Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Jah Hut peoples in Malaysia.

CONTEXT

An ethnobotanical study was carried out among the Jah Hut people who live in the central part of peninsular Malaysia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The information on the medicinal plants was obtained from interview with a traditional medicinal man. The traditional uses and remedies were documented. The literature searches were carried out for the evaluation on the current status of investigations on these plants.

RESULTS

In this study, we present 16 species of plants, which are commonly used among the Jah Hut people to cure some common diseases.

DISCUSSION

This study is important to preserve the knowledge of medicinal plants used by Jah Hut people. The surveys of phytopharmacological literatures of these plants have great pharmacological and ethnobotanical significance.