Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Assam 784 028, India.
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2011 Oct 14;7:31. doi: 10.1186/1746-4269-7-31.
The present paper documents the uses of plants in traditional herbal medicine for human and veterinary ailments, and those used for dietary supplements, religious purpose, local beverage, and plants used to poison fish and wild animals. Traditional botanical medicine is the primary mode of healthcare for most of the rural population in Arunachal Pradesh.
Field research was conducted between April 2006 and March 2009 with randomly selected 124 key informants using semi-structured questionnaire. The data obtained was analyzed through informant consensus factor (FIC) to determine the homogeneity of informant's knowledge on medicinal plants.
We documented 50 plants species belonging to 29 families used for treating 22 human and 4 veterinary ailments. Of the medicinal plants reported, the most common growth form was herbs (40%) followed by shrubs, trees, and climbers. Leaves were most frequently used plant parts. The consensus analysis revealed that the dermatological ailments have the highest FIC (0.56) and the gastro-intestinal diseases have FIC (0.43). FIC values indicated that there was high agreement in the use of plants in dermatological and gastro-intestinal ailments category among the users. Gymnocladus assamicus is a critically rare and endangered species used as disinfectant for cleaning wounds and parasites like leeches and lice on livestocks. Two plant species (Illicium griffithii and Rubia cordifolia) are commonly used for traditional dyeing of clothes and food items. Some of the edible plants recorded in this study were known for their treatment against high blood pressure (Clerodendron colebrookianum), diabetes mellitus (Momordica charantia), and intestinal parasitic worms like round and tape worms (Lindera neesiana, Solanum etiopicum, and Solanum indicum). The Monpas of Arunachal Pradesh have traditionally been using Daphne papyracea for preparing hand-made paper for painting and writing religious scripts in Buddhist monasteries. Three plant species (Derris scandens, Aesculus assamica, and Polygonum hydropiper) were frequently used to poison fish during the month of June-July every year and the underground tuber of Aconitum ferrox is widely used in arrow poisoning to kill ferocious animals like bear, wild pigs, gaur and deer. The most frequently cited plant species; Buddleja asiatica and Hedyotis scandens were used as common growth supplements during the preparation of fermentation starter cultures.
The traditional pharmacopoeia of the Monpa ethnic group incorporates a myriad of diverse botanical flora. Traditional knowledge of the remedies is passed down through oral traditions without any written document. This traditional knowledge is however, currently threatened mainly due to acculturation and deforestation due to continuing traditional shifting cultivation. This study reveals that the rural populations in Arunachal Pradesh have a rich knowledge of forest-based natural resources and consumption of wild edible plants is still an integral part of their socio-cultural life. Findings of this documentation study can be used as an ethnopharmacological basis for selecting plants for future phytochemical and pharmaceutical studies.
本文记录了植物在传统草药中的用途，包括人类和兽医疾病的治疗、膳食补充剂、宗教用途、当地饮料以及用于毒鱼和野生动物的植物。在阿鲁纳恰尔邦，传统植物医学是大多数农村人口的主要医疗保健方式。
2006 年 4 月至 2009 年 3 月期间，我们采用半结构式问卷，对随机选择的 124 名关键知情者进行了实地研究。通过 informant consensus factor（FIC）分析获得的数据，以确定药用植物信息者知识的同质性。
我们记录了 50 种植物物种，属于 29 个科，用于治疗 22 种人类和 4 种兽医疾病。报告的药用植物中，最常见的生长形式是草本植物（40%），其次是灌木、乔木和藤本植物。叶子是最常用的植物部位。共识分析显示，皮肤病的 FIC 值最高（0.56），肠胃疾病的 FIC 值为（0.43）。FIC 值表明，使用者在皮肤病和肠胃疾病类别中对植物的使用具有高度一致性。 Gymnocladus assamicus 是一种极危和濒危物种，用作消毒剂，用于清洁牲畜的伤口和水蛭、虱子等寄生虫。两种植物物种（Illicium griffithii 和 Rubia cordifolia）常用于传统的衣物和食品染色。本研究记录的一些食用植物以治疗高血压（Clerodendron colebrookianum）、糖尿病（Momordica charantia）和肠道寄生虫如蛔虫和绦虫（Lindera neesiana、Solanum etiopicum 和 Solanum indicum）而闻名。阿鲁纳恰尔邦的蒙巴萨人传统上一直使用 Daphne papyracea 来制作用于绘画和书写佛教寺院经文的手工纸。三种植物物种（Derris scandens、Aesculus assamica 和 Polygonum hydropiper）常用于每年 6 月至 7 月毒鱼，阿康铁的地下块茎广泛用于箭毒，以杀死熊、野猪、野牛和鹿等凶猛动物。最常被引用的植物物种；Buddleja asiatica 和 Hedyotis scandens 被用作发酵起始培养物制备过程中的常见生长补充剂。
蒙巴萨族群的传统药典包含了无数多样的植物群。治疗方法的传统知识是通过口头传统传承下来的，没有任何书面文件。然而，由于文化同化和森林砍伐导致的持续传统轮作，这种传统知识目前受到严重威胁。本研究表明，阿鲁纳恰尔邦的农村人口拥有丰富的森林资源知识，食用野生植物仍然是他们社会文化生活的重要组成部分。本文献研究的结果可作为选择植物进行未来植物化学和药物研究的基础。
