Natural Herbs: It's Medicinal Potentiality with

3 Natural Herbs: It's Medicinal Potentiality with Reference to North Eastern Part of India DEEPA NATH1, SANGITA DEY2, ANUPAM DAS TALUKDAR2*, SANJOY SINGH NINGTHOUJAM3, MANABENDRA DUTTA CHOUDHURY2 DILIP KUMAR ROY4, ABHIJIT MITRA2 AND PRAKASH ROY CHOUDHURY2

ABSTRACT

Since age-old to modern time, plants have assisted as sources of food and medicines for human beings. Natural herbs serve as food supplements and contribute indispensable nutrients in annexation to their use as prophylactic and alleviative potentiality for many diseases. In this context, it can be hypothesized that the eccentric food plants that people eat as their normal diet are also medicinal plants and thus can play a role in appeasing hunger, enduring nutrimental necessitates and serving therapeutic intensions. On the way to testing the said hypothesis, surveys were carried out among the people of different part of North east India with contrasting socio economic status along with the traditional healers. Study covered different tribes of Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur and Assam with the objective of obtaining information on natural herbs, which can serve as food complements. More than 100 ethnic and tribal groups reside in north-eastern region of India with their own culture and tradition. The cuisines and traditional healing practices are unique with respect to other part of the world. Number of natural herbs is adopted in their day to day food habit. The present practice surmises with several medicinal plants or plant parts which are used as add on food materials by the tribal people of this region. The highlighted part of this study is that, food plants have the real possibility of multiple ethnomedicinal uses. Over and above, scientific validation can explore the medicinal potentials of those natural herbs. Department of Botany and Biotechnology, Karimganj College, Karimganj, Assam, India Department of Life Science & Bioinformatics, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India 3 Department of Botany, Ghanapriya Women's College, Imphal, Manipur, India 4 Botanical Survey of India, Shillong, Meghalaya, India * Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected] 1 2

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Key words:

Natural Products in Food: Prospects and Applications

Natural herb, North East, Ethnomedicine, Alleviative

INTRODUCTION

Since ancient times, plants and human beings have an inherent relationship and have evolved along the parallel lines of their very existence and dependence on each other for development. Plants apart from their nutritional value also have rituals, magical value and the major contribution is towards the health care system of human beings. The ethno botanical approach has increased immensely in the field of health care development. According to WHO, plants are the key source for the therapeutic drugs and also play a notable role in the survival and existence of the ethnic and tribal communities. Herbal medicines are in the service of improving health qualities of about 70–80 % of the world’s population, especially for those living in rural areas. The medicinal plants are fundamental to easily available remedy used in the health care systems in the rural areas (World health organization, 2001). Pattern of using medicinal plants both different communities can be broadly categorized into herbal therapy and medicinal foods (functional food). Instead of using plant or plant extracts as therapeutic products, traditional communities in various countries are also using plants for providing nutrition as well as for therapeutic benefits. It paved the way for the development of nutraceuticals in the present context (Goldberg, 1994). It is a common perception that the most effective way to protect the body against disease is to provide it with the nutrients for better immunity and healthy digestive system. Now the concept of functional food has been expanded to incorporate nutrients, dietary supplements, herbal products and processed foods such as cereals, soups and beverages. Consumption of nutraceuticals, functional food or simply medicinal foods has crossed the corridors of the traditional people and reached the households of developed countries. Recently emerging discipline of nutrigenomics trying to link the molecules in food with the metabolic pathways, homeostatic control, diet related diseases reflects the importance of food (Muller and Kersten, 2003). Unlike the therapeutic drugs, medicinal foods, inspite of being used for providing dietary and medical benefits, are not regulated by stringent regulations and controls. It is to be noted that traditional people are using these food plants from time immemorial without any reported restrictions and known adverse effects. Medicinal food plants are usually consumed without the restriction of dosage and age-related restrictions. India has a rich tradition of using various flora and fauna for health and therapeutic purposes. Because of its diverse geographical and cultural settings, different regions of India have different traditions of using food as medicine. The present chapter tried to highlight the traditions of food plants in the North East India.

Natural Herbs: It's Medicinal Potentiality....

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ABOUT NORTH EAST INDIA

North eastern part of India located between 87°32´ E to 97°52´ E latitude and 21°34´ N to 29°50´ N latitude is worldwide known for its diversity in genetic resources and also home for two biodiversity hotspots (Mittermeier et al., 2003) i.e., Himalaya and Indo-Burma hotspots. The region is also one of the most threatened areas that need urgent conservation efforts. About 300 species which are consumed as food plants are found in the Eastern Himalayan region alone (Singh and Arora, 1978). North East India consists of eight different states namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. The regions consist of a diverse ecotypes ranging from humid evergreen forests to temperate and alpine vegetation. The ethnic communities of North East India residing here for the past thousands of years have built a worthful knowledge regarding the use of various bioresources of that region. More than 5000 plant species are widely used among the different ethnic communities as herbal remedies for various ailments inhabiting the North East region of the country. The indigenous culture of North East India has a strong heritage of herbal remedies. The traditional healers in the region are known as Bejes, Kabiraj, Boidyo, Bejinis, Maiba, Dhonontori, Nongaidawaikynbat, Bawlpu among various ethnic group (Dutta and Dutta, 2005; Kala, 2005; Sajem and Gosai, 2006.) In their respective communities. However, knowledge of using plants as medicinal foods is not confined to the traditional healers rather spread throughout the households. For instance, preparation of shuktani popular as Bengali culinary for treating various health problem is the house hold tradition in the recent past (Nath and Maiti, 2012; Shigwan Ashwini et al., 2013). Similar tradition has been observed among Manipuri people where different compositions are used for the same therapeutic purposes (Singh and Huidrom, 2013). Methodology Study of plants used as medicinal foods in the North East India has been conducted through extensive literature survey. This particular survey covers only the published works in reputed scientific journals and books. Unpublished M. Phil dissertations and Ph. D. were excluded from the study. Many scientific names of the plants in the referred publications were presented as synonyms or misapplied names. These names are standardized as per Plant List (www.theplantlist.org) and classified according to APG-III. Source for each of the information were incorporated against each plant name. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The survey documented a total of 71 plant species (35 families) which were reportedly used as foods by different communities for the treatment of various ailments represented in Table 1. Natural herbs are well known for their nutritive

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values as well as they are widely used for different medicinal potentialities. The presence of different phytochemical constituents possess various medicinal properties of these plants induces various pharmacological activities on human health (Alinmoladun, 2007). Folk people residing in different parts of North Eastern India uses various parts of plants like leaf of Thunbergia grandiflora and bulbs of Allium sativum as vegetables. One of the most important and widely used plant is Benincasa hispida belonging to Cucurbitaceae family for the treatment of disease like jaundice. Seeds and fruits of the plants are used as supplements to get cure from jaundice and profuse bleeding from the uterus due to miscarriages (Srivastav et al., 2009; Kumar et al., 1987). Aloe vera is yet another important herb which is widely used by the different communities for the treatment of various skin diseases like pimples, achne, scars. Among plants studied, from Fig. 1., we can conclude that plants belonging to Zingiberaceae family containing highest number of plants are used to serve different medicinal properties. This family is known for its medicinal properties, many of its members are biochemically analysed with proven records. Most of the plants belonging to the family Zingiberaceae are rare and few are also endangered. The family Zingiberaceae is well known for its tremendous medicinal values and is useful in producing many products like dyes, aesthetics, perfumes, food and also spices (Jantan et al., 2003). While analysing the consumption pattern, from Table 1 it was observed that there are two types of medicinal plant foods. In first category, some of the plants are used as medicine as well as foods in the normal time. For example, Curcuma longa, Houttunynia cordata etc. Use of such plants might be motivated by the presence of both phytonutrients and bioactive compounds. Plants like Zingiber montanum and Zingiber officinale are widely used for increasing the digestion power. On the other hand, there are some plants which are used only during ailments, but not during normal daily consumption. For instance, Hedychium spicatum, Mussaenda roxburghii, etc. Are used only during ailments indicating their therapeutic properties. Restriction of their use during normal consumption might be an indication that traditional people are not in favour of these plants with regard to their nutritional properties. Preparation and consumption of these plants as food are only variant of herbal preparation and favourable routes of administration. Plants belonging to Lamiaceae family like Clerodendrum infortunatum, Leucas aspera, Ocimum americanum and Rotheca serrata are used for the treatment of fever and cough and the plants are taken on the basis of normal food. One important aspect of use pattern of medicinal food is that efficacies of these recipes are independent of dose, one of the restrictions in other therapeutic recipes.

CONCLUSIONS From the study, two groups of plants can be categorized. Those plants used as food during normal period can be investigated for development of nutraceuticals

Fig. 1: Representation of plants carrying medicinal properties belonging to different families.

Natural Herbs: It's Medicinal Potentiality.... 39

Plant name

Vernacular names

Araceae

Apocynaceae

Apiaceae

Diseases/purposes Dyspepsia, wounds and menorrhagia

Mode of usage Leaf paste and juice

Alocasia Yendem (Me) macrorrhizos (L.) G.Don

Enrichment of blood

Leaves and stems are cooked and eaten

Postnatal complication Bulbs are taken raw or and aphrodisiac cooked Gastric ulcer, Bulbs are eaten hypertension, liver disorder and whooping cough Centella asiatica Bar manimuni (Ah), Liver disorder, Paste of plant parts (L.) Urb. (Mi), (S), (K), (D), spermatorrhoea, wounds, Peruk (Me) dyspepsia, stomach problem, nervous debility Oenanthe javanica Komprek (Me) Rejuvenation of health Whole plant is cooked (Blume) DC. and eaten Plumeria rubra L. Khagi Leihao (Me) Diarrhoea Leaves are eaten during diarrhea Alstonia scholaris Sotiana (D) Asthma, liver and stoLeaves, stem bark (L.) R. Br mach disorder, scabies and latex are taken and spleen enlargement Calotropis Aakon (Ra) Analgesic, antiseptic, Leaves are eaten gigantea (L.) burn, ear and eye Dryand. problem Colocasia esculenta Chighi (G) Cuts and wounds Corm paste is applied (L.) Schott on cut and wound

Thunbergia Phirphiria pat (D) grandiflora (Roxb. ex Rottl.) Roxb. Amaryllidaceae Allium Tilhou Macha (Me) ascalonicum L. Allium sativum L. Nohoru (D)

Acanthaceae

Family

Table 1: Plants used by the communities of Northeast, India Remarks

Normally taken as food Leaves are taken as vegetables Normally leaves are taken as vegetables Leaves are eaten as vegetables

Leaves are taken as vegetables

Generally taken as food Normally taken as vegetables

Normally taken as vegetables

Table 1: (Contd....)

Rao and Jamir, Leaves and 1982 petioles, corm are used as vegetable Yumnam and Leaves and stems Tripathi, 2012 are used as vegetables

Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013

Sanglakpam et al., 2012 Sanglakpam et al., 2012 Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013


Yumnam et al., 2012 Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013


Reference(s)

40 Natural Products in Food: Prospects and Applications

Diplazium esculentum (Retz.) Sw. Begoniaceae Begonia roxburghii A.DC. Bromeliaceae Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. Caryophyllaceae Drymaria cordata (L.) Willd. Ex Schult Compositae Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. Gynura nepalensis DC. Xanthium strumarium L. Convolvulaceae Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. Costaceae Cheilocostus speciosus (J.Koenig) C.D.Specht

Athyriaceae

Cold and cough

Leaf extract mixed with honey Leaves are cooked with fishes and eaten Paste of whole plant

Kumar et al., 1987 Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013 Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013

Normally used as vegetable Only during ailment Normally taken as food Leaves are used as vegetable Stems, leaves and rhizomes are used as vegetables

Normally used as vegetable Normally used as vegetable Normally used as vegetable

Fresh fronds are used as vegetable

Young leaves and inflorescence are used as vegetable Normal use

Remarks


Sharma et al., 2012 Tera Paibi (Me) Pain in Stomach Yumnam and Tripathi, 2012 Agara (B) Malaria, arthritis, Bhuyan and small pox Baishya, 2013 Thamlang-bejak (G) Constipation Boiled leaves are taken Rao and Jamir, 1982; Rao, 1981 Jamlakhuti (A) Burning sensation, Young stem and leaf Warrier et al., constipation, skin mixed with lukewarm 1993 diseases, leprosy, water are applied and anaemia, contraceptive, raw seeds and rhizomes urinary problems, asthma, are chewed hiccough and dog, snake and insect bite

Bhingraj (H)

Anaras (D), (Ra), (Mi) Lai jabori (Mi)

Rao and Jamir, 1982; Rao, 1981 Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013

Reference(s)

Boiled fronds are taken Islam, 1983

Decoction of whole plant parts

Boiled inflorescences are taken

Mode of usage

Decoction of root is taken Jaundice, dyspepsia, Bark and leaves are fever, rheumatism, gout eaten Fungal infection and Leaf juice sinusitis.

Dysentery

Kimchare (G)

Saraak (G)

Amoebic dysentery, melaena, improving memory and hypertension Constipation

Intestine worms

Diseases/purposes

Sarumanimuni (Ah), (Mi)

Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides Lam.

Araliaceae

Vernacular names

Lasia spinosa (L.) Chongy (G) Thwaites

Plant name

Family



Lamiaceae

Clerodendrum infortunatum L. Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link

Mukia maderaspatana (L.) M.Roem. Cycadaceae Cycas pectinata Buch.-Ham. Euphorbiaceae Croton joufra Roxb. Croton caudatus Geiseler Euphorbia hirta L.

Dysentery Postnatal diarrhea Urinary trouble

Lam Thabi (Me) Yendang (Me) Mahudi (Ka) Lotamahudi (Ah)

Pakhang Leiton (Me)Worm infestation in children Dhapattita (B), Fever, cough, stomach (Ra), (S), (K) trouble and skin diseases Dumkolos (G) cough & cold

Jaundice and profuse bleeding from uterus due to miscarriages Jaundice

Benincasa hispida Torbot (Me), (Thunb.) Cogn. Akaru (G)

Karot Akhabi (Me), Diabetes, Purgative, Kolacita (G) piles

Momordica charantia L.

Profuse bleeding from uterus due to miscarriages

Diseases/purposes

Cucurbitaceae Cucurbita maxima Akaru-gitchak (G) Duchesne

Vernacular names Hypoglycemic activity, Irregular period

Plant name

Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken

Dupoor-tenga (A), Samjangi (G)

Crassulaceae

Family

Table 1: (Contd....) Reference(s)

Leaves are cooked and eaten as vegetables

Herb is cooked and eaten Leaf juice

Young leaves are cooked and eaten Leaf juice and paste of stem bark Leaf juice

Decoction of fruits are used

Fruits and seeds are cooked and eaten

Fruits are fried and eaten; juice of fresh leaves

Remarks

Seeds and fruits are eaten as food supplement Only during ailment

Fruits are eaten as food

Seeds are taken as vegetables

Leaves are eaten as vegetables


Yumnam and Leaves are taken Tripathi, 2012 as vegetables Bhuyan and Leaves are taken Baishya, 2013 as vegetables Bhuyan and Leaves are taken Baishya, 2013 as vegetables Srivastav et al., Leaves are taken 2009 as vegetables Bhuyan and Leaves are taken Baishya, 2013 as vegetables Rao and Jamir, Normally used as 1982; Rao, 1981 vegetable

Sanglakpam et al., 2012; Rao and Jamir 1982; Rao, 1981 Srivastav et al., 2009; Kumar et al., 1987 Srivastav et al., 2009

Ogbonnia et al., 2008; Ojewole, 2005; Kumar et al., 1987 Roasted seeds are eaten Rao and Jamir, 1982

Mode of usage Leaf juice are orally taken


Cinnamomum impressinervium Meisn. Cinnamomum tamala (Buch.Ham.) T.Nees & Eberm. Cinnamomum impressinervium Meisn. Cinnamomum tamala (Buch.Ham.) T.Nees & Eberm. Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.

Leguminosae

Lauraceae

Parkia timoriana Yongchak (Me) (DC.) Merr.

Rahar-Mah (A)

Tejpat (Mi)

Tezpat (A)

Tejpat (Mi)

Tezpat (A)

Posotia (Mi)

Lauraceae

Vitex negundo L.

Vernacular names

Plant name

Mentha arvensis L. Nungshi Hidak (Me), (P) Ocimum Mayangton (Me) americanum L. Rotheca serrata Moirang Khanam (L.) Steane&Mabb. (Me), (Ch)

Family

Table 1: (Contd....) Diseases/purposes

Mode of usage Leaf extracts taken with water Leave juice with honey is taken Leaves are cooked and eaten

Leaf decoction are taken orally

Regulation of bowel Pods are cooked and movement, stomach care eaten and hemorrhoids

Hypoglycemic activity

Dried leaf powder are eaten Gonorrhoea, diarrhoea, Leaf decoction spleen enlargement, rheumatism, diabetes

Antidiabetic activity

Leaves and roots are eaten Antidiabetic activity Dried leaf powder are eaten Gonorrhoea, diarrhoea, Leaf decoction spleen enlargement, rheumatism, diabetes

Febrifuge and tonic

Cold and fever

Cough

Renal calculi

Amalraj and Ignacimuthu, 1998 Yumnam and Tripathi, 2012

Namsa et al., 2011 Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013

Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013 Namsa et al., 2011 Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013

Remarks

Normal food

Leaves are used as vegetables

Leaves are used as vegetables Leaves are used as vegetables

Normally used as food Leaves are taken as vegetables Normal food but with care; taboo among some families Leaves are used as vegetables Leaves are used as vegetables Leaves are used as vegetables


Ahmed and Singh, 2011 Sanglakpam et al., 2012 Srivastav et al., 2009

Reference(s)


Melastoma Phutuki (D) malabathricum L. Ficus palmata Heibam (Me) Forssk.

Artocarpus Kathal (Ka), (D), heterophyllus Lam. (Ra), (M) Musa × Laphu (Me) paradisiaca L. Ligustrum Uyanggan (Me) compactum (Wall. ex G.Don) Hook.f. & Thomson ex Brandis Piper diffusum Kharka (G) Blume ex Miq. Piper nigrum L. Jaluk (Ah), (Ra), (Mi)

Melastomataceae Moraceae

Piperaceae

Oleaceae

Musaceae

Diseases/purposes Skin disease, rheumatism, female infertility and fractured bone Hypertension

Indigestion, body ache, post labour ailment

Indigestion

Eye problems, indigestion, boils Regulation of bowel movement Diabetes

Renal calculi

Ulceration in mouth

Sonbarial (Ah), (S), (K), (Ra) Mithamora (S), (K) Demulcent, diuretic and antioxidants Sougree (Me) Digestive, vomiting

Sida rhombifolia L. Corchorus olitorius L. Hibiscus cannabinus L.

Vernacular names

Malvaceae

Plant name

Lygodium Kapoudhekia flexuosum (L.) Sw. (Ah), (D), (Mi)

Lygodiaceae

Family

Table 1: (Contd....) Mode of usage Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013

Reference(s)

Seeds are eaten

Juice of root is taken

Leaf juice and paste of seeds and stem bark Pseudostems are cooked and eaten Leaves are cooked and eaten as vegetables

Remarks

Leaves are eaten as vegetables Leaves are normal food; fig juice only during ailment Normal use

Leaves are used as vegetables Leaves are used as vegetables Normal food

Rhizomes are eaten as vegetables

Borthakur, 1981 Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013


Young shoots are used as vegetable only during ailment

Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013 Yumnam and Normal food Tripathi, 2012 Srivastav et al., During ailment 2009

Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013 Leaf decoction Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013 Soups are prepared Srivastav from leaves and taken; et al., 2009 leaf extracts are taken Leaves are taken Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013 Juice of the fig is taken Sanglakpam et al., 2012

Leaf decoction

Decoction and paste of rhizome and leaves


Plant name

Vernacular names

Oldenlandia lactea Banjaluk (Mi) (Willd.) DC.

Houttuynia cordata Thunb.

Solanum anguivi Lam.

Saururaceae

Solanaceae

Rubiaceae

Khumka (G)

Toningkok (Me), Makchadore (G)

Oinam (Me), (Ch), pashum (G)

Hukloti (D)

Yelang (Me)

Sambodom- bong (G)

Fagopyrum acutatum (Lehm.) Mansf. ex K.Hammer Persicaria barbata (L.) H.Hara Mussaenda roxburghii Hook.f. Paederia foetida L.

Polygonaceae

Kuhiyar (D), (Ra), (Mi) Dhan (B), (Ka), (Ah), (D), (Ra), (Mi)

Saccharum officinarum L. Oryza sativa L.

Poaceae

Plantaginaceae Scoparia dulcis L. Senikuthi (B), (D), (Ra)

Family


Toothache

Stomach pain, carminative, hepatoprotective Muscular pain, blood purification, cholera, dysentery

Bowel movement and constipation Post natal care and jaundice Hemorrhoids

Indigestion

Stomach problems, menstrual problems, respiratory troubles, jaundice, skin diseases, piles Dysuria, hematuria and jaundice diarrhoea and dysentery

Diseases/purposes

Poultice of fruits is applied

Juice of the leaves are taken

Whole plant parts are eaten

Leaves are cooked and taken

Juice of whole plant is taken Whole plants are cooked and eaten Leaf decoction

Rice-wash water

Fresh stem juice

Leaf juice and roots are eaten

Mode of usage

Twigs are normally used as vegetable Normal food

Only during ailment Normal use

Taken as food

Remarks

Whole plants are used as vegetable and also in chutney Fruits are used as vegetable Table 1: (Contd....)

Srivastav et al., 2009; Rao and Jamir, 1982; Rao, 1981 Rao and Neogi, 1980

Sanglakpam et al., 2012 Bhuyan and Only during Baishya, 2013 ailment Sanglakpam Normally used as et al., 2012; food Rao and Jamir, 1982; Rao, 1981 Bhuyan and Different parts are Baishya, 2013 eaten as food

Islam, 1983

Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013 Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013


Reference(s)


Diseases/purposes

Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton

Eye inflammation, urinary disorder, toothache, asthma,

Dyspepsia, vasodilator

Curcuma longa L. Haladhi (A)

Skin disease

Antidote to scorpion and snake bite Carminative, bronchiolytic and vulnerary

Elassi (A)

Mode of usage

Remarks

Only during ailment

Normal food

Eaten as a food ingredient Only during ailment

Twigs are normally used as vegetable Normal use

Normal use

Fruits are used as vegetable


Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013 Rao and Jamir, 1982; Rao, 1981 Sharma et al., 2012


Reference(s)

Phongpaichit et al., 2006 Rhizome exatract and Mujumdar paste et al., 2000; Srinivasan et al., 2008; Policegoudra et al., 2007 Rhizomes are chewed Ammon and Wahl, 1991; Araújo and Leon, 2001 Seeds and pods powder, Islam et al., infusion and milk 1990; decoction Al-Zuhair

Leaf paste of Aleo vera and Leuca splukenetii are applied Seed paste

Puerperal diseases, Leaf juice, paste of bronchial asthma, roots and fruits intestinal colic, toothache Asthma, stomach pain Roots and fruits are eaten Gastritis Juice of fresh twig is taken

Zingiberaceae Amomum Bodaelachi (A) aromaticum Roxb. Curcuma Amada (A) amada Roxb.

Ghritakumari (H)

Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f.

Xanthorrhoeaceae

Capsicum Jolokia (Ra), (D) annuum L Physalis Chichithopa (G) divaricata D. Don

Vernacular names

Plant name

Solanum torvum Bhekuritita Sw. (Ka), (D)

Family



Zingiber montanum (J.Koenig) Link ex A.Dietr. Zingiber officinale Roscoe

Ada (A), (D)

Bura-ud (A), Banada (Ba)

Kapur kachari (Ba)

Vernacular names

Mode of usage

Digestive power, cardiac disorders, vomiting, ascites, cough, dyspnoea, anorexia, fever, anaemia, flatulence, colic, constipation, swelling, elephantiasis, dysuria and antidiarrheal

Rhizome juice along with the rhizomes of Z. montanum and Kaempferia galanga.

digestive disorder, lung and pulmonary tuberculosis Nausea, heart troubles, Root powder and liver complaint, fever, decoction stomach problems, heating potency to female, expectorant, tonic Indigestion/gas Rhizome paste with salt formation

Diseases/purposes

Normal use

Only during ailment

Remarks

Aiyer and Rhizome is taken Kolammal,1966; as normal food Kurup et al., 1979; Sivarajan and Balachandran, 1994; Bhuyan and Baishya, 2013

Jeenapongsa et al., 2003

Bisht et al., 2006

et al., 1996

Reference(s)

Abbreviation used: Ahom(Ah), Assamese(A), Bengali(Ba), Bodo(B), Chothe(Ch), Deori(D), Garo(G), Hajong(H), Kachari(K), Karbi(Ka), Metei(Me), Missing(Mi), Pangal(P), Rabha(Ra), Sonowal(S)

Hedychium spicatum Sm.

Plant name

Family



48


or functional foods. Other category of medicinal plant used during only ailments, can be targeted for drug discovery programmes with the knowledge of their cooking as the clue for extraction. Bioactive compounds isolated from such plants can be applied through oral administration as shown by their traditional consumption records. The highlighted part of this study is that, food plants in the region have high potentials indicated by multiple ethnomedicinal uses. Over and above, scientific validation can explore the medicinal potentials of those natural herbs in different contexts. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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