An ethnomedicinal survey of traditionally used medicinal plants for the treatment of snakebite in Morigaon district of Assam, India

Abstract

In this study we documented the medicinal plants traditionally used for the treatment of snakebite patients in Morigaon district of Assam, North East India. Groups of villagers (both male and female) in the age group of 40-75 years and traditional medical practitioners were interviewed. We identified 19 medicinal plants that are use in treatment of snakebite cases. One each species belonging to families of Amaranthaceae, Apiaceae, Araliaceae, Asparagaceae, Bignoniaceae, Cactaceae, Colchicaceae, Compositae, Euphorbiaceae, Piperaceae, Polygonaceae, Rutaceae, two each belonging to Phyllanthaceae and Leguminosae, and three belonging to Lamiaceae. Most of these plants are grown in wild except a few of them are cultivated either as a source of food or as an ornamental plant. The leaf is the most common part for medicinal use; however, fruits, seeds, roots and tubers are also frequently used for treating the snakebite patients. Some of these plants are also found to be used as medicine for other ailments. The method of preparation of the medicine is aqueous extraction of desired plant parts or preparation of the paste which is then administered orally or applied topically to the bite site. The dose and time of administration of these medicinal plants as antidote for treatment of snakebite depends on the severity and time of accident.