Ethonobotanical Documentation of Medicinal Plant Genetic Resources of West Garo Hills, Meghalaya

Medicinal plants have attracted the attention of scientists both in India and abroad from chemical, pharmacological and clinical points of view. The state of Meghalaya, inhabited by the Garos tribe, has a long tradition of practicing indigenous medicine. The traditional use of medicinal plants for the cure and prevention of diseases, including the promotion of physical and mental well-being of the people, especially the members of the Garo tribes, has a high priority in almost every household. The traditional use of medicinal plants to treat certain health problems has been passed down from generation to generation in every community of Meghalaya. Objectives of the study was to obtain information, documentation and inventory of important medicinal plants. The required primary data were collected in the study areas through field surveys. With the help of selected informants, first-hand surveys of medicinal plants were conducted in their natural habitats during the four seasons of the year. Three blocks around Nokrek Biosphere Reserve dominated by Garo tribe, whose fast disappearing ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants needs urgent documentation, were selected for the study: Rongram, Gambegre and Dalu. In each block, villages were surveyed about the different types of medicinal plants and their uses. All respondents were between 30 and 65 years of age. Data were collected through direct questioning and discussion in the local Garo language. During the interviews, information about ethnomedicinal plants, their local names, and the plant parts used in each disease were recorded. The investigation of this study revealed that the knowledge of medicinal plant treatment needs to be modernised in every aspect to complement and enhance the traditional health care system. It was found that the knowledge of treatment using medicinal plants still exists among the rural population and those who are not so educated. Special attention needs to be paid to this traditional healing system, as many rural people are still very dependent on this traditional health system.