An Ethnomedicinal Study of Medicinal Plants Used By Indigenous People from West District of Tripura, India

Abstract

Ethnomedicine is concerned with the cultural interpretation of health, disease and illness and also address the health care seeking process and healing practices. Research interest and activities in the area of ethnomedicine have increased tremendously in the last decade (Andrea et al., 2005). A field study of uses of ethnomedicinal plants by indigenous people of West District, Tripura, India found that plants having multiple applications as herbal medicine. A total of 50 of such plants were recorded carefully from the traditional healers and aged villagers of West District, Tripura, with valid scientific name, common English (E) and Kokborok (K) name, family, part(s) used, ailments and mode of preparation and use. Some of the important plants include Calamus latifolius Roxb., Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt, Solanum indicum L., Hedychium coronarium J.Koenig, Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz, Molineria  capitulata (Lour.) Herb., Curcuma aromatica Salisb., Ocimum tenuiflorium L., Holarrhena antidysenterica (L.) Wall., Ageratum conyzoides (L.), Cassytha filiformis (L.).