Folk medicinal plants in forest fringe villages of tribal’s hill districts of Nagaland, India

Abstract

In forest fringe villages, folk medicines play a pivotal role in human health care management. The aim of present study was to document the plants employed in the folk medicines by ethnic groups inhabiting forest fringe villages of Nagaland. Field survey was conducted for over two years in 32 forest fringe villages of Nagaland. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and quantitatively analyzed by statistical tools i.e., Use-value, Relative frequency of citation and Informant consensus factor to identify promising plants for future studies. This research documented 96 medicinal plants employed in the treatment of 59 ailments of human being. The quantitative analysis of the data indicates that some species have relatively high ―use value (UV)‖ and ―relative frequency of citation (Rfc)‖, these are: Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Phyllanthus emblica L. with 0.67 as UV and 3.6 as Rfc. Maximum consensus among informants was observed for the treatment of tooth and gum ailment and under this category Solanum aculeatissimum Moench was frequently cited by informants. Those plants which receive high relative frequency of citation values may serve as potential source for pharmacological studies, especially Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (used as insect repellent), Phyllanthus emblica L. (used in abdominal pain and indigestion), Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br. (in flatulence), Aloe vera Mill. (in constipation), Canna indica L. (in genital infection), Gmelina arborea Roxb. ex Sm. (prevent miscarriage), Parkia timoriana (DC.) Merr. (in bleeding piles), Carica papaya (DC.) Merr. (cure ringworm), Solanum aculeatissimum Moench (in foot and toe infection), Thalictrum foliolosum DC. (for vomiting and indigestion), Mentha spicata L. (in stomach ache), Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton (incough and cold), Zingiber officinale Roscoe (in cough and cold) and Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Delarbre (in skin infection).