An observation on the phytotherapeutic uses of plants by the tribal people of some forest areas in Birbhum and Burdwan districts, West Bengal, India

Abstract

In this study observations have been made on traditional knowledge related with ethnomedicinal uses of plants by the tribal people of different forest areas of Birbhum and Burdwan districts, West Bengal, India. A total of 29 medicinal plants have been recorded from the study areas which are used by the tribal people in formulation of 19 types of herbal preparation for curing 15 types of diseases and ailments. Many of these preparations are new as they have not been recorded earlier in standard literature. The investigated plant taxa have alphabetically been enumerated providing their botanical names along with families, local or tribal names, parts used, name of the diseases, mode of administration, locality of collection, etc. Bioassay of these ethnomedicinal claims has to be carried out for their scientific validation in future. © 2014 Uday Das and Chowdhury Habibur Rahaman.