Uses of Trees As Medicine by the Ethnic Communities of Arunachal Pradesh, India
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Vol. 8(24), pp. 857-863, 25 June, 2014 DOI: 10.5897/JMPR10.768 Article Number: 258643045919 ISSN 1996-0875 Journal of Medicinal Plant Research Copyright © 2014 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article http://www.academicjournals.org/JMPR Full Length Research Paper Uses of trees as medicine by the ethnic communities of Arunachal Pradesh, India Bhabajit Doley, P. R. Gajurel, P. Rethy and R. Buragohain Department of Forestry, North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (Deemed University), Nirjuli-791109, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Received 27 October, 2010; Accepted 14 April, 2011 Arunachal Pradesh, the largest state of North East India has been considered as one of the biodiversity ‘Hotspot’ areas in the world. The original inhabitants of Arunachal Pradesh are tribal people, belonging to 26 major tribes and 110 sub-tribes. The ethnic communities of the state have their own rich traditional knowledge in the use of various tree species for treatment of different diseases with a practically applied aspect of knowledge acquired through close natural observation. They are store houses of indigenous knowledge which is unexplored and unrecorded. The present paper deals with the effectiveness of folk medicine for curative, remedial and medicinal uses of 64 tree species under 48 genera and 30 families providing detail account on the plants, their vernacular name, scientific name, plants parts and their uses. Key words: Trees, medicine, ethnic community, Arunachal, India. INTRODUCTION Ethnobotany is the study of plant wealth used in our day to of the people about the plants surrounding them and their day life for medicine, food, vegetable, fuel, fodder, utility. The term traditional medicine is erroneously applied furniture, ornamental purpose, worship, cultural material, only to the organized and recognized systems of preferably by the aboriginal and tribal people. It has been indigenous medicines viz. Ayurveda, Yunani, Siddha, Yoga recognized as multidisciplinary study comprising many as the only components of traditional medicine. It is the interesting and needful aspects of plant science, history, sum total of all the knowledge and practices, whether anthropology, culture and literature, giving us the idea of applicable or not, used in diagnostic, prevention for elimi- relationship between man and plants, socio-cultural nation of physical, mental or social imbalance and relying relationship with their surrounding natural environment, exclusively on practical experiences and observation han- their faith, taboos, worship and several other magico ded down from generation to generation, whether verbally religious aspects. It is imperative to study the traditional or in writing (Anonymous,1978). It is also considered as a herbal medicine being practiced in the region and solid amalgamation of dynamic medicine known through document the same for proper sustained utilization. In a ancestral experiences. simple way Ethnobotany reveals the traditional knowledge All systems of traditional Indian medicines have roots in *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Author(s) agree that this article remain permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License 858 J. Med. Plants Res. one way or the other in folk medicines and household Pradesh are note worthy. However, North-Eastern region remedies. Some of the earliest remedies and has still remained unexplored because of various reasons prescriptions became widespread and were subjected to particularly on accounts of its difficult terrain, poor certain refinements, revisions and improvements through communication facilities, mutual mistrust and hostility and practices by train medicine man and thus got prolonging insurgency conditions. incorporated in organized systems of medicines. Much The state of Arunachal Pradesh located in Eastern larger number of folk medicines remained endemic to Himalayan region is considered as one of the 35 hot spot certain regions or people in the country. Many of the areas of the world in view of its biological richness and earliest remedies survived only verbally from generation habitat diversity. It constitutes high endemism and is to generation which not only existed but is being largely comparatively endowed with diverse luxuriant vegetation practiced in many parts of the country particularly in with rich gene pool of both wild and domesticated plant remote rural tribal societies. About 80% of the population species. The region is an abode of fascinating landscape, of the developing countries relies on traditional medicine swift flowing streams and thick forest. It is situated mostly derived from plants, for their primary health care between 26° 30’ N to 29° 30’ N latitude and 91° 30’ E to needs and 90% of the drugs used in Indian system of 97° 30’ E longitude and comprises the major part of the Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM&H) are plant based and Eastern Himalaya with an area of 83,743 sq. km. The collected from wild sources without applying scientific distinct geographical location and climatic condition management techniques essential to sustain their growth makes an ideal repository of a rich biodiversity including and preserve their properties which determines the medicinal plants. Apart from the rich diversity in flora and efficacy of the medicine. fauna it also shows richness in high endemism with 238 The monumental work of Kirtikar and Basu (1918) laid endemic species (Choudhery and Pal, 1999). Particularly the foundation for studies of medicinal plants. The North the tropical and temperate forest represents a high East (NE) India comprising the states of Arunachal diversity of tree flora including the gigantic species. Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Takhtajan (1969) considered the place as “Cradle of Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim regarded as bio- Flowering Plant” on the basis of the concentration of a geographically “Gate Way” for mass of India’s biological number of primitive plants species particularly of resources. They form part of the East. Himalayan region Angiosperm. The knowledge thus gained by tribes has is very rich in plant biodiversity as well as in ethnic been passed on from generation to generation as a diversity and has a great traditional knowledge base in guarded secret which therefore, remained confined to plant resources. It is endowed with forest wealth and is their near and dear ones only. All over the world, there is ideally suited to produce a whole range of plantation revival to explore medicinal plants for their relatively non crops, spices, fruits and vegetables and flowers and toxic nature without causing any side effects to body. herbs. Out of 315 families, the NE region represents The state, which inhabits 26 major tribes and 110 sub more than 200 families, which is nearly 50% of the flora tribes, is also known for its rich cultural diversity. The of the Indian subcontinent (Ramakantha et al., 1986) and ethnic communities are Adi, (Ashing, Bogun, Bori, Botng, is botanically interesting due to occurrence of varied Galling, Komar, Karka, Lodung, Milang, Minyong, Padam, kinds of floristic elements. The region is inhabited literally Pailibo, Pangi, Ramo, Shimong, Tangam), Aka, Apatani, by hundreds of sub tribes, each having their own culture, Bangani, Khamba, Khowa, Memba, Miji, Hill miri, Mishing dialect, lifestyle, rituals and customs. Due to the miri, Sherdukpen, Sulong, Singpho, Tagin, Tangsa, diversified culture and traditions in one way, along with Wancho, Yobin (Lisu), Zakhring (Meyor) etc., having rich the rich species diversity on the other, the region shows traditional uses of different tree species for various needs high scope and potential of ethnobotanical studies including health care. All communities are completely particularly ethnomedicobotanica investigation. So far dependent on forest resources starting from their festival information on ethno botanical knowledge of this region is to agricultural works. In the state, about 85% of the available, only for 372 plant species is literature people live in remote areas without good medical facilities published. It is imperative to study the traditional herbal along with transport and communication systems lagging medicine being practiced in the region and document the behind. Most of the villagers still depend on traditional same for proper sustained utilization. The research works herbal medicines for diseases like Malaria, Jaundice, carried out by some botanists from different parts of the Diabetes, Hypertension, Diarrhea, Cholera, Gastritis, region revealed very important information of plant Rabies, Snake bite, Skin disease, Piles, Boils, etc. But utilization pattern by the traditionally rich indigenous they hardly go to the Medical doctors for treatment communities and helps to document newer resources instead they try to cure the diseases by using their own which were unknown otherwise, particularly the works traditional healing practices with medicinal plants carried out by Borthakur (1981, 1990, 2004) from Assam; available in and around them. The practice of indigenous Changkija (1999), Jamir (1990) from Nagaland; Rao medicine has descended through generations by way of (1981) from Meghalaya; Mao (1993) from Manipur; Dam oral inheritance or training where people live in close and Hajra (1981) and Doley et al. (2010) from Arunachal harmony with nature. The selection of plants for various Doley et al. 859 species is diversified. As trees are the dominant biotic