Traditional healing practices of Pnar and War communities in West Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, Northeast India

Abstract

Pnar and War are the most predominant and oldest ethnic community in the West Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya; they have faith in the medicinal plants for their primary health care. Information about the ethnomedicinal uses of several plants was collected through interviews of the local respondents following the standard ethnomedicinal methods. Statistical tools, informant consensus factors (F_IC), and fidelity levels (FL) were used to analyze the importance of ethnomedicinal plants. The present investigation revealed 70 plant species belonging to 64 genera under 44 families were being used against different ailments, and were classified into 11 groups. The results of the F_IC value of blood related disease category had the greatest agreement (FIC=1.0), followed by urinogenetal disease (0.90), antidote (0.85), dermatological, fungal and bacterial infections (0.82). The highest FL values were gastrointestinal, parasitic and hepatobiliary (Melastoma malabathricum, 95.83%), followed by external injuries and bleeding (Centella asiatica, 94.11%), oral, dental and otorhinolaryngolgical problems (Curcuma longa, 91.66%).