Ethno medicinal Uses of Plants By Indigenous Tribal Medicine Practitioners of Sepahijala District of Tripura And Improvement of Tribal Health Status

Rupajit Das

Volume : V, Issue : XI, November - 2015

Ethno medicinal Uses of Plants By Indigenous Tribal Medicine Practitioners of Sepahijala District of Tripura And Improvement of Tribal Health Status

Rupajit Das

Abstract :

 Tripura is one of the seven states in the north eastern part of India with a geographical area of 10,491.69 sq. Km. It is bounded on the north, west , south and south–east by Bangladesh whereas in the east it has a common boundary with Assam and Mizoram. The total population of this state is about 36,71,032 as per 2011 census report and about 11,66,813 persons i.e. 31.78% of the total population of the state belonged to tribal community. The study area is situated in Jampuijala RD Block under Sepahijala district of Tripura State. Total tribal population in the study area is about 75,027 out of 79,564. The health service position in this area has not satisfactory. As a result tradition of ethnomedicine practice has been continued in the study area since ancient time with the help of indigenous tribal practitioners (Kavirajes). The objective of the study is to explore and enumerate the medicinal plants used by indigenous tribal patients and indigenous tribal medicine practitioners (Kavirajes). Kavirajes generally work with different plants, particular parts of plants, plant extracts or use extract in different combination for the treatment of various ailments of tribal people. In spite of its acceptance, the knowledge of kavirajes on ethno medicine are not properly documented and preserved. Data was collected through scheduled questionnaires and personal observations made during the field visit and deals with kaviraj and 100 number of patients . A total of 30 different medicinal plants were recorded along with their vernacular names, parts used and mode of utilization by indigenous tribal practitioners (Kavirajes) and tribal people of that area. In the present survey, it was observed that rural patients are more dependent on traditional ethno medicinal treatment used by indigenous medicine practitioners (Kavirajes). It is also revealed that 43% people of that area are fully depend upon kavirajes and 33% people depend on allopathy and 24% people are dependent on both allopathy and kavirajes. The use of ethno medicinal information has contributed significantly in drug discovery efforts and thus mass screening of plants will provide immense scope in finding new drugs and lead compounds. The present study revealed that tribals are primarily dependent on medicinal plants for the treatment of different diseases at minimum cost and have to improve their health status.