Indigenous Medicinal Plants Used by the Maring Tribe of Manipur, Northeast India

Abstract

The paper is an attempt to survey and understand the various ethnobotanical plants used by the Maring tribe of Manipur as medicines in the treatment of various ailments and diseases. The reason being no study have ever been made in this area on them. In the present study more than 39 indigenous medicinal plants are used by the Maring in the treatment of about 34 ailments and diseases. They uses both single plant and compound plants in the treatment. Besides, they used certain insects, animal’s part, thunderbolt stone and even magical charms in certain cases in healing and curing certain ailments. The significant of the study is that certain plants are believed to have multi-chemical properties in healing and curing as it differs from other neighbouring communities. Common diseases are like diarrhoea, malaria, piles, fever, snake bite, tiger bite, and mumps. Leaves and fruits are most widely used. Some of them still depends on such indigenous medicine rather than pharmaceutical medicines.