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Table 2 Ethnomedicinal plant species with their uses and application procedure

From: Floristic composition and utilization of ethnomedicinal plant species in home gardens of the Eastern Himalaya

Botanical name

Plant form

Used for

Parts used

Procedure

Reported cases

Abroma augusta (L.) L. f.

Shrub

Urine problem

New buds, leaf, and root

Juice of fresh leaves along with honey is given orally as expectorant. Juice of leaf is inhaled for bleeding nose (sinusitis). Dried powder of entire plant parts is given for bronchitis and cough.

Night wetting, jaundice, stomach disorder [23], blood dysentery, diarrhea [83], menstrual disorder [100, 101]

Acorus calamus L.

Herb

Fever and stomach disorders

Leaf, root

Juice of root is given orally in stomach disorders, bronchitis, and fever, and its small piece is chewed to clear the throat.

Joint pain, evil spirit [27], for removing animal lice [102]

Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa

Tree

Stomach problem

Fruit

Fruit and seed is used to treat stomach problem.

Stomach disorder, appetizer, dysentery [27, 103]

Ageratum conyzoides (L.) L.

Climber

Wounds

Leaf

Leaf juice is given to cure bleeding from cuts and wounds. Plant paste is applied to cure muddy wounds between toes during rainy season.

Cuts and wounds [27, 103]

Aloe vera (L.) Correa

Herb

Skin problem

Leaves

Leaf pulp is applied on skin burns and other problems.

For burnt skin, stomach disorder, body pain, diabeties, general health issues, cold, and cough [27, 81, 103]

Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br.

Tree

Cure skin problems

Bark

Bark paste is smeared of the infected part of the body.

Cold and cough, against stomach worms, lactation, snake bite, for ulcers, sores, and tumors [26, 27, 90, 103, 104]

Ananas comosus (L) Kurz

Herb

Kill stomach worms

Leaf

Leaf extract is used to kill worms.

For stomach worms, against scurvy [24, 26, 27, 103]

Andrographis paniculata (Brum.f.) Wall. ex Nees

Herb

Liver

Whole plant

Whole plant or leaf juice extract is used to cure liver problems.

Diabetes, liver problem, fever, cough and cold, stomach pain, Malaria [27, 90, 103, 104]

Asparagus racemosus Willd.

Herb

Diabetes and dysentery

Tuber

Fleshy root is dried, and its powder is consumed with water to treat diabetes and dysentery

Cuts and wounds, urine disorder, swelling, diabetes, dysentery, stomach disorders, improving memory [22, 27, 100, 101, 103]

Averrhoa carambola L.

Tree

Jaundice and dysentery

Fruit

Fresh fruit is eaten to treat jaundice, and dry fruit is used to treat dysentery.

Jaundice and liver problem [27, 103]

Azadirachta indica A. Juss

Tree

Fever and skin rashes

Leaf

Leaf sap is used to treat fever and acidity, and leaf is boiled with water and used as a bath water to treat skin rashes.

Allergy, pneumonia, appetite, stomach disorder, skin disorder, intestinal worms, eye problems, malarial fever, blood purification [26, 27, 100, 103, 105]

Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettest

Herb

Indigestion

Whole plant

Boiled tender leaf is used for indigestion.

 

Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken

Herb

Stomach stone

Leaf

Leaves in soaked water are used and drunk raw to treat stomach stone.

Cuts and wounds, for burnt skin, for gall bladder stone, piles, stomach problems [27, 84, 103]

Carica papaya L.

Tree

Jaundice

Fruit

Ripen fruit is consumed to treat against jaundice

Gastroenteritis, appetizer, digestion, cough, dysentery [23, 24, 27, 100, 101, 103]

Centella asiatica (L.) Urb.

Herb

Diarrhea/dysentery

Leaf

Leaf paste juice is taken orally for diarrhea/dysentery.

Jaundice, typhoid, dysentery, pain, constipation, indigestion, dog bite, appetizer [22, 27, 100, 101, 103]

Cinnamomum tamala (Buch.-Ham) T. Nees & Eberm.

Tree

Hypertension and diarrhea

Leaf and bark

Leaf and bark are consumed.

 

Cinnamomum verum J.Presl

Tree

Gastrointestinal problems and diabetes

Bark and leaves

Raw small piece of bark is chewed to treat gastrointestinal problems and diabetes.

 

Clerodendrum infortunatum L.

Herb

Stomach worm

Young buds

Paste of young shoot is taken orally.

 

Cocus nucifera L.

Tree

Stomach problems and weight loss

Fruit water

Water present in coconut fruit is used in curing stomach problem and weight loss.

Weight loss, hair vitalizer, chicken pox scar [27, 76, 103]

Curcuma aeruginosa Roxb.

Herb

Inflammation

Rhizome

Fresh rhizome paste is used against inflammation.

 

Curcuma longa L.

Herb

Antiseptic

Rhizome

Rhizome paste is applied as antiseptic. Rhizome and salt are taken to treat cough and cold.

Cuts and wounds, stomach disorder, lactation of animals, cough and cold, fever, bone fracture, blood purifier, snake bite [22, 27, 100, 103]

Cuscuta europaea L.

Climber

Jaundice or liver problem

Whole plant

Whole plant juice is used to treat jaundice.

Jaundice [27, 103]

Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.

Herb

Cut/wounds

Leaf

Young crush leaf paste is used to apply on cut wounds

Cuts and wounds, bleeding, vomiting, indigestion, piles, asthma [22,23,24, 27, 100, 101, 103]

Datura metel L.

Herb

Pain reliever

Leaf, flower and fruit

Few dried or fresh seeds are taken as pain reliever.

Cuts and wounds, diarrhea, tooth pain, asthmatic, cold and cough, anti-rabies [22, 37, 100, 101, 103]

Equisetum arvense L.

Herb

Bone disease

Whole plant

Paste of leaf and root are applied on fracture directly to reduce bone disease.

 

Euphorbia hirta L.

Herb

Piles

Whole plant

Tender plant parts are crushed and consumed daily with milk to get relief against piles.

 

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.

Shrub

Burning sensation, fatigue, skin diseases, and blood dysentery

Root, flower buds

Root extract is used to treat cough and fever. Flower bud is used to treat blood dysentery. Leaf paste is used to treat burning sensation, fatigue, and skin diseases.

Tonsillitis, dandruff, hair loss, burning sensation, fatigue, fever [25, 27, 103]

Hygrophila schulli (Hamilt.) M.R. & S.M. Almeida

Herb

Anemia

Leaf, tender stem

Leaves and young stems are boiled and taken daily to cure anemia.

 

Jatropha curcas L.

Shrub

Tooth ache

Branch

Young branch is used as tooth brush to reduce pain.

Diarrhea, headache, cuts and wounds, digestion, gum problems [22, 27, 83, 84, 103]

Justicia Adhatoda L.

Herb

Bronchitis, cold, and cough

Leaf

Leaf juice is used to treat chronic bronchitis, cough, and cold.

Cough and cold, paralysis, allergy, cuts and wounds, piles, leprosy and diabetes, chronic bronchitis [25, 27, 86, 103]

Justicia gendarussa Burm.f.

Herb

Headache, cut, and wounds

Leaf

Crushed leaves are placed on cuts with the extract for healing. It is applied on forehead for treating headache.

Cancer, antiseptic, headache, cuts and wounds [27, 103]

Lannea coromandelica (Houtt.) Merr.

Tree

Piles and wounds

Gum

Gum is applied directly on piles and wounds.

 

Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link.

Herb

Stomach disorder, swelling, and stop bleeding

Leaf

Leaf juice is used to cure stomach disorder; hand-crushed leaves are inhaled to cure headache; leaf paste is applied to stop cut bleeding.

Stomach disorder, swelling, headache, body pain, cuts and wounds, tooth pain, bleeding [27, 103]

Mentha arvensis L.

Herb

Flatulence, diarrhea, and nausea

Leaves

Bruised leaves are applied to get relief from headache, and leaf extract juice is administered orally against vomiting, nausea, flatulence, and diarrhea.

 

Mimosa pudica L.

Herb

Orchitis and depurative

Leaf and bark

Decotation of leaf and bark is used to control orchitis and used as depurative.

Eye problem, orchitis and depurative, infertility, tooth ache [22, 27, 83, 103]

Moringa oleifera Lam.

Tree

Blood pressure and gastroenteritis

Leaf and fruits

Tender leaf juice and cooked fruits are taken to balance blood pressure.

Blood pressure, gastroenteritis, cold and cough, body pain, cut and wound, leucoderma, liver disorder, urine problems [27, 100, 101, 104]

Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng.

Shrub

Fever and diarrhea

Leaf, bark, and root

Leaf juice is consumed to control black fever and diarrhea.

Gastroenteristis, black fever and diarrhea, diabetes mellitus [22, 27, 83, 103, 104]

Ocimum gratissimum L.

Herb

Fever, cough and cold, headache, nausea, diarrhea, dysentery, and skin diseases

Leaves, flower

Decoction of plant is given to treat fever, cough, cold, headache, nausea, diarrhea, dysentery, and skin diseases.

 

Ocimum sanctum L.

Herb

Cold and cough

Leaf

Leaves are used to treat cough and cold.

Cough and cold, neck pain, cancer, gastroenteritis, asthma, urinary disorder [22, 25, 27, 103]

Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz

Tree

Stomach pain

Fruits, seed, and bark

Paste of hydrated fruit or seed or bark is applied for stomach pain and chest pain and is used as appetizer and against jaundice.

Jaundice, cuts and wounds, body pain, liver problems, stomach pain, chest pain, appetizer, asthma [22, 25,26,27, 84, 103, 104]

Phyllanthus emblica L.

Tree

Stomach problem/gastritis

Fruit

Dry paste or fruits are used to chew or eat orally for stomach relief.

Hair loss, stomach pain, liver problem [23, 26, 27, 103]

Piper betle L.

Climber

Gastrointestinal problems, cold, and cough

Leaves and root

Fresh leaf is chewed with beetle nut to cure gastrointestinal problems, and dry root is chewed whole day to cure throat-related problems.

 

Piper nigrum L.

Climber

Asthmatic problems, cold, cough and rheumatism

Seed

Seeds are boiled with sugar and salt and consumed three to four times a day to control asthmatic problems, cold, cough, and rheumatism.

Cough and cold, asthma, constipation, indigestion, throat infection

Punica granatum L.

Tree

Increase blood

Fruit

Fresh fruits are eaten to increase blood.

Nose bleeding, diarrhea, fever, indigestion [27, 100, 101, 103, 104]

Rauvolfia serpentine (L.) Benth. ex Kurz.

Herb

Fever

Root

Leaf juice is used as a remedy for the removal of opacities of cornea. Root paste is applied on cuts, wounds, or boils. Root infusion is given orally for intestinal disorders.

Paralysis, diabetes, fever, cuts and wounds, pneumonia, jaundice, stomach worm, dysentery, reliving hypertension and blood pressure, intestinal disorder [22, 25, 27, 84, 103, 104]

Streblus asper Lour.

Tree

Toothache

Bark, latex and root

Tender stem is used as toothbrush to cure toothache.

 

Terminalia arjuna Roxb. ex DC) Wight & Arn.

Tree

Cardiac trouble

Bark

Bark decoction is taken in empty stomach to treat cardiac trouble.

Asthma, heart problem, diabetes, stomach disorder, appetizer, skin disease, leucoderma, indigestion, chest pain, tuberculosis, cardic trouble [22, 25, 27, 86, 103, 104]

Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb.

Tree

Dyspepsia (indigestion)

Fruit

Dried fruit is used to treat dyspepsia and as cooling agent.

Cough and cold, stomach disorder, indigestion, gastroenteritis, skin diseases, leucoderma, cooling agent, [13, 20, 22, 23, 27, 103]

Terminalia chebula Retz.

Tree

Stomach problem

Fruit

Fruit is used against stomach disorder.

Appetizer, cough and cold, gastroenteritis, jaundice, pneumonia, liver problems, indigestion, urinary disorder, tonsillitis, fever [23, 25, 27, 100, 102, 103, 105]

Tinospora sinensis (Lour.) Merr.

Climber

Rheumatism and jaundice

Bark

Bark is soaked overnight in water and is consumed in the morning against rheumatism and jaundice.

Stomach pain, diabetes, rheumatism and jaundice, urination, piles bleeding, appetite, diarrhea [22, 27, 100, 101, 103, 104]

Vitex negundo L.

Shrub

Whitening of hair

Leaf

Leaves prevent whitening of hair.

Fever, gout, diarrhea, cardic disorder, headache, bone fracture, body swelling [22, 27, 83, 90, 103]

Zingiber officinale Roscoe.

Herb

Digestive, stimulant, and cold and cough

Rhizome

Rhizome is used as digestive stimulant.

 

Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.

Tree

Vomiting

Fruits and seed

Fruits and seeds are consumed with salt to control vomiting.

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