DIVERSITY OF ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY MISING TRIBE OF DHEMAJI DISTRICT, ASSAM

Dulu Rani Chetia and Ajit Kr. Das. Laboratory of Ethnobotany & Medicinal Plant Conservation, Department of Ecology & Environmental Science, Assam University, Silchar-788 011. ...................................................................................................................... Manuscript Info Abstract ......................... ........................................................................ Manuscript History


Methodology:-
A survey was conducted during September 2016 -December 2017 to collect information on the medicinal plants used by Mising tribe of Dhemaji district of Assam. Different villages of the district were visited to collect information as well as plant species with their reproductive parts. The informations were collected from the Headman, both women and man healers and common people. Herbarium of the collected specimens were prepared based on methodology laid down by Jain and Rao, 1977. For further reference, the herbarium specimens have been deposited in the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science. The identification of the plants was done with the help of the floristic literature like, Flora of India (Sharma et al., 1993), Flora of Assam (Kanjilal et al., 1934(Kanjilal et al., -1940Bor, 1940), Medicinal plants of Southern Assam (Das, et al., 2010) etc.

Salkuori
Liliaceae Leaves Paste of leaves are used to cure skin burn and also used externally for hair growth. Leaf juice is used to cure stomach ache. Alpinia nigra (Gaertn.) B.L.Burtt

Chationa
Apocynaceae Bark Bark is used during childbirth to increase lactation of milk and malaria. Alternanthera sessilis (L.) DC.

Matikanduri
Amaranthaceae Leaves The shoot part is eaten as vegetables and also used against dysentery. Amaranthus spinosus L.

Hati-khutura
Amaranthaceae Root and Leaves Root juice is used to cure jaundice. Leaves are eaten as vegetables. Amorphophallus paeoniifolius (Dennst.) Nicolson

Ol-kachu
Araceae Root Dried root is used to cure piles. Tender shoot is eaten as vegetables.

Amaranthus viridis L. Khutura
Amaranthaceae Whole plant Whole plant is used to cure high fever and also eaten as vegetables.

Mati-kothal
Bromoliaceae Leaves and Fruit The tender leaves mainly used for urine problem. Ripe fruit is edible.

Moraceae Seed and Fruit
Young fruit and seeds are used as vegetable. Ripe fruits are edible. Averrhoa carambola L.

Kordoi
Oxalidaceae Fruit and Leaves Fruit juice is used to cure jaundice. Fruit is edible. Leaf juice is used to cure ringworm.

Mahaneem
Meliaceae Leaves Leaf paste is applied to cure skin disease and small pox. Leaves are used against pneumonia. Baccaurea sapida Bedd.

Leteku
Euphorbiaceae Fruit Ripe fruit is edible and also used against diabetes. Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell

Brahmi
Scrophulariaceae Whole plant Whole plant is very effective in memory and also reduce high blood pressure. Bambusa balcooa Roxb.

Valuka bah
Poaceae Tender shoot Tender shoot is used to cure high blood pressure and asthma. Bryophyllum calycinum Salisb.

Dupartenga
Crassulaceae Leaves Fresh leaf juice is used for stomach pain and urine problem. Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb.

Bagh-dhoka/ bembonamkil
Asteraceae Leaves Leaf paste is used to cure cut and wounds.

Rangamadar/ Tagat
Fabaceae Bark It is used to cure piles disease.

Euphorbia hirta L.
Gakhirati bon Euphorbiaceae Whole plant Plant is used to cure lactation problem and also cure asthma problem.

Rupohithekera Clusiaceae
Fruit Fruit is used to cure diarrhea. Fruit is edible. Garcinia cowa Roxb.
Kujithekera Clusiaceae Fruit The pieces of dried fruit is mixed with water and given to cure dysentery and diarrhea. Garcinia pedunculata Roxb.

Borthekera
Clusiaceae Fruit It is used to cure dysentery and diarrhea. Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam.

Bonjaluk
Rubiaceae Whole plant Leaves are used to cure small pox. Whole plant is used for treatment of cough and pneumonia. Leaves are used to cure pain at the time of menstruation. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.

Joba
Malvaceae Flower Flowers paste is applied on wounds and also used against dandruff.

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Tengamara
Malvaceae Tender shoot Juice of tender shoot is used to cure dysentery. Also used as vegetables.

Mochundori
Saururaceae Leaves Leaves are used to cure Dysentery and urine problem. It is also eaten as vegetable. Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides Lam.

Harumanimuni Apiaceae
Leaves Juice of the leaves is used to cure dysentery. Jatropha curcas L.
Bangali era Euphorbiaceae Leaves and Bark Leaves are used to cure headache, bark is used for vomiting and body pain.

Gathion
Zingiberaceae Rhizome The juice of rhizome is used to cure cough and cold.

Sraswati pat
Rubiaceae Leaves Leaf paste is used against snake bite. Nyctanthes arbortristis L.

Sewali
Oleaceae Leaves Leaf juice is used for cough and vomiting.

Ocimum basilicum L. Bor-tulshi
Lamiaceae Leaves Leaf juice is used to cure fever, cough and Malaria. Ocimum sanctum L.
Tulshi Lamiaceae Leaves Leaf juice is used for cough and asthma.

Oxalis corniculata L.
Tengeshi tenga 0xalidaceae Leaves Leaves are used to apply over the infected eczema portion. It is also eaten as vegetable. Leaf juice is used to cure fever and dysentery. Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merr.

Bhedailata
Rubiaceae Leaves Paste of leaves juice is used for gastric and also anti dysenteric. Also eaten as vegetable. Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus Nees. Ripe fruit is used for gastric disorder and it is edible. Root juice is used to cure diarrhea.

Results And Discussion:-
In the present study a total of 142 plants belonging to 63 families were reported which were commonly used by Mising traditional healers for the treatment of 48 types of ailments ( Table 1). The prominent family was Euphorbiaceae with 7 species, followed by Solanaceae and Asteraceae with 6 species, Lamiaceae, Poaceae, Rutacaea and Zingiberaceae with 5 species, Acanthaceae, Araceae, Amaranthaceae, Apocynaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Fabaceae and Malvaceae with 4 species respectively (Fig 3).