International E-publication: Publish Projects, Dissertation, Theses, Books, Souvenir, Conference Proceeding with ISBN.  International E-Bulletin: Information/News regarding: Academics and Research

Diversity of Endemic and Threatened Ethnomedicinal Plant Species in Meghalaya, North-East India

    , ,

Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Environmental Studies, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong-793022, INDIA
  • 2 Department of Basic Sciences and Social Sciences, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong-793022, INDIA

Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., Volume 3, Issue (12), Pages 64-78, December,22 (2014)

Abstract

Plants play a vital role in the healthcare of the local tribal people in Meghalaya. A number of species are used for curing a wide range of ailments. Traditional remedies are part of the cultural and spiritual life of these people. The objective of the study was to evaluate the diversity and role of endemic and threatened plant species in ethnomedicine. A total of 131 species, including 36 endemic and 113 species under different threat categories were found. This includes 73 and 46 species that falls under different degrees of threats at regional and global levels respectively. The life form of these plants can be arranged in the order of trees&

References

  1. Balick M.J., Elisabetsky E. and Laird S.A., Medicinal Resources of the Tropical Forest: Biodiversity and its importance to Human Health. Columbia University Press, New York (1996)
  2. Cunningham A., An investigation of the herbal medicine trade in Natal KwaZulu. Institute of Natural Resources Investigational Report No. 29, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg (1988)
  3. Joy P.P., Thomas J., Mathew S. and Skaria P., Medicinal plants. Kerala agricultural university Aromatic and Medicinal Plants Research Station Odakkali, Asamannoor, Kerala, India, (1998)
  4. Mittermeier R.A., Robles-Gil, P., Hoffmann M., Pilgrim J., Brooks T. and Mittermeier C.G., et al., Hotspots: revisited: Earths biologically richest and most endangered ecoregions, Conservation international, Cemex, Mexico, (2004)
  5. Khan M.L., Menon S. and Bawa K.S., Effectiveness of the protected area network in biodiversity conservation : A case study of Meghalaya state, Biodivers Conser,6,853-868 (1997)
  6. Barik S.K., Haridasan K. and Lakadong N.J., Medicinal Plant Resources of Meghalaya: Endemism, Threat Status and Consumption Pattern, ENVIS Forestry Bull,7, 17-26 (2007)
  7. Kharkongar P. and Joseph J., Folklore medico botany of rural Khasi and Jantia tribes in Meghalaya. In: Glimpses of Indian Ethnobotany, Jain S.K. (ed.) Oxford IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi, pp 124-136, (1981)
  8. Dolui A.K., Sharma H.K., Marein T.B. and Lalhriatpuii T.C., Folk herbal remedies from Meghalaya, Ind. J. Trad. Knowl.,3, 358-364 (2004)
  9. Laloo R.C., Kharlukhi L., Jeeva S. and Mishra B.P., Status of medicinal plants in the disturbed and the undisturbed sacred forests of Meghalaya, Northeast India: population structure and regeneration efficacy of some important species, Curr. Sc.,90, 225-232 (2006)
  10. Tynsong H., Dkhar M. and Tiwari B.K., Traditional knowledge based management and utilization of bio- resources by war Khasi tribe of Meghalaya, North-east India, Indian J. Inovations Dev,1, 162-174 (2012)
  11. Jaiswal V., Culture and ethnobotany of Jaintia tribal community of Meghalaya, Northeast India- A minireview. Ind. J. Trad. Knowl.,9, 38-44 (2010)
  12. Upadhaya K., Pandey H.N., Law P.S. and Tripathi R.S., Plants of ehnobotanical importance in the sacred grooves of Jaintia hills of Meghalaya, Ind. Forester,131, 819-828 (2005)
  13. Joseph J. and Kharkongor P., A preliminary ehnobotanical survey in the Khasi and Jaintia hills, Meghalaya, In: Glimpses of Indian Ethnobotany, Jain S.K. (ed.). Oxford IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi, pp 115-123 (1981)
  14. Kayang H., Kharbuli B., Myrboh B. and Syiem D., Medicinal Plants of Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, India, Acta Horticulture,1, 675-680 (2005)
  15. Hynniewta S.R. and Kumar Y., Herbal remedies among the Khasi traditional healers and village folks in Meghalaya, Ind. J. Trad. Knowl., 7, 581-586 (2008)
  16. Jain S.K. and Rao R.R., An Assessment of Threatened Plants of India. Botanical Survey of India, Howrah Calcutta India, (1983)
  17. Haridasan K. and Rao R.R., Forest Flora of Meghalaya. 2 vols. Bishen Singh Mahendrapal Singh, DehraDun,(1985–1987)
  18. Nayar M.P. and Sastry A.R.K., Red Data Book of Indian Plants. Vols. 1–3, Botanical Survey of India, Howrah Calcutta, India, (1987, 1988, 1990)
  19. Walter K.S. and Gillett H.J., IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants. Compiled by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, 862 pages, (1998)
  20. Ved D.K., Kinhal G.A., Ravikumar K., Shankar V.R. and Haridasan K., Conservation assessment and management prioritization CAMP for the wild medicinal plants of Northeast India, Med. Pl. Conser,11, 40–44 (2005)
  21. IUCN., The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2 www.iucnredlist.org, (2013)
  22. Gazzaneo L.R.S., deLucena R.F.P and Albuquerque U.P., Knowledge and use of medicinal plants by local specialists in a region of Atlantic Forest in the state of Pernambuco Northeastern Brazil, J Ethnobiol Ethnomed,1, 1-8 (2005)
  23. Upadhaya K., Thapa N., Lakadong J.N., Barik S.K. and Sarma K., Priority areas for conservation in North East India: A case study in Meghalaya based on plant species diversity and endemism, Int. J. Ecol. Environ. Sci,39, 125-136 (2013)
  24. Tabuti J.R.S., Lye K.A. and Dhillon S.S., Traditional herbal drugs of Bulamogi, Uganda : Plants, use and administration. J. Ethnopharmacol,88, 19-44 (2003)
  25. Giday M., Asfawz E.T. and Woldu Z., An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the zay people in Ethiopia, J. Ethnopharmacol,85, 43-52 (2003)
  26. Maikhuri R.K. and Gangwar A.K., Ethnobiological notes on the Khasi and Garo tribes of Meghalaya, Northeast India, Eco. Bot, 47, 345–357 (1993)
  27. Rivera J., Loya A.M. and Ceballos R., Use of Herbal Medicines and Implications for Conventional Drug Therapy Medical Sciences, Alt. Integrative Med 2, 2-6 (2013)
  28. Rivera J., Ortiz M., Lawson M.E., and Verma K.M., Evaluation of the use of complementary and alternative medicine in the largest United States-Mexico border city, Pharmacotherapy 22, 256-264 (2002)
  29. Mishra D., Sing R.K. and Srivastava R.K., Ethno-medicinal plants used to cure different diseases by rural folks and tribes of north eastern tarai districts of Uttar Pradesh India, Res. J. Med. Plant,6, 286-299 (2012)
  30. Jindal S.K., Aggarwal A.N., Chaudhry K., Chhabra S.K., D'Souza G.A., Katiyar S.K., Kumar R., Shah B. and Vijayan V.K., Tobacco smoking in India, Prevalence, quit rates and respiratory morbidity, Ind. J. Chest Dis. Allied Sci, 48, 37-42 (2006)
  31. Samant S.S., Dhar U. and Palni L.M.S., Medicinal Plants of Indian Himalaya : Diversity Distribution Potential Values,Gyanodaya Prakashan, Nanital, India, (1998)
  32. Dhar U., Rawal R.S and Upreti J., Setting priorities for conservation of medicinal plants – A case study in the Indian Himalaya, Biological Conser,95, 57–65 (2000)
  33. Maroyi A., Traditional use of medicinal plants in south-central Zimbabwe : Review and perspectives, J. Ethnobiol and Ethnomed,9, 11-18 (2013)