ISSN 2736-173X
African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 10 (9), pp. 001-013, September, 2022. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Phytotherapy and traditional knowledge of tribal communities of Mayurbhanj district, Orissa, India
S. K. Panda1, S. D. Rout2, N. Mishra3 and T. Panda4*
1Department of Biotechnology, North Orissa University, Baripada, Orissa - 757003, India.
2Department of Wildlife and Conservation Biology, North Orissa University, Baripada, Orissa - 757003, India.
3Department of Zoology, Chandbali College, Chandbali, Orissa - 756133, India.
4Department of Botany, S. N. College, Rajkanika, Orissa - 754220, India.
Accepted 4 August, 2022
Abstract
The present ethnobotanical exploration documents phytotherapeutical practices in Mayurbhanj district of Orissa, eastern India. It is primarily based on field surveys and taxonomic identification of plants carried out in villages, where dwellers provided information on plant species used as medicine, parts used to prepare the remedies, and the illnesses to which the remedies were prescribed. One hundred and twelve plants from sixty two families were described, which are therapeutically used against different ailments such as cough, diarrhea, chronic dysentery, chronic constipation, jaundice, menstrual problem, piles, snakebite, rheumatism, tuberculosis, diabetes, leprosy, skin diseases etc. The plant parts namely; leaf, bark, seed, root, tuber, fruit and whole plant were used in raw or cooked forms. The most important medicinal plant families were: Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Rutaceae, Solanaceae and Zingiberaceae. These phytotherapeutical resources were used for the cure of 45 illnesses.
Key words: Mayurbhanj, Orissa, phytotherapy, traditional knowledge, tribals.