HT Correspondent
DIMAPUR, May 20: A Nagaland University study has documented the rich yet rapidly declining ethno-medicinal knowledge of Sonowal Kachari tribe of Assam, highlighting its potential to transform affordable healthcare and future drug discovery.
Focusing on 39 medicinal plant species and their applications, the study systematically recorded traditional herbal practices that have long been passed down orally within the Sonowal Kachari tribe.
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By engaging 180 elderly knowledge holders, the research captures a detailed and quantitative understanding of plant-based treatments used to manage a range of ailments.
One of the key findings of the study is the continued relevance of herbal medicine as a low-cost, accessible healthcare solution, particularly in rural and resource-constrained settings. The research also reveals a dual reliance among the community on both traditional remedies and allopathic medicine, pointing to opportunities for integrative healthcare models that combine the strengths of both systems.
The study highlights that many of the documented plant-based remedies are already used to treat common conditions such as fever, respiratory ailments, kidney stones, and skin disorders, indicating strong therapeutic relevance for primary healthcare systems. This reinforces the potential for developing validated, plant-derived formulations that can complement modern medicine, particularly in underserved regions where access to affordable treatment remains a challenge.
The findings were published in Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal that publishes research bridging traditional Ayurvedic knowledge with modern biomedical science.
The paper was co-authored by Dr Pramod Chandra Dihingia, Wungsim Zimik and Prabhakar Sharma from Nagaland University and Deepika Borah from the Indian Council of Medical Research, Assam.
Elaborating on the key findings, Dihingia said, “This study underscores the urgent need to conserve both indigenous knowledge and medicinal plant biodiversity.”
He said with younger generations increasingly shifting away from traditional practices, the research warns of a potential loss of valuable ethnobotanical knowledge.
To address this, the team proposes a conservation framework that supports knowledge preservation while promoting sustainable use of plant resources, Dihingia added.
