Chapter 21 - Effects of wild medicinal edible plant to prevent COVID-19: a survey by neutrosophic statistics in tribal people of Kokrajhar, Assam, India

Abstract

The research for treatments and vaccines for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is still going on. Desperation in the community, particularly among middle- and low-income groups who have been hit hard by the economic effects of forced lockdowns, has sparked a surge in interest in alternative medical plant-based therapies. This article attempts to provide evidence summaries examining the potential of complementary therapies in COVID-19 management by studying the findings of some wild medicinal edible plants that have been reported to have antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities. We examine and compare the current growth pattern of COVID-19 between tribal and non-tribal people in different regions of Kokrajhar, Assam, India, where during the COVID-19 pandemic tribes have increased their use of wild medicinal edible herbs, and the recovery rate of COVID-19 is high in comparison to non-tribal people of the same area to describe the current state of wild medicinal edible plant use and provide critical recommendations to the relevant authorities. In addition, this study presents a multi-criteria decision-making procedure based on the neutrosophic VIKOR method to survey the region where most wild medicinal edible plants are used and found. Also, with the help of the neutrosophic VIKOR method, we can identify the regions where most people of the Kokrajhar district are affected and recovered.