Ethnomedicinal and indigenous healing practices of the Tripuri people of Northeast India.

BACKGROUND

The Tripuri people possess a rich cultural heritage, a deep-rooted tradition, and extensive knowledge of medicinal plants. However, their medicinal knowledge remains poorly documented. Therefore, this study aims to comprehensively report their ethnomedicinal knowledge with the following objectives: (1) exploring the relationship between socio-demographics and familiarity with traditional medicinal plants using statistical analysis, (2) creating a comprehensive record of the medicinal properties and applications of plants used by the Tripuri people, (3) identifying key indicator species utilized in the fringe villages of three contiguous reserve forests using multivariate statistical analysis, (4) examining the diversity and application methods of medicinal plants in contiguous reserve forests, and (5) consensus among informants regarding the use of medicinal plants for the management of diseases prevalent in the study area.

METHODS

From 2024 to 2025, 200 respondents (n = 200), comprising traditional healers, farmers, traders, housewives, and employees aged 30-99, were interviewed via snowball sampling. Data collection involved observation, a semi-structured questionnaire, and individual interviews, followed by statistical analysis. Multivariate analysis identified key indicator species used by Tripuri people, and the information consensus factor (ICF) was also evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 105 plant species belonging to 53 families were documented, with leaves being the most commonly used plant part. Poultice and infusion were the primary application methods. Moreover, a comparison with previous works on novel reports, commonalities, and their cultural interpretations revealed the highest Jaccard index (JI) value of 10.65 from Barpeta District in Assam. In contrast, the lowest JI value of 1.15 was recorded from the Gingee Hills in Tamil Nadu. Additionally, most indicator species were found in the fringe villages of the Deo Reserve Forest (DRF). Notably, the ICF of 1 was recorded for disease categories related to pregnancy and childbirth, while other categories showed ICF values ranging from 0.97 to 0.98.

CONCLUSION

The present study reflects their extensive knowledge of medicinal plants, cultural beliefs, and their deep connection with nature. Traditional healers play a crucial role in conserving these medicinal plants. However, young people are gradually shifting away from traditional medical practices.