Research Article | Published: 30 December 2024

Documentation of ethno-medicinal properties of 100 medicinal plants from West Bengal, India

Sreya Dutta, Shuvadip Sarkar, Anupam Kumar Mangal, Simmi Mall, Shyam Baboo Prasad, Jyoti Dahiya, Salik Abdullah, Shiddamallayya N., Nartunai G., Srikanth N. and Babu G.

Journal of Non-Timber Forest Products | Volume: 31 | Issue: 4 | Page No. 300-314 | 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps2000-2024-63INDZ | Cite this article

Abstract

A comprehensive scientific survey was conducted between 1970 and 2000 by the Survey of Medicinal Plant Unit, CARI, Kolkata, to document traditional knowledge of ethnomedicinal plants used by indigenous communities and traditional healers across various districts of West Bengal. The study includes taxonomic information, vernacular /Ayurvedic/names, plant parts used, and medicinal applications for each species. Standard plant collection and herbarium protocols were followed, with each specimen identified using relevant literature and labelled with a collection number and unique barcode ID. A total of 100 plant species belonging to 77 genera and 35 families were recorded, with Apocynaceae being the most represented family (18%). Herbs constituted the dominant growth form (34%), and leaves were the most commonly used plant part (38%). The highest number of species (14) were used in the treatment of hemorrhoids/piles and rheumatism. The findings highlight the significant reliance of indigenous communities on plant resources for primary healthcare. This traditional knowledge not only holds cultural importance but also provides a valuable foundation for future research aimed at discovering novel phytochemicals and developing new drugs for various ailments.

Keywords

Ethno-medicine, Indigenous people, Traditional knowledge, West Bengal

Access Options

250/-

Buy Full Access in HTML Format

Instant access to the full article.

Get access to the full version of this article. Buy Full Access in HTML Format

References

1. Anonymous, 1962. The Wealth of India: A Dictionary of Indian Raw Materials and Industrial Products. Raw materials.L-M., 6, 483.pp. CSIR, New Delhi.

Google Scholar

2. Anonymous, 1976. The Wealth of India. Raw Materials. Vol. 10, (Reprinted) 1982, 109-110.CSIR, New Delhi

Google Scholar

3. Bennet, S.S.R., 1979. Flora of Howrah District. International Book Distributors.

Google Scholar

4. Chaudhury, S., Singh H. and Rahaman C.H., 2018.Ethnomedicinal uses of plants by the Lodhas tribal group of West Bengal, India. Journal Traditional and Folk Practices, 6(1), pp.67-97.  https://doi.org/10.25173/jtfp.106

Google Scholar

5. Chopra, R.N., Nayar, S.L. and Chopra, I.C., 1980. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. CSIR, New Delhi.

6. Datta, P.C. and Majumdar, N.C., 1961. Flora of Hoogly district-I.Common flowering angiosperms.Bulletin of the Botanical Society of Bengal. Calcutta, 15, pp.49-58.

Google Scholar

7. Datta, T., Patra, A.K. and Ghosh Dastidar, S., 2014. Medicinal plants used by tribal population of Coochbehar district, West Bengal, India-an ethnobotanical survey. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 4(supplement 1), S478-S482.  https://doi.org/10.12980/APJTB.4.2014C1122

Google Scholar

8. Dey, A. and De, J.N., 2012. Ethnobotanical survey of Purulia district, West Bengal, India for medicinal plants used against gastrointestinal disorders. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 143(1), pp.68-80.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2012.05.064

Google Scholar

9. Dey, A.N., Datta, S. and Sharma, B., 2015. Documentation of ethno-medicinal practices: A case study on tribal forest fringe dwellers of Terai West Bengal in India. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 7(2), pp.822-827.  https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v7i2.689

Google Scholar

10. Dutta, A.K., 1977. Flora of Burdwan district, West Bengal: Fasc I. Enumeration of species, Dicotyledons, Polypetalae. Burdwan, West Bengal.

11. Faizi, S. and Nair, P.K., 2016. Adivasis: The World’s Largest Population of Indigenous People.  Development, 59(3-4), pp.350-353.  https://doi.org/10.1057/s41301-017-0115-8

Google Scholar

12. Farnsworth, N.R., Akerele, O., Bingel, A.S., Soejarto D.D. and Guo Z., 1985. Medicinal plants in therapy.  Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 63(6), pp.965–981

Google Scholar

13. Guha, B.P., 1971. Grasses and sedges of Birbhum district. Bulletin of the Botanical Society of Bengal. Calcutta 25(1–2), pp.5-18.

14. Guha Bakshi, D.N., 1984. Flora of Murshidabad district, West Bengal, India. Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur.

Google Scholar

15. Jain, S.K. and Rao, R.R., 1977. A Handbook of Field and Herbarium Method. Today and Tomorrow's Printers and Publishers. New Delhi. 157 p.

Google Scholar

16. Mahato, G, Hansda, B and Banerjee, N. , 2019. Ethnobotanicals used for the treatment of skin diseases with special emphasis on carbuncle disease from Purulia district of West Bengal in India. Pharmacognosy Journal, 11(4), pp.745-753.  https://doi.org/10.5530/pj.2019.11.118

Google Scholar

17. Mandal, A., Saha, P., Begum,A., Saha, A., Chakraborty, B., Dutta, S. & Roy, K.K., 2020a. Ethnomedicinal plants used by the ethnic people living in fringe villages of Rasikbil of Cooch Behar district, West Bengal, India. Indian journal of Science and Technology, 13(16), pp.1676-1685.  https://doi.org/10.17485/IJST/v13i16.380

Google Scholar

18. Mandal, A., Adhikary, T., Chakraborty, D.,Roy, P., Saha, J., Barman,A. and Saha, P., 2020b.  Ethnomedicinal uses of plants by Santal tribe of Alipurduar district, West Bengal, India. Indian journal of Science and Technology, 13(20), pp.2021-2029.  https://doi.org/10.17485/IJST/v13i20.565

Google Scholar

19. Modak, B.K., Gorai, P., Dhan, R., Mukherjee, A and Dey, A., 2015. Tradition in treating taboo: folkloric medicinal wisdom of the aboriginals of Purulia district, West Bengal, India against sexual gynaecological and related disorders. Journal of Ethnopharmacology,169, pp.370–386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.04.020

Google Scholar

20. Mukherjee, A., 1984. The Flowering plants of Darjeeling. Atma Ram & Sons. New Delhi.

21. Pei, S.J., 1995. Ethnobotany and sustainable uses of plant resource in the HKH mountain region. Planning workshop on ethnobotany and its application to conservation and community development, in the Hindukush Himalayan (HKH) region. Nepal,. pp. 75–80. 

Google Scholar

22. Prain, D., 1903. Bengal Plants, Vols. 1–2. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.    

23. Raj, A.J., Biswakarma, S., Pala, N.A., Shukla, G., Kumar, V.M., Chakravarty, S. and Bussmann, R.W., 2018. Indigenous uses of ethnomedicinal plants among forest-dependent communities of Northern Bengal, India.  Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 14(1), 8.  https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-018-0208-9

Google Scholar

24. Ranjan, V. and Kumar, A., 2015. Floristic diversity in Gorumara National Park, West Bengal. Journal of Non-Timber Forest Products, 22(2), pp.97-102.  https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps2000-2015-RS58A7

Google Scholar

25. Sanyal, M.N., 1994. Flora of Bankura district, West Bengal. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun.

26. Tiwari, D.N., 1999. Medicinal plants for health care. Yojana, 44(6), pp.8-17.

Google Scholar

27. Uniyal, S.K., Singh, K.N., Jamwal, P. and Lal, B., 2006. Traditional use of medicinal plants among the tribal communities of Chhota Bhangal, Western Himalaya. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2, 14.  https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-2-14

Google Scholar

28. WHO, 2003. Diet, nutrition and prevention of chronic diseases. In Report of the Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation. Geneva, World Health Organisation (WHO).

Google Scholar

About this article

How to cite

Dutta, S., Sarkar, S., Mangal, A.K., Mall, S., Prasad, S.B., Dahiya, J., Abdullah, S., N., S., G., N., N., S. and G., B., 2024. Documentation of ethno-medicinal properties of 100 medicinal plants from West Bengal, India. Journal of Non-Timber Forest Products, 31(4), pp.300-314. https://doi.org/10.54207/bsmps2000-2024-63INDZ

Publication History

Manuscript Received on 02 December 2024

Manuscript Revised on 20 December 2024

Manuscript Accepted on 27 December 2024

Manuscript Published on 30 December 2024

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: