Ethnobotany and Folk Medicines Used by the Local Healers of Bhadrak, Odisha, India

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to present a database of indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants used to cure diseases among the local traditional people of Bhadrak district of Odisha, which could provide novel remedies for diseases. The study highlights the use of local flora (wild and cultivated plant species); explore; identify; ethnobotany and conservation of Bhadrak district. It also pays heed to the proper utilization of flora as a way of highlighting its ethnopharmacological importance. A field survey was conducted to collect the information about floral diversity in and around the study site. Data on the use of plants were collected with a semi-structured questionnaire and from the peer reviewed literatures. A total of 85 plant species belongs to 46 different families were identified and documented along with their botanical name. Among them Cucurbitaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Solanaceae, Amaranthaceae, Fabaceae and Rutaceae were found to be dominated families. It is concluded that many people in the studied area still depend on medicinal plants for their treatment of different diseases like urinary tract infections, gastrointestinal tract infections, piles, tumors, asthma, diabetes, etc. This study needs to harness this traditional knowledge and preserve for the betterment of future mankind.