Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 9 (1), January 2010, pp. 45-48

Traditional knowledge of Lotha-Naga tribes in district,

N S Jamir*, Takatemjen & Limasemba Department of Botany, Nagaland University, Headquarters: Lumami, PO 789 601, Nagaland Received 7 May 2007; revised 18 July 2008

The paper deals with first hand information’s on 55 medicinal plants used by the Lotha-Naga tribes in Wokha distict, Nagaland for the treatment of various diseases and ailments.

Keywords: Ethnomedicine, tribes, Nagaland IPC Int.Cl: A61K36/00, A61P1/00, A61P1/06, A61P1/08, A61P1/10, A61P1/16, A61P19/00, A61P21/00, A61P25/00, A61P25/08, A61P29/00, A61P39/02

Wokha, the land of Lotha-Naga tribes is one of the tribes and therefore it offers a large scope for the eleven districts in Nagaland state. The district lies study of medicinal plants in this area. A few between 25 ° 20 ′ - 26 ° 15 ′N of latitude and 94 ° 02 ′ - contributions have been made from this region 8-10 . 95 ° 01 ′ E of longitude and the total geographical Except a few research work from Zeliang , Angami area is 1628 sq km. The North and West sides are and tribes nothing is known about the bordered by , on the East by Mokokchung medicinal plants used by the Lotha Naga tribes 11-13 . and Zunheboto, on the South by , with the total population of 1,61,098 (as per 2001 census) Methodology with total of 8,708 households placed under 5 An attempt has been made to report the medicinal blocks. Altogether there are 107 villages, and the plants used by the Lotha-Naga tribes. The information altitude varies from 304.30m (Baghty town) to has been gathered from the local medicine men, 1,313.69m (Wokha town). The Lotha tribes live village elders, etc. during field trips to different areas mostly on hill - tops and on slopes forming small in the . The medicinal plant species and isolated villages. Most of these villages are were identified; and deposited in the herbarium, located at remote and far away from the towns and Department of Botany, Nagaland University, therefore, the people mostly depend on the natural Headquarters: Lumami. resources from the nearby forests for their livelihood such as food, clothes, shelters including Results and Discussion the uses of medicinal herbs for treatments of In the enumeration, all the plant species are different diseases and ailments. Generally, the arranged with their family, local name, parts used and traditional knowledge of medicinal herb is confined various uses for the treatment of illness and diseases to local medicine men. However, some secret of (Table 1). 55 ethnomedicinal uses have been reported medicinal virtues can be obtained from them from the Wokha district, Nagaland. Perhaps this is the through close contact. The medicine men have first hand investigation of medicinal plants among the practiced and developed this knowledge of the uses Lotha-Naga tribes in the district. However, it is pity to of medicinal herbs though their age long trial and note that the richness wealth of valuable medicinal error methods and passed on orally from one plants are depleting very fast day by day owing to generation to another. A good number of valuable jhum or shifting cultivation, forest fire, rampant accounts have been reported on medicinal plants in 1-7 destruction of forests and other human socio- . In North East India, where the population economic activities. Therefore, there is an urgent need is mostly inhabited by a large number of aboriginal for conservation and protection of the forest before it ______becomes completely extinct from the region. Perhaps * Corresponding author after thorough investigation and screening, some of 46 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 9, NO. 1, JANUARY 2010

Table 1  Medicinal plants used by Lotha - Naga tribes in Nagaland

Plant name Local name Uses

Acacia pinnata (L.) Willd. Kyokho Young leaf paste is applied on the body for fever, headache and body ache. Mimosaceae Adhatoda vasica Ness. Mhejung Leaf paste is taken orally for diarrhoea, dysentery, jaundice and rheumatism. Acanthaceae Albizia lebbek (L.) Willd. Khokshu Crushed stem bark and roots are taken orally for diarrhea, bronchitis and Mimosaceae paralysis. Albizia Procera (Roxb.) Benth. Khokshu Stem bark and leaf paste is taken along with water for cholera and Mimosaceae ehumuo stomachache. Alnus nepalensis D. Don. Elumtong Juice or sap from the plant is taken orally for dysentery and also applied Betulaceae externally on injury and wounds to stop bleeding. Aloe vera L. Liliaceae Alo vira Fresh leaf paste is applied twice a day for burns, cuts and wounds. Alstonia scholaris (L.) Br. Khoro tssung Stem bark paste is taken orally along with water for heart problems, asthma Apocynaceae and chronic diarrhoea. Aquilaria malaccensis Lam. Tssungza Whole plant is crushed and taken orally for asthma, rheumatism and paralysis. Thymelaceae Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. Kota Extract of white latex is applied in skin diseases, wounds and insect bites. Moraceae Bauhinia variegata L. Moloeli Stem bark paste is applied on skin diseases, ulcers and leprosy. Caesalpiniaceae Bombax malabaricum L. Pongitong Root bark paste is applied on burns, wounds and abdominal pain. Bombacaceae Carica papaya L. Amethi Root and leaf paste is applied on eczema, warts, boils and also taken orally to Caricaceae expel worms from intestines. Cassia hirsuta L. Khokshu Powdered dried seeds are taken orally once a day for impotency and Caesalpiniaceae ehmuo weakness. Cinnamomum zeylanicum Breyn. Tsangrung Stem bark paste is taken along with water for vomiting, gastric problems and Lauraceae nausea. Citrus limon L. Rutaceae Tsanpen Fruit juice is applied for dandruff, scurvy and taken orally for stomachache and kidney stones. Datura innoxia Mill. Solanaceae Potsowo Leaf extract is used for eye ache; body massage and rheumatism. ekithera Dolichos lablab L. Papilionaceae Kuptsu Powdered seeds are taken during fever and stomachache. Emblica officinalis Gaertn. Jakhethi Fruit extract is taken for indigestion, diabetes and asthma problems. Euphorbiaceae Erythrina stricta Roxb. Tokyrotong Stem bark paste is taken for rheumatism, stomachache, asthma, dysentery, Papilionaceae epilepsy. Fagopyrum esculentum (L.) Nrokpen Root paste is taken along with water for expelling worms from the intestine as Moench. Polygonaceae germicides. Ficus bengalensis L. Moraceae Popothi Milky juice from the plant is applied for curing body pain, rheumatism, toothache. Ficus semicordada Buch.-Ham. Khyingotthi Root extract is taken for kidney and urinary bladder disorders. ex Sm. Moraceae Gmelina arborea Roxb. Jendong Fru’s extract is taken orally for high fever and bilious. Verbenaceae Hovenia dulcis Thunb. Nrutong Fruits is used for intoxication problem Rhamnaceae Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Ayi Fresh root is chewed to expel intestinal parasites. Beauv. Poaceae Kydia calycina Roxb. Erunhya Leaf paste is applied for treating skin diseases and massages for body ache. Malcaveae Laportea crenulata Gaud. Tsipo Root paste is applied on body swellings and during high fever. Urticaceae Litsea citrata Bl. Lauraceae Shulongthi Fruits are eaten for constipation, cholera, high fever and as anti-food poisoning. Maesa indica (Roxb.) Wallich. Mungshen Fruits are eaten to expel intestinal parasites. Myrsinaceae tssung Contd

JAMIR et al .: TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF LOTHA-NAGA TRIBES OF NAGALAND 47

Table 1  Medicinal plants used by Lotha - Naga tribes in Nagaland  Contd

Plant name Local name Uses Manihot esculenta Crantz. Horu Root tuber paste is applied on wound, ulcers and skin rashes. Euphorbiaceae Melastoma malabathricum L. Chuthuksuru Root bark paste is applied on wounds and skin diseases. Melastomaceae Melia azedarach L. Meliaceae Aityih Flower paste is applied on skin diseases. Mentha spicata L. Lamiaceae Putina Leaf extract is applied for treating body pain and earache. Michelia champaca L. Rulumtong Leaf extract is used for rheumatism, headache and as eye drops for eye ache. Magnoliaceae Mimosa pudica L. Mimosaceae Yikira tera Leaf paste is used as antidote for insect and snakebites. Morus australis Poir. Moraceae Hatsuh Milky juice of the plant is applied on wounds, ulcers and sores. Mussaenda frondosa L. Worosuthan Leaf paste is applied on ulcer and also used as haemostastic. Rubiaceae Ocimum basilicum L. Rarakhum Fresh leaves and inflorescence are eaten for stomachache and applied on Lamiaceae ringworm and earache. Oroxylum indicum L. Potsowo tsutum Root bark paste is taken orally for jaundice, diarrhoea, dysentery and Bigoniaceae rheumatism. Passiflora edulis Sim. Bellthi Tender leaves are eaten for high blood pressure, diarrhoea and chronic Passifloraceae dysentery. Polygonum alatum Buck.-Ham. Meserong Leaf paste is applied on swollen body and body ache. ex D. Don. Polygonaceae Pouzolzia viminea Wedd. Khotsunungryu Root paste is applied on haemorrhages and as haemostastic. Urticaceae Rhus semialata Murr. Thumpak Dried seed powder is taken for treating indigestion, dysentery and allergy. Anacardiaceae Roydsia suaveolens (Roxb.) Hamvuthi Fruit is eaten for treating cold, cough and malaria fever. peierre. Capparidaceae Saccharum officinarum L. Sungpentsu Stem or culm is chewed for chronic jaundice and gums bleeding. Poaceae Salix babylonica L. Salicaceae Kvrutong Stem bark paste is taken orally for diarrhoea, dysentery and rheumatism. Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn. Ngangtsung Seed powder is applied on tooth decay and toothache. Sapindaceae Solanum torvum Sw. Khumkho Seed extract is applied on toothache. Solanaceae Spondias mangifera Willd. Ora Leaf extract is used as eardrops for earache. Anacardiaceae tssupyongthi Trema orientale (L.) Bl. Tekerujong Stem bark paste is applied for treating body pain and epilepsy. Ulmaceae Urena lobata L. Malvaceae Hantsurup Leaf paste is used as haemostatic. Wrightia tomentosa (Roxb.) Jemu Leaf paste is applied for treating toothache and also used as haemostatic. Roem & Schult. Apocynaceae Xanthium strumarium L. Kyorau Root paste is applied on ulcers and boils. Compositae Zanthoxylum acanthopodium Kyohan Leaf and root paste is taken for treating dysentery, cholera and to expel DC. Rutaceae worms. these plants might prove to be effective life saving References drug plants for cure and relief of various ailments and 1 Ahluwalia IS, Medicinal plants of Kangra valley, Indian diseases that plague to human beings. Forester , 78 (1952), 188. 2 Banerji ML, Some edible and medicinal plants from East Nepal, J Bombay Nat Hist Soc , 53 (1955) 153. Acknowledgement 3 Caius JF, The medicinal and poisonous grasses of India, J Authors are thankful to the local doctors, elders Bombay Nat Hist Soc, 53 (1935) 540. and to the people of the Lotha -Naga tribes, who 4 Deb DB, Medicinal plants of State, Indian Forester , 14 (1968) 753. helped and co-operated during field trips in different 5 Jain SK, Medicinal plants, 2nd edn, (National Book Trust of areas of Wokha district. India, New Delhi), 1975. 48 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 9, NO. 1, JANUARY 2010

6 Jain SK, Naherjee DK & Pal DC, Medicinal plants among 10 Rao RR, Ethnobotanical studies on the flora of – I certain Adibasis in India, Bull Bot Surv India , 15 (1973) Some interesting reports of herbal medicine, In: Glimpses of 91. Indian Ethnobotany , edited by Jain SK, 1980a. 7 Kirtikar KR & Basu BD, Indian Medicinal Plants, 2nd edn, 11 Rao RR & Neogi B, Observations on the ethnobotany of revised by Caius JF & Mhaskar KS, Vol 1–4 (Lalit Mohan Khasi and Garo tribes in Meghalaya, J Econ Tax Bot , 1 Basu, Allahabad), 1935. (1980) 157. 8 Joseph J & Kharkonger P, Ethnobotanical studies in Khasi 12 Jamir NS & Rao RR, Fifty new interesting medicinal plants and Jaintia hills, Meghalaya–a preliminary survey, First Bot used by the Zeliang of Nagaland (India), J Soc Ethnobot , 122 Conf , Meerut, 1978. (1990) 11. 9 Rai MKV & Shanpru R, Some plants in the life of Garo , 13 Jamir NS, Ethnobiology of Naga tribes in Nagaland: 1 First Bot Conf , Meerut, 1978. Medicinal Herbs, J Soc Ethnobot , 9 (1997) 101.