Traditional medicinal plants used by ethnic communities in Senapati and Kangpokpi districts of Manipur, India: a quantitative assessment

Manipur (North-East India), located inside the Indo-Burma biodiversity hot spot, has a rich history of systematic usage of traditional medicinal plants. This study aimed to systematically document and quantify ethno-medicinal information from Senapati and Kangpokpi districts of Manipur State. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among informants belonging to Naga, Kuki and Nepali ethnic groups from the study area and data were analyzed using various ethnobotanical indices. The study identified 85 medicinal plants to treat 59 different diseases/ailments. Digestive disorders (UR = 57) was the most reported ailment category. Among the 128 ethnomedicinal claims recorded, 19 were novel from an Indian perspective, and 4 were novel from a global perspective. Asteraceae (12 species) and Solanaceae (8 species) were the most dominant families. Leaves (PPV% = 48.92%), followed by whole plant (PPV% = 13.67%) and fruits (PPV% = 8.63%) were the most used plant parts. Decoction (32.85%), direct usage (22.63%) and crushed (16.79%) were the most common methods for preparation of medicine. By evaluating the various ethnobotanical indices, the most popular, versatile and ethnomedicinally important plants were Ageratina adenophora, Ricinus communis, Bidens pilosa, Potentilla indica, Psidium guajava, Solanum torvum, Elsholtzia blanda and Artemisia vulgaris. Notable variation in informant consensus emphasized the compartmentalized nature of ethnobotanical knowledge among tribes. Several ethnomedicinal claims lack pharmacological validation, indicating the need for further experimental research.