Paper short abstract:

This ethnobotanical work undertaken since 2008 in different seasons in tribal dominated forested areas of Ayodhya hills in Purulia district of West Bengal State (India) documents ethnomedicinal uses of as many as 75 species of 51 angiospermic families against 56 human and four veterinary diseases.

Paper long abstract:

The present ethnobotanical work undertaken since 2008 in different seasons in tribal dominated forested areas of Ayodhya hills in Purulia district of West Bengal, documents ethnomedicinal uses of as many as 75 species of 51 angiospermic families against 56 human and four veterinary diseases. The information thus recorded during field surveys is totally based on primary sources, i.e. the knowledgeable informants and medicine men belonging to such tribes as Santhal, Munda, Bhumij, Paharia and Birhore. The scientific, family and local names of the concerned plants along with their parts used, diseases cured, mode of administration/applications, name of the tribe(s) from whom documented etc. have been inventoried. Analysis of crude drugs used in medicine preparation reveals use of 31 species of roots, 21species of stem, 29 species of leaves, four species of flowers, 11 species of fruits and 15 species of seeds. Besides these, adventitious roots of one species, whole plants of two species, rhizome of three species are also used. Furthermore, latex and gum obtained from eight species, also find medicinal use. Documentation of all these ethnomedicinal information is emphasized to be followed up by pharmacological screening and therapeutic proving for novel drug development.