Survey and Documentation of Ethnobotanicals used in the Traditional Medicines System of Tribal Communities of Chirang District of Assam Against Helminthiasis
Ananta Swargiary*, Mritunjoy Kumar Roy and Manita DaimariDepartment of Zoology, Bodoland University, Kokrajhar, Assam, India, 783370
Corresponding Author E-mail: ananbuzoo101@gmail.com
Abstract: Ethnobotanical knowledge has been the backbone of rural healthcare since ancient times. Many diseases including helminthiasis are cured by traditional medicine in many parts of the world. The present study aims at exploring the ethnobotanicals used as anthelmintic medicines by the tribal communities of Chirang district of Assam. The present study was conducted in different villages under Chirang district of Assam, India. A face-to-face interview was carried out during survey work along with readymade questionnaire. In our survey work, 20 neighbouring villages were taken as a single cluster and one sample informant was collected. Information regarding the plant and plant parts used, methodology of use as well as informant demography such as age, sex, education was also collected. A total of 20 villages were surveyed and information was gathered from 27 informants, 23 kaviraja and 4 elderly people, 15 male and 12 female. The information collected revealed 43 medicinal plants belonging to 27 families. Lamiaceae was found to be most common family followed by Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, Zutaceae and Zingiberaceae. The most highly cited plants were Ananas comosus, Andrographis paniculata, Asparagus racemosus, Alstonia scholaris and Leucas aspera. Leaves, fruits and tubers were found to be the most commonly used plant parts. Except few, most of the herbal medicines were prepared as raw materials and are consumed orally. Documentation of important ethnomedicinal information from the remote areas of Assam will help scientific investigators to look into its scientific aspect leading to the development of new medicines against helminthiasis and many other diseases.
Keywords: Anthelmintic Plants; Chirang District; Ethnomedicine; Tribal Community Back to TOC