Ethno-medicinal use of plants for Menstrual-related disorders among the people of lower Assam, India

Abstract

Assam, including all of its districts, is one of the most diverse plant-rich areas globally, with thousands of medicinal plants. A survey of ethnomedicinal plants used in certain lower Assam districts in rural areas yielded valuable ethnomedico-botanical data on plants used to treat menstrual-related disorders. There have been 25 medicinal plant species from 23 families documented in this study through personal interaction and consultations with traditional practitioners, village heads, and village women. Among the plant parts used, leaf (8 spp.) was used highest, followed by roots (5 spp.), whole plant (4 spp.), fruit (2 spp.), flower, rhizome, and bark, seed, and stem (1 spp). Among the plants, 8 numbers of plants used to treat irregular bleeding, 6 numbers of plants were used to treat heavy bleeding during menstruation, 4 numbers of plants used to get rid of painful menstruation, 5 numbers of plants used to treat menstrual discomfort and 2 numbers of plants used to treat scanty menstruation. People have used ethnobiology knowledge accumulated over generations to help them protect their nutrition and health, as well as manage their environments. It helps to make the connection between traditional knowledge, conservation, and economic development.