Title:Ethno-Medicinal Uses of Dongoria Kandha of Niyamgiri Hill, Odisha,
India
Volume: 10
Issue: 7
Author(s): Sangeeta Das, Swarnalata Patnaik and A. Leela Veni*
Affiliation:
- Biochemistry Laboratory, P.G. Department of Botany, Berhampur University, Bhanja Bihar, Berhampur-760007, India
Keywords:
Medicinal plants, traditional healer, use value, kalahandi, orissa, disease.
Abstract:
Background: In the current study, the Ethnomedicinal data have been collected from
tribal people of the Niyamgiri hill region of the Kalahandi district, in Odisha, India. The tribes of
this region have been using medicinal plants to treat various diseases since time immemorial.
Objective: The main objective is to find out the most used plant parts and their Ethnomedicinal values
used to cure different diseases by tribal people of Niyamgiri hill region of Kalahandi district,
Odisha, India.
Methods: It includes recording the information on medicinal uses of plants by leading healers by
taking interviews and recording the comprehensive knowledge about the medicinal properties of different
plants with the snowball technique and sampling method. Plants are recognized by the local
practitioner, also known as Kabiraja or Vaidya on the forest floor and were classified botanically.
Results: The present study records the use of different parts of 50 plant species that belong to 47
genera of 35 families, against 48 human diseases, with special reference to diarrhea, dysentery, cold,
cough, piles and fever. The practitioners use these plants to treat ailments like asthma, skin diseases,
constipation, diabetes, toothache, wound healing, headache, infertility in women, mouth ulcer, insect
bites, ringworms, thirst and eczema. All these medicinal plants are used as healing sources as
no modern medical facilities are available nearby. The collected data are analysed through use value
(UV). Bacopa monnieri (UV of 1.50), Bryonia laciniosa (UV of 1.33), Andrographis paniculata
(UV of 1.0), Bryophyllum pinnatum (UV of 0.83), and Celastrus paniculalus (UV of 0.83) are the
most frequently and popularly used medicinal plant species in the study area.
Conclusion: 50 plant species were collected from the Niyamgiri hill region. It is found that still a
large number of tribal people use their traditional knowledge and culture and have adopted herbal
therapy for most diseases because of the strong belief of the local practitioners.
