Medicinal plants used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery: A review of indigenous knowledge from Northeast India

Diarrhoea and dysentery remain major health concerns in rural and tribal regions of Northeast India. This review documents 102 medicinal plant species traditionally used by the Adi, Nyishi, Khasi, Jaintia, Galo, Poumai, and Mao tribes for managing these ailments. The species belong to 45 families, with Asteraceae, Rutaceae, Lamiaceae, Moraceae, and Apiaceae being the most dominant. Leaves were the most frequently utilized plant part, followed by fruits, roots, bark, and rhizomes. Common modes of preparation included decoctions, raw consumption, pastes, and infusions. Several plants Psidium guajava, Centella asiatica, Houttuynia cordata, Zingiber officinale, Aegle marmelos, and Rhus semialata were repeatedly cited across multiple tribes, reflecting cultural consensus and therapeutic reliability. The findings underscore the critical role of ethnomedicine in primary healthcare while emphasizing the urgent need for scientific validation, sustainable utilization, and preservation of indigenous knowledge.