Exploration of Medicinal Plants in North District of Tripura

Abstract

Aim: To explore and document the prominent medicinal plants of North District of Tripura through medico-ethnobotanical survey (MEBS) tours. Materials and methods: Ethno-medico-botanical survey team collected plant specimens, digitally photographed and enlisted characters, and allotted a field number for each specimen in the field with global positioning system (GPS) reading. Collected plant specimens were pressed, processed, poisoned, rearranged, mounted, identified, documented, accessioned, and incorporated in the herbarium and followed by enlisting of medicinal plants mentioned in Ayurveda. Result and discussion: A total of 223 plant specimens of 178 genera of 73 families have been collected and digitally photographed from the forests of North district, Tripura and enlisted 98 medicinal plants mentioned in Ayurveda of listed and presented in the tabular form. The district populace consists of Tribes and non-tribes and follows traditional practices and traditional medicines prepared from plants available in their surrounding and from nearby forest. Summary and conclusion: The thickest and green forest in North District of Tripura is with rich biodiversity of medicinal plants mentioned in Ayurveda and herbal medicinal plants. As this area is rich in medicinal plants mentioned in Ayurveda can be used for the establishment of herbal pharmaceutical industry. It may play a very important role in job creation and social upliftment and also in the management of good health of tribes and non-tribes of Tripura and other states of India.

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“…is a shrub type of plant species belonging to the Urticaceae family. This plant has medicinal value and is found in the Dharamanagar and Kanchanapura sub-division forests of North District, Tripura 35 .…”

“…is a tree species of the Urticaceae family. It is found in Tripura and has medicinal uses by the tribal communities of the state 35 .…”

“…Boehmeria macrophylla is a shrub plant species of the Urticaceae family with medicinal value found in the Dharamanagar and Kanchanapura sub division forests of North District, Tripura 35 . Urtica parviflora is a species which is commonly known as drona among the populations of Tripura.…”