Abstract

This article seeks to examine and ascertain the ethnomedicinal plants utilised by the Poumai Nagas, an indigenous people residing in the North East region of India. This study also sheds light on the traditional medicinal practices employed by the Poumai Naga population, specifically focusing on the utilization of plant based remedies for the treatment of human ailments, as documented by tribal and rural individuals. Nevertheless, this aspect has yet to be thoroughly investigated and the lack of understanding of its conventional principles is contributing to its decline. Consequently, scientific inquiry was conducted with the expectation that this investigation will contribute to the understanding, documentation and conservation of the indigenous knowledge held by the Poumais’ on the therapeutic application of ethnomedicinal plants and animals for diverse medical conditions. The primary data was obtained through unstructured interviews and observation approaches from traditional herbalists and a diverse group of older individuals. A variety of plants have been found that serve as common dietary staples, while others are employed for their specialized therapeutic properties in the treatment of various maladies and disorders. Furthermore, a considerable number of these plants has religious importance. In the therapeutic intervention, a combination of individual plant species and botanical mixtures are employed. Further testing is required for the folk herbal mixtures. Additionally, various insect and animal body parts were also utilized for treatment purposes. The majority of Poumai Nagas continue to rely on traditional remedies instead of pharmacological interventions, as evidenced by findings of this research.

Keywords: Diseases; Treatment; Poumai; Traditional; Knowledge