Current Advances in Agricultural Sciences

The present investigation was aimed at documentation, analysis and evaluation of ethnomedicinal knowledge in the study area as the forces of acculturation are rapid in recent times. The underprivileged tribal people of Arunachal Pradesh do not receive adequate primary healthcare. They have perforce been still utilizing traditionally the plants in their surrounding for various purposes including ethnomedicine. The objective of the study was to document ethnobotanical knowledge especially of notable herbs utilized by the different backward people, whether tribal or rural, in the area under study. Season-wise regular visits formed the basis of the present investigation. Environmental data was obtained through structural interviews and face to face discussions with the tribal/rural informants, GB's, Dundai, men and women etc (with age between 50–65) or actual personal observations during ethno-botanical forays. Minimum five to eight informants were taken into consideration for each claim. This investigation brought on record that people of the study area generally utilize 45 plants species belonging 32 families. Different plant parts such as fruit, stem-bark and root are most commonly employed. Medicinal recipes, viz. extract, powder and decoction are used in this preferential order. A fair wide range of diseases, as many as 23, are treated by people of Lower, Upper Subansiri, Upper Siang and West Siang district using local plants. Anthelmentic, Antidysnetric, Antidiarrhoeic, Ringworm, Blood Pressure, Stomachache, Allergy, Scabies, Stomach bloating and indigestion are more prevalent in the study areas as compared to other diseases. These ethnomedicinal claims may aid in finding novel lead molecules for welfare of mankind. The data would be useful for further scientific investigations.