Alino Sumi
Martin Luther Christian University, India
Title: Traditional wisdom for contemporary health care: Ethnomedicinal plants of Sumi Nagas in Nagaland, Northeast India
Biography
Biography: Alino Sumi
Abstract
Ethomedicine is a study of the traditional medicine practiced by various ethnic groups, and especially by indigenous peoples. It deals with medicines derived from plants and use of different plant parts in the treatment of various diseases and ailments, based on indigenous pharmacopoeia, folklore and herbal charms. An extensive study on Ethnomedicinal plants of Sumi Nagas was conducted in four Sumi villages of Nagaland- Rotomi, Philimi, Khrimtomi and Askhomi. The survey deals with first hand information on medicinal plants used by the Sumi Nagas of Nagaland for catering to various health care regimes such as- rheumatism, bronchitis, hyperdipsia, dyspepsia, leucoderma, leprosy, scrofula, paralysis, etc . Detailed information regarding the medicinal plants, part(s) of the plants used and how they are used etc. were extracted consulting local health practitioners, elders and farmers. During the enumeration, all the plant species were arranged with their local name, distribution, family, medicinal system, part(s) used and the various uses for the treatment of diseases and ailments. Altogether, 50 (fifty) ethnomedicinal uses have been reported. Perhaps, this is the first hand investigation on medicinal plants among Sumi Nagas of Nagaland