instance, the ethnobotany of the Thengal-Kacharis is unavailable with the exception of Pandey et al. (1996), where only remedy for jaundice prevalent amongst the mentioned tribe residing in Golaghat district, Assam, was recorded.
Thus, a need was felt to gather their ethnomedicine knowledge, which might be threatened under the influence of habitat destruction.
The Kacharis, or specifically the Bodo-Kacharis, are the earliest known inhabitants of the Brahmaputra valley (Rajguru, 1988; Phukan, 1992; Gait, 2008), although their origin and christening is much more obscure (Wadell, 1986;
Endle, 1990). The Thengal-Kacharis are one of the numerous minor clans belonging to the Bodo-Kachari ethnic group of the Indo-Mongoloid race (Barooah and Pathak, 2009). They represent the greater Kachari group in the eastern tracts of Assam (Goswami, 2012). With regard to the homonymy of this tribe, there are two opinions; some speculate that their ancestor, Thengal, ascended to heaven with his legs forward, while another legend states that wearing a uniform of a thenga shirt might have led to the name (Sengupta, 2003; Barooah and Pathak, 2009; Saikia, 2009). There is also a legend that the Thengals were also involved in silver-washing in the Dhansiri River (Saikia, 2009) and hence also known as Rupowal-Kachari (Sonowal, 1962; Borboruah, 1997).
The tribal status of Thengal-Kacharis is however a matter of debate. The name of the Thengal-Kacharis was there in the list of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes of Assam till the year 1976. But then it was secretly removed, without any notification. The tribe has never been separately enumerated in the five census operations conducted in Assam since independence (1951-2001). Noteworthy are the remarks that Thengal-Kachari is included in “a few more small Kachari communities which now ceased to have independent identity” (Rajguru, 1988) and “the Thengals are not schedule tribes” (Goswami, 2012). It is interesting to note that they had received enumeration as a Scheduled Tribe included with the Sonowal-Kacharis (Prabhakara, 2003).
Assam, the ‘Gateway of North-East India’, is renowned for its phyto-diversity, myriad ethnic make-up and age-old tradition of indigenous healthcare system. The Thengal- Kacharis (Dutta, 2013) are concentrated in 204 villages of Assam. The present study was carried out amongst the Thengal-Kachari tribal residing in Loridonga village of Dikrong Gaon Panchayat, Bihpuria sub-district, Laluk sub- division, Bihpuria police station, Lakhimpur district (26048′ - 27053′ N latitude and 93042′ - 94020′ E longitude) (Fig. 1).
There are 189 households with a total population of 987 persons, comprising of 513 males and 474 females (Census Report, 2015). Although there is no exact figure in the Government records for ascertaining the number of the tribesmen studied, in the course of study the village can be considered a small pocket of the whole population.
402
Fig. 1. Map depicting the study site (Loridonga village, Lakhimpur district, Assam, India)
Saikia and Parkash/ Not Sci Biol, 2016, 8(4):401-407
403 Table 1. Diseases with their respective ethnomedicinal formulations practiced by the Thengal-Kacharis population within the study site
Sl. No. Name of disease Botanical name Local name Family Part(s) used Ethnomedicinal preparation
1. Pneumonia Rubus ellipticus Sm. Jetulipoka Rosaceae Root Root of one Rubus ellipticus plant, 5-8 leaves of Croton
caudatus, root of one Xanthium strumarium, 3 whole plants of Centella asiatica and Hydrocotyle javanica, each along with 5-7 (1-2, in case of children) fruits of Piper nigrum are ground to a paste which is administered orally to the patient.
Croton caudatus Geiseler Lota mahudi/
Xumxumia pat
Euphorbiaceae Leaf
Xanthium strumarium Linn. Ogora Asteraceae Root
Centella asiatica (L.) Urban Bor Manimuni Apiaceae Whole plant Hydrocotyle javanica Thunb. Xoru Manimuni Apiaceae Whole plant Ageratum conyzoides (L.) L. Gendhali bon Asteraceae Root
Piper nigrum L. Jaluk Piperaceae Fruit
2. Ear ache Carica papaya L. Omita Caricaceae Root Root juice of one Carica papaya plant is administered
locally in the ear.
3. Malaria Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb. Keya bon Cyperaceae Fruit 5-8 fruits of Kyllinga brevifolia, Caesalpinia crista and Piper nigrum are grounded and mixed with the intestines of Hystrix indica and given to the patient orally.
Caesalpinia crista L. Leta guti Fabaceae Fruit
Piper nigrum L. Jaluk Piperaceae Fruit
4. Gastric Erythrina stricta Roxb. Modar Fabaceae Leaf 33-35 leaves of Erythrina stricta and Citrus aurantifolia are
grounded to a paste and administered orally.
Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle
Gol nemu Rutaceae Leaf
5. Piles Musa sapientum L. Malbhog kol Musaceae Rhizome 3 young rhizomes of Musa sapientum and 3 Metaphire
posthuma are boiled in a pan and the patient has to take the steam on his anal part after defecation.
6. Seminal
disorder
Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn.
Orjun Combretaceae Bark 3 pieces of Terminalia arjuna bark are grounded and the juice is given to the patient mixed in 250 ml cow (Bos taurus) milk.
7. Dysuria Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Dubori Poaceae Root 5-7 roots of Cynodon dactylon, 3 flowers of Lagenaria
siceraria, 3 stems of Costus speciosus (each having 3 internodes), 3 strips of Mimusops elengi bark are grounded together; the juice is mixed in 250 ml cow (Bos taurus) milk and administered orally to the patient.
Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. Jati lau Cucurbitaceae Flower Costus speciosus (J.König) Sm. Jomlakhuti Costaceae Stem
Mimusops elengi L. Bokul Sapotaceae Bark
8. Diarrhoea Psidium guajava L. Modhuri aam Myrtaceae Tender leaves Tender leaves from the 3 axis of Psidium guajava plant are crushed to juice mixed with exudates of 1 Musa balbisiana fruit; this mixture is orally administered to the patient.
Musa balbisiana Colla Bhim kol Musaceae Fruit exudate
9. (a) Fever Scoparia dulcis L. Seni bon Plantaginaceae Root Roots of one Scoparia dulcis plant and 3 Clerodendrum
viscosum plants are grounded to juice, which is taken orally by the patient.
Clerodendrum viscosum Vent. Dhopat tita Lamiaceae Root
9. (b) Fever Corchorus capsularis L. Morapat Malvaceae Leaf 7-9 leaves of Corchorus capsularis, a piece (12 inches) of
Cissampelos pareira stem and soot (Elandhu) are ground edto a paste and applied locally on the forehead.
Cissampelos pareira L. Tubuki lota Menispermacea
e
Stem
10. (a) Cough Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus Nees Tita phool Acanthaceae Leaf Decoction of 9-10 Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus leaves is given to the patient orally.
10. (b) Cough Ocimum basilicum L. Tulsi Lamiaceae Leaf Juice of 11-15 Ocimumbasilicum leaves and 2-3
internodes of Zingiber officinale are mixed with honey and administered orally.
Zingiber officinale Roscoe Ada Zingiberaceae Rhizome
11. Vomiting Oryza sativa L. Dhan Poaceae Fruit 5-7 flowers (or in any odd numbers) of Lagenaria siceraria
are crushed and mixed with powdered rice (Oryza sativa) and applied locally on forehead.
Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. Jati lau Cucurbitaceae Flower
12. Abscess of
Breast
Mimosa pudica L. Nilaji bon Fabaceae Root Paste of Mimosa pudica roots is applied locally.
13. Blood
dysentery
Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. Tengamora Malvaceae Leaf 13-15 leaves of Hibiscus sabdarifa are wrapped by a plantain leaf, roasted in fire and the pulpy residue is orally administered.
Fig. 2. Status of different plant parts used for various local remedies
8
2 2 2
8
1 1
6
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Root Rhizome Stem Bark Leaves Inflorescence Flower Fruit
Number of plants used
Plant parts used
14
7 7
3
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Herb Shrub Tree Climber
Number of plants
Plant Habits
Fig. 3. Status of plants according to habits
404
Table 2. Cross-cultural comparison of ethnomedicinal plants utilized by the Thengal-Kacharis populations within the study site, with Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical database
Botanical name
Use reported in present
study
Established use(s) Referred
country Reference Ageratum conyzoides (L.) L. Pneumonia No records No records No records
Caesalpinia crista L. Malaria No records No records No records
Carica papaya L. Ear ache Ache (Head) Elsewhere https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/ethnoPlants/show/149?qlookup=Carica+papaya Centella asiatica (L.) Urban Pneumonia No records No records No records
Cissampelos pareira L. Febrifuge Febrifuge Elsewhere Uphof JC (1968). Dictionary of economic plants. 2nd ed. Verlag von J. Cramer.
Mexico Standley P. Trees and shrubs of Mexico. Contributions U.S. National Herbarium, vol. 23. Govt. Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
Guatemala Standley PC, Steyermark JA (1952). Flora of Guatemala. Fieldiana Botany, vol, 24, pt. 3. Museum of Natl. History, Chicago.
Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle
Gastric Stomachic Dominican
Republic
Liogier AH (1974). Diccionario Botanico de Nombres Vulgares de la Espanola. Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Urena, Santo Domingo.
Clerodendrum viscosum Vent. Febrifuge Convulsion, Spasm India https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/ethnoPlants/show/2729?et=
Corchorus capsularis L. Febrifuge Febrifuge Iraq Al-Rawi A (1964). Medicinal Plants of Iraq. Tech. Bull. No. 15. Ministry of Agriculture, Directorate General of Agricultural Research Projects.
Costus speciosus (J.König) Sm. Dysuria Depurative Elsewhere https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/ethnoPlants/show/1192?qlookup=Costus+speciosus+&offset Croton caudatus Geiseler Pneumonia Constipation Elsewhere Uphof JC (1968). Dictionary of economic plants. 2nd ed. Verlag von J. Cramer.
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Dysuria Calculus, Depurative, Diuretic
Egypt Tackholm, Vivi, Gunnar. 1973 (reprint). Flora of Egypt. Vol. 1-4. Originally published in Foriad I Univ. Bulletin of the Faculty of Science, vol. 17, Cairo, 1941.
Diuretic Spain Font Query P (1979). Plantas Medicinales el Dioscorides Renovado. Editorial Labor, S.A. Barcelona. 5th Ed.
Erythrina stricta Roxb. Gastric No records No records No records Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. Blood
dysentery
Demulcent Mexico Standley P. Trees and shrubs of Mexico. Contributions U.S. National Herbarium, vol. 23. Govt. Printing Office, Washington, D.C.
Hydrocotyle javanica Thunb. Pneumonia Dyspepsia India https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/ethnoPlants/show/1287?qlookup=Hydrocotyle+javanica Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb. Malaria No records No records No records
Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.
Dysuria Emetic China Shih-chen L (1973). Chinese medinal herbs. Georgetown Press, San Francisco.
Turkey Steinmetz EF (1957). Codex vegetabilis. Amsterdam.
Vomiting No records No records No records
Mimosa pudica L. Abscess of
Breast
No records No records No records
Mimusops elengi L. Dysuria No records No records No records
Musa balbisiana Colla Diarrhoea No records No records No records
Musa sapientum L. Piles Piles Java https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/ethnoPlants/show/2830?qlookup=Musa+sapientum Ocimum basilicum L. Cough Cough Malaya https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/ethnoPlants/show/527?qlookup=Ocimum+basilicum
Oryza sativa L. Vomiting Excipient Japan ANON. 1978. List of Plants. Kyoto Herbal Garden, Parmacognostic Research Lab., Central Research Division, Takeda Chem.
Industries, Ltd., Ichijoji, Sakyoku, Kyoto, Japan.
Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus Nees Cough Cough India https://phytochem.nal.usda.gov/phytochem/ethnoPlants/show/2235?qlookup=Phlogacanthus+thyrsiflorus
Piper nigrum L. Pneumonia No records No records No records
Malaria Malaria Turkey Steinmetz EF (1957). Codex vegetabilis. Amsterdam.
Psidium guajava L. Diarrhoea Diarrhoea Mexico Martinez M (1969). Las Plantas Medinales de Mexico.
Haiti Brutus TC, Pierce-Noel AV (1960). Les Plantes et les Legumes d'Hati qui Guerissent. Imprimerie De L'Etat, Port-Au-Prince, Haiti.
Trinidad Wong W (1976). Some folk medicinal plants from Trinidad. Economic Botany 30(2):103-142.
Rubus ellipticus Sm. Pneumonia Tonic Nepal Singh MP et al. (1979). Medicinal plants of Nepal - Retrospects and prospects. Economic Botany 33(2): 185-198.
Scoparia dulcis L. Febrifuge Febrifuge Sierra Leone Ayensu E (1978). Medicinal plants of West Africa. Reference Publications, Inc.
Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn.
Seminal disorder
No records No records No records
Xanthium strumarium Linn. Pneumonia No records No records No records
Zingiber officinale Roscoe Cough Cough China ANON. 1974. A barefoot doctor's manual. DHEW Publication No. (NIH):75-695.
Fig. 4. Status of plants according to families
3
2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
Number of plants
Plant Families
Saikia and Parkash/ Not Sci Biol, 2016, 8(4):401-407
405
A B C
D E F
G H I
Fig. 5. Plants attributed ethnomedicinal claim by the Thengal- Kachari tribesmen; A – Rubus ellipticus; B – Ageratum conyzoides, C – Mimosa pudica; D – Centella asiatica; E – Clerodendrum viscosum; F – Xanthium strumarium; G – Scoparia dulcis; H – Costus speciosus; I – Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus
The status of plants according to their families was also evaluated and it was found that plants of Fabaceae (3) contributed with the most plant parts in the ethnomedicinal formulations, followed by Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, Musaceae, Apiaceae and Poaceae (2 each), while Acanthaceae, Caricaceae, Combretaceae, Costaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Cyperaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Menispermaceae, Myrtaceae, Piperaceae, Plantaginaceae, Rosaceae, Rutaceae, Sapotaceae along with Zingiberaceae contributed least (1 each) (Fig. 4).
The ethnomedicinal claim of dicotyledonous plants was higher (80%) than the monocots (20%), amongst which Piper nigrum L. and Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. contributed to the preparation of medicine for more than one disease. Special mention can also be made of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban and
Hydrocotyle javanica Thunb., which were used wholly in the respective preparations.
The use of animal parts, viz. cow milk (Bos taurus L.), bee honey (Apis dorsata Fabricius), porcupine intestine (Hystrix indica Kerr) and whole earthworm (Metaphire posthuma Vaillant) were also reported.
A cross-examination of the medicinal usage as reported by the ethnic group in question with the standard database (U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.
1992-2016) clearly points forth that although most of the plants have been authentically used by people residing in other parts and pockets of the world, yet there remain new vistas to be explored for the plants with novel usage (Table 2).
406
Discussion
The information provided in the hereby paper is limited and there is always a scope to initiate more ethno-medico- botanical study amongst the Thengal-Kachari tribesmen of Assam to gather information as far as possible. As stated earlier, this tribe is concentrated in 204 villages of Upper Assam, so further studies can also be made to document the traditional healthcare heritage of this hitherto less studied tribe residing in other parts of the state.
Impact of urbanization coupled with increasing dependence on modern medicine and health care system have given rise to negligence towards traditional knowledge and thereby leading to depletion of indigenous knowledge health system (Tushar et al., 2010). Moreover, transmission of the knowledge is through oral and folklore tradition, which is also partly attributed to the loss of knowledge. Reluctance on the part of the traditional healers to facilitate documentation of their indigenous knowledge can also be counted upon.
Moreover, the ongoing tribal improvement programmes and welfare measures, sponsored by Government and non- governmental organizations, do not incorporate serious documentation of their indigenous ethnomedicinal knowledge. Documentation and inventory of such knowledge is the need of the hour, whereas if the chain of verbal conveyance is broken, this data could not be retrieved and will be lost irrevocably.
Further such studies are also important for species conservation and sustainable resource use (Gemedo-Dalle et al., 2005; Parkash and Aggarwal, 2010). The current investigation revealed that leaves and roots are the most collected plant parts for ethnomedicinal preparations. Collection of leaves for such purpose could be regarded as sustainable as far as some leaves are left over on the parent plant, although that is not the case with roots. Also, in the study it was observed that in almost all the cases the remedies were prepared from a multiple plant species. Moreover, the preparations are made by collecting the plants mostly from the wild. This is a serious concern from the conservation point and sustainability of the resources because if it continues unabated, such collection from the wild may lead to depletion of the population or in more specific terms, depletion of their genetic stock. Shiva et al. (1988) stressed that raising of medicinal plants in agroforestry is less cumbersome compared to raising agricultural crops as the former involves comparatively lesser cultivation options and gives higher annual returns.
With reference to the use of animal parts, it may be stated that use of cow milk and honey is sustainable although the use of intestine of Hystrix indica and whole Metaphire posthuma might in future lead to genetic depletion of their species from the biosphere. Uses of both these animals are also reported amongst the Tai-Khamyangs (Sonowal and Barua, 2011), although for different purposes.
Studies and documentation on ethnobotanical and traditional knowledge on medicinal plant uses has been considered as a high priority (Cox and Ballick, 1994; Hamil et al.., 2000; Pieroni, 2000; Dutta and Dutta, 2005), sometimes leading to the discovery of crude drugs (Cox and Ballick, 1996) or contributing to economic development.
Conclusions
Screening of medicinal herbs used by different ethnic groups or communities has now become a potential source for isolation of bioactive compounds. Thus preparation of an inventory of the plants and animals with ethnomedicinal claims pertaining to the tribe may augment alkaloid and metabolite synthesis through their bio-chemical and pharmacological analysis. In order to protect their indigenous knowledge and to ensure conservation and sustainable management, there is an urgent need for additional documentation, identification and prioritization of important medicinal plants, development of database, formulation of cultivation and proper harvesting techniques for potential species along with community awareness programs amongst the tribesmen.
Acknowledgements
Authors are extremely thankful to the Bejs (local healers) for extending their cooperation, in spite of the dogmatic sentiments attached with their knowledge of these ethnomedicines. The help rendered in the course of this study by Sh. Debajyoti Bora, Research Fellow (presently, Assistant Professor, Department of Statistics and Mathematics, C.K.B.
Commerce College) and Sh. Pabitra Saikia, Multi Tasking Staff of Rain Forest Research Institute, Jorhat, Assam is also acknowledged. Thanks are also due to Prof. dr. Sarthak Sengupta, Head, Dept. of Anthropology, Dibrugarh University, Assam. Both the authors express their deep sense of gratitude to the Director of the Rain Forest Research Institute for the laboratory and library facilities.
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