Medicinal plants of Arunachal Pradesh used in Ayurveda preparations

Abstract

Ayurveda is an Indian traditional medicine system practiced since the Vedic period. Plant, animal, and mineral origin crude drugs have been used in various formulations as mentioned in Ayurvedic classics. Since a few decades, crude drugs of plant origin are gaining more importance. Most of the plants collected for formulations are available in surroundings of the village and nearby human dwelling sources and they are limited in forests. Most of the Ayurvedic formulations contain crude drugs of plant origin as major ingredients. As mentioned in the classical literature of Ayurveda, plants are employed in different ways to treat human and animal disorders. This study aims at exploring all crude drugs of plant origin available in the state of Arunachal Pradesh either cultivated or grown wild. Identifying those plant species serves as a tapping resource for utilizing the processed drugs for further industrial /pharmaceutical usage with respect to classical formulations. A comprehensive review of the Ayurvedic literature and the floras of Arunachal Pradesh found that classical formulations are made of 169 plant species belonging to 146 genera and 68 families. The state is rich in biodiversity, with a diverse range of plants utilized for therapeutic reasons; it also plays a vital role in meeting the local people’s pharmaceutical and nutritional needs.