Antimalarial plants of northeast India: An overview

The need for an alternative drug for malaria initiated intensive efforts for developing new antimalarials from indigenous plants. The information from different tribal communities of northeast India along with research papers, including books, journals and documents of different universities and ins...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rama Shankar, Sourabh Deb, B K Sharma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2012-01-01
Series:Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jaim.in/article.asp?issn=0975-9476;year=2012;volume=3;issue=1;spage=10;epage=16;aulast=Shankar
Description
Summary:The need for an alternative drug for malaria initiated intensive efforts for developing new antimalarials from indigenous plants. The information from different tribal communities of northeast India along with research papers, including books, journals and documents of different universities and institutes of northeast India was collected for information on botanical therapies and plant species used for malaria. Sixty-eight plant species belonging to 33 families are used by the people of northeast India for the treatment of malaria. Six plant species, namely, Alstonia scholaris, Coptis teeta, Crotolaria occulta, Ocimum sanctum, Polygala persicariaefolia, Vitex peduncularis, have been reported by more than one worker from different parts of northeast India. The species reported to be used for the treatment of malaria were either found around the vicinity of their habitation or in the forest area of northeast India. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (33%), roots (31%), and bark and whole plant (12%). The present study has compiled and enlisted the antimalarial plants of northeast India, which would help future workers to find out the suitable antimalarial plants by thorough study.
ISSN:0975-9476