A Study on Ethnobotanically Important Plant Species Used against Various Gastro-Intestinal (GI) Disorders by the Indigenous People of Barpeta District of Assam, North-East India

Plants and plant products have been used in traditional medication system to treat several human diseases since long back. The North-eastern region of India is a part of foot hills of Himalayas and Indo-Burma biodiversity hot spot and it was proved to be a home for a large number of ethnoboanically important plant species by several researchers. The present study was carried out during July, 2018 to June, 2019 for a period of one year at Barpeta district of Assam, North-East India to prepare a database on traditional knowledge of indigenous people regarding the uses of different plants to cure various Gastro-Intestinal (GI) disorders. The district is situated at a global position between 26°45′-26°50 N′ latitude and 90°30′-91°51′0′′E longitude. Extensive field studies were conducted in the study area to obtain firsthand information on uses of ethnobotanically important plants. Sample specimens were collected and preserved during the study period. This report has documented 55 number of plant species belonging to 38 families used by the local people and especially by the traditional drug practitioners of the study area against various GI anomalies. In spite of the availability and accessibility of the modern system of medication, most of the people of the study area still depend on herbal medication system provided by traditional drug practitioners to treat a range of GI anomalies. This documentation will help to harness this traditional knowledge and to preserve this knowledge for the betterment of future mankind.


Introduction
Plants and plant products have been used as medicine to treat several human diseases since long ago. In a country like India, the traditionally used medication system plays an important role in health care of rural people. About 45000 number of plant species were recorded and identified In India and out of which more than 35000 plant species have been claimed to possess medicinal properties [1]. According to World Health Organization, about 80% of the World's population especially the tribal and rural dwelling population depends on herbal medications for their primary health care needs [2].
The North-eastern region of India is a part of foot hills of Himalayas and Indo-Burma biodiversity hot spot and it comprises about 50% of India's total biodiversity [3]. Several researchers have studied about the ethnobotanically important plant species of this region at different times [4][5][6][7]. Assam is one of the evergreen states of North-East India and more than 200 medicinally important plant species were reported from this state [8].
Gastro-intestinal (GI) disorders are those which are associated with the gastro-intestinal tract and its associated glands viz., liver, pancreas etc. Diseases like dysentery, diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, stomach ache, stomach ulcer, worm infestation in children, piles, acidity or gastric trouble, Jaundice etc. are considered as GI disorders. The primary objective of the present study was to prepare a database on indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants used for curing various Gastro-Intestinal ailments of human beings among local people of Barpeta district of Assam, North-East India.

Study Area
The present study was carried out at Barpeta district of Assam, North-East India (Fig.1). The district is situated at a global position between 26°45′-26°50 N′ latitude and 90°30′-91°51′0″E longitude. Barpeta district of Assam is bounded by Nalbari district to the East, Bongaigaon & Chirang district to the West, Baska district to the North and Goalpara & Kamrup district to the South. The district headquarter, Barpeta town is located at a distance of about 105km from the state capital, Guwahati city. The district covers an area of 2645 sq. km with a total population of 1693622 (2011 census) and is having a total of 850 revenue villages [9]. The climatic condition of the area is subtropical with an annual average rainfall of 200-300 cm. This area is very rich in floral bio resources [10].

Conduction of Survey, Sample Collection and Identification
An extensive field study was carried out among the local people of the study area for a period of one year from July, 2018 to June, 2019. Simple random sampling method was adopted to conduct the survey. Basically, local traditional drug practitioners (locally known as Kabiraj or Bez) along with elderly people of age ranges between 40-90 years were interviewed for first-hand information regarding the use of different plants, mode of drug preparation and dosage composition which they use to cure Gastro-Intestinal anomalies. A total of 45 numbers of traditional drug practitioners (Kabiraj or Bez) were interviewed during the survey period.
The sample collection was done at the study sites by following standard protocol for plant collection. For collection of plant samples, study area was visited along with the respective Kabiraj or Bez from whom the information was recorded. Plant samples were collected in the flowering state and were kept in care. Collected plant samples were further processed and preserved following the routine protocol of standard herbarium preparation. Identification of the collected specimens were done with the help of pertinent floras [11][12][13] as well as with the help of taxonomic expert and confirmed with the authentic specimens present at the Botany Department, Gauhati University and Botanical Survey of India, Eastern Circle, Shillong, Meghalaya, India.     Allium sativum L. Indigestion 2 or 3 pieces of bulb are taken orally with a glass of cold water.

Result
Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f Acidity One glass of leaf juice is taken orally once daily for 5-7 days.
Amaranthus spinosus L. Jaundice Diarrhoea Cooked or boiled plants are taken orally.
Averrhoa carambola L. Jaundice Dysentery Cooked fruit is taken orally with boiled rice Azadirachta indica Juss. Worm infestation 1-2 tea-spoon of leaf decoction is taken orally twice a day for a period of 7-10 days. Sometimes, fresh leaf juice is also taken for effective result.

Indigestion Jaundice Dysentery
Boiled or cooked leaves and stems are taken orally.
Calotropis gigantea (L.) R. Br Piles 3-4 leaves are crushed and the juice obtained is taken orally twice daily for one month. Camellia sinensis L.
kuntze Dysentery Leaf decoction is taken orally Centella asiatica L.

Dysentery Diarrhea Bowl trouble
Whole plant is grinded into paste or cooked and taken orally Coriandrum sativum L.
Indigestion A paste is made by grinding the fresh plant and is taken orally with boiled rice.

Costus speciosus (Koen. Ex Retz.) Smith
Diabetes Jaundice Rhizome is grinded into paste and taken orally by diabetic patient.
Rhizome is grinded into paste and 50 ml of juice obtained from that paste is taken and an equal amount of cow milk is added to it. This mixture is taken orally for a period of 7-10 days once daily to get effective result against Jaundice.

Curcuma longa L. Dysentery Abdominal ache
Rhizome is grinded into paste and taken orally with or without honey.

Carica papaya L. Constipation Acidity
Ripe fruit is useful against constipation.
Boiled or cooked fruit is taken orally with boiled rice for almost one month twice daily to get rid of acidity.
Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck Acidity Fruit juice is mixed with water and taken orally
Bowl trouble Seeds are dipped in a glass of cold water and taken orally.
Ipomea mauritiana Jacq. Liver disorder Rhizome is grinded into paste and taken orally for a week twice daily.
Justicia adhatoda L Jaundice Piles 3-4 leaves are crushed and the juice is taken orally twice daily for a period of 10-15 days for Jaundice and a month or 45 days to get cure from piles.

Worm infestation Jaundice
Roots are grinded to paste and taken orally Leaves are crushed and juice is taken orally.

Momordica charantia L.
Diabetes One glass of fruit juice is taken orally twice or thrice a week.

Moringa oleifera Lam. Diabetes
Cooked or fried fruits, flower and leaves are useful against diabetes.

Murraya koenigii L. Sprengel
Constipation Acidity Bowl trouble Fresh leaves are made into paste and taken orally with boiled rice for 5-7 days. Sometimes, fried or cooked leaves are also taken to get rid of the problem.

Musa paradisiaca L. Dysentery Bowl trouble
Ripe fruit is cut into slices and dipped into a glass of cold water and kept overnight and the water is taken orally.
2-3 tea-spoon of the juice from the lower body part of the plant is taken orally for a period of 3-5 days.

Musa sapiantum L. Dysentery
Boiled fruit is taken orally with boiled rice.
Oxalis corniculata L. Bowl trouble Cooked plants are taken orally.
Ocimum sanctum L. Dysentery 7-10 fresh leaves along with equal number of leaves of Punica granatum L. and Psidium guajava L. are crushed together and the juice obtained is taken orally twice or thrice a day until recovery. Paderia scendens (Lour.) Merr.

Dysentery Bowl trouble
Cooked leaves and stems are taken orally with boiled rice.
Piper nigram L. Indigestion Mature fruits are dried and grinded to powder. 1 tea-spoon of this powder with 1 tea-spoon of honey taken orally with a glass of lukewarm water Psidium guajava L. Dysentery 7-10 fresh leaves along with equal number of leaves of Punica granatum L. and Ocimum sanctum L. are crushed together and the juice obtained is taken orally twice or thrice a day until recovery.
Indigestion Acidity Bowl trouble Constipation Stomach ulcer A powder is made from the dried fruits of this plant and mixed with the powder made from dried fruits of Terminalia bellerica and Terminalia chebula. This mixture is locally known as TRIFALA. 1-2 tea-spoon of TRIFALA is taken orally with or without a glass of water. Sometimes, 1 tea-spoon of Curcuma longa powder and 1 tea-spoon of honey are mixed with 1-2 tea-spoon of TRIFALA for effective result against indigestion, acidity and constipation and stomach ulcer. Disorders by the Indigenous People of Barpeta District of Assam, North-East India Worm infestation 3-4 pieces of stems of length 5-6 inch are dipped in a glass of cold water and kept it overnight. 2-3 tea-spoon of that water is given to the child having infection orally twice daily for 7-10 days.
Bark is grinded into paste and 2-3 tea-spoon of the juice obtained from that paste is taken orally once daily to control high blood glucose level.

Terminalia bellerica (Gaertn.) Roxb
Indigestion Acidity Bowl trouble Constipation Stomach ulcer 1-2 tea-spoon of TRIFALA is taken orally with or without a glass of water.
Sometimes, 1 tea-spoon of Curcuma longa powder and 1 tea-spoon of honey are mixed with 1-2 tea-spoon of TRIFALA and taken for a period of 20-30 days once daily for effective result against stomach ulcer.
Indigestion Acidity Bowl trouble Constipation 1-2 tea-spoon of TRIFALA is taken orally with or without a glass of water. Sometimes, 1 tea-spoon of Curcuma longa powder and 1 tea-spoon of honey are mixed with 1-2 tea-spoon of TRIFALA for effective result.

Discussion
The evergreen state of Assam was proved to be a home for a large number of ethnobotanically important plant species by several reports. 107 numbers of plants were recorded by Das et. al. [14] used by the tribal people of Cachar district of Assam against different human ailments. Hazarika et. al. [15] reported a total of 84 plant species belonging to 57 families used in medicinal purposes by the people of Assam and Manipur. A total of 85 plant species belonging to 49 families were recorded by Saikia et. al. [16] which are used by the Assamese people against skin related anomalies.
Several studies regarding the economically important plant species of Barpeta district of Assam were conducted by different researchers. According to a previous report, more than 750 plants species of economic importance have been recorded and identified from this region [10]. 57 plant species belonging to 36 families having medicinal value were identified and described by a study in the Manas National park situated near the study area [17].
The present study has documented the uses of 55 number of locally available plant species of the study area for treatment of various GI anomalies. It has been observed that most of the remedies consisted of single plant part and more than one method of preparation. Some of the remedies consist of different parts of the same plant to treat single or more diseases. However, in some cases, parts of two or even more different plants are used for curing a particular disease. For example, leaves of Ocimum sanctum L., Punica granatum L. and Psidium guajava L. are crushed together to make a paste and the juice obtained from that paste is used against Dysentery. TRIFALA prepared by the combination of fruits of three plants viz., Phyllanthus emblica L., Terminalia bellerica (Gaertn.) Roxb and Terminalia chebula Retz is extensively used against a range of GI anomalies.

Conclusion
The present investigation has explored some of the traditionally used medicinal plants to cure various GI disorders from Barpeta district of Assam, North-East India. But, the efficiency of using these traditional medications cannot be judge properly without proper scientific exploration, although the people of the study area are using these plants effectively from long back. In spite of the availability and accessibility of the modern system of medication, most of the people of the study area still depend on herbal medication system provided by traditional drug practitioners. The need of the hour is to harness this traditional knowledge and to preserve this knowledge for the betterment of future mankind.