Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used for the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery by the tribals of Similipal forest, Mayurbhanj, Odisha, India

Authors :

Traditional uses of medicinal plants in healthcare practices are providing clues to new areas of research; hence their importance is now well recognized. However, information on the uses of indigenous plants for medicine is not well documented from many rural pockets of Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, India including Similipal forest. The study focuses on presenting the therapeutic effects of selected plants that are used by the local people in relation to diarrhea and dysentery. Questionnaire surveys, participatory observations and field visits are made to elicit information on the uses of various plants. About 47 plant species belonging 45 genera and 33 families are used by the tribals of Similipal forest for diarrhoea and dysentery. The most cited species for the management of diarrhoea and dysentery are Acorus calamus L., Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa., Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., Curculigo orchioides Gaertn., Emblica officinalis Gaertn., Oroxylum indicum (L.)Vent., Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels. and Terminalia bellerica (Gaertn.) Roxb. Research is needed to meet the challenges of identifying the active compounds in the plants, and there should be research-based evidence on whether whole herbs or extracted compounds are better. The potent antimicrobial activity on these medicinally important species is warranted.