ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY COMMUNITIES OF TWO VILLAGES OF CACHAR DISTRICT, SILCHAR, ASSAM
EVARANI KALITA *
Department of Zoology, Handique Girls’ College, Guwahati, India.
ROMITA DEVI
Department of Zoology, Handique Girls’ College, Guwahati, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Traditional uses of medicinal plants in healthcare practices are providing clues to new areas of research. In the present study, we have made an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by communities of two villages of Cachar District, Silchar, Assam. Information was obtained through interviews using semi-structured questionnaires. At the end of our survey, we found that a total of 18 plant species are used in the treatment of various diseases by the communities of our study areas. Peoples from both the communities used various units of measurement such as finger length for root, bark, and stem, pinch for powdered, and numbers for leaves, seeds, fruits, and flowers, to fix the amount or dosage of medicine. We also observed that the healers were mostly aged person. Finally, we collected a part of each reported plant species, took photograph and identified.
Keywords: Ethnobotany, traditional medicine, medicinal plants, pharmaceutical