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An ethnobotanical study was done in Khamti dominated area of Chongkam and Namsai Circle of Lohit district of
Arunachal Pradesh during 2002-2004. Khamti tribe is rich in plant based traditional knowledge. Of 45 medicinal plants
studied, 5 plants were found to be used in malaria and fever, 4 in bone fractured, 3 in anemia, 2 each in snakebite, cancer,
reproductive health, and rabies, 1 each in tuberculosis, diabetes, and jaundice, and rest for curing different ailments which
are used either singly or in combined form. The science of orthopaedics was found to be well developed and their medicinal
preparation techniques are mostly accompanied by enchanting traditional mantra.
Keywords: Arunachal Pradesh, Ethnomedicine, Folk medicine, Herbal remedies, Khamti tribe, Medicinal plants, Tribals
IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A61P1/04, A61P1/08, A61P1/10, A61P1/16, A61P3/08, A61P5/00, A61P5/50, A61P11/00,
A61P11/06,A61P11/08,A61P11/10, A61P11/12, A61P19/00, A61P29/00, A61P29/02, A61P33/06
Khamti is very rich in plant based medicinal some of the important herbs and shrubs at their backyard
knowledge among the tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. to cure at least common ailments. The present paper
They are concentrated in two circles, Chongkam and attempts to document such valuable age-old medicinal
Namsai that falls under Lohit district of Arunachal knowledge to create awareness among the herbal
Pradesh. Their accumulated wealth of plant based practitioners, products users and scientific community so
medicinal knowledge has mostly passed through Thai that they could initiate some conservation efforts for the
Buddhist literature from one generation to another sustainable use (Table 1). This will also become useful
accompanied by various magico-religious beliefs and for further researcher in the same field through clinical
practices. Based on such age-old tradition, Khamti is and pharmacological level.
considered as one of the most knowledgeable tribe in Methodology
the field of herbal medicines in Arunachal Pradesh1. The ethnobotanical survey was conducted during
There are still little known or lesser-known plants that the year 2002-2004 in Khamti-Singpho dominated
need to work out at taxonomic and pharmacological area of Chongkam & Namsai cirlcles of Lohit distirct
level for database and clinical validity. Though some of Arunachal that come under the Khamti-Singpho-
information of other tribes from ethnobotanical Pankhaw Anchal Reserve Forest10. It is located within
studies conducted in the state by few workers is a geographical tract of 96 13 and 96 50
available, there is hardly any ethnobotanical record on E longitude and 27 49 and 27 53 N latitude11. The
Khamti2-9. Hence, the present work was initiated to Khamti dominated areas of Chongkam and Namsai
explore the hidden treasure of Khamti tribe. circles, mostly flatland and located at an altitude of
The scenario is changing fast as most area is brought 140200 MSL is covered with rich natural
under settled agriculture land. An anthropogenic activity vegetation12. A maximum rainfall of 750 mm -800
such as timber operation and developmental projects and mm was recorded during July-August with a relative
large-scale collection of medicinal plants from the humidity of 80%. Maximum and minimum winter
wildness has resulted into depletion of certain potential temperatures are 10 C and 25 C, respectively while
species having curative properties. Each herbalist rears
the maximum summer temperature touches 35 C.
___________
The vegetation acquires the general characteristics of
*Corresponding author
318 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 5, No. 3, JULY 2006
degree of dependence of local herbal practitioners on the 5 Haridasan K, Sharma Anupam, Bhuyan LR and Bisht NS,
forest resources is partial rather than total. Medicinal Plants Sector in Arunachal Pradesh: An
overview, Indian For, 129 (2003) 37-47.
6 Chauhan AS, Singh KP & Singh DK, A Contribution to the
Acknowledgement Flora of Namdhapa, Arunachal Pradesh, by PK Hajra (BSI
Authors are thankful to the Director GBPIHED, Publications, Calcutta), 1996, 161-163.
Almora, Uttaranchal and UGC New Delhi for 7 Rawat MS & Chaudhury S, Ethnobotany of Arunachal
Pradesh (Nyishi and Apatani Tribes), (Bishen Singh and
financial support. Authors also express thanks to Dr Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun), 1998, 10-14.
HJ Chowdhery, Joint Director BSI, Kolkata, Dr AK 8 Murtem G, Common wild vegetable of Nyishi tribe of
Baishya, Joint Director BSI AFS & Dr K Haridasan, Arunachal Pradesh, Arunachal Forest News, 18 (2000)
the then Systematic Botanist of SFRI Itanagar, for 64-66.
help during plant identification and authentication. 9 Hui Tag & Das AK, Plants used by the Hill Miri tribe of
Arunachal Pradesh in Ethnofisheries, Indian J Traditional
Thanks are also due to the local herbalists for their Knowledge, 4 (2005) 57-64.
valuable help & cooperation during fieldwork. Thanks 10 Kant Pramode, Draft Working Scheme of Khamti-Singpho-
to the Administrative authority of Arunachal pankhaw Anchal Forest Reserve, (Department of
University, Itanagar for infrastructure facilities & Environment & Forest, Government of Arunachal Pradesh
Publication, Itanagar), 1998, 59-64.
guidance. 11 Chowdhury SC, The Working Plans for the Reserve Forest
of Namsai Forest Division, (Department of Environment &
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