Volume: 47 Issue: 4
Medicinal plant diversity and indigenous healthcare practices in janpad Panna, (MP), India
Year: 2025, Page: 186-194, Doi: https://doi.org/10.62029/jmaps.v47i4.kumar
Received: April 3, 2026 Accepted: May 30, 2026 Published: Aug. 6, 2026
The present study documents medicinal plant diversity and indigenous healthcare practices in Panna District, Madhya Pradesh, with the aim of exploring traditional knowledge systems that may contribute to future research in pharmacology and biodiversity conservation. Ethnomedicinal data were collected from March 2024 to April 2025 through field surveys, structured questionnaires, interviews, and participatory observations involving traditional healers, tribal communities, and Vaidya/Hakim practitioners. A total of 20 villages from Janpad Panchayat Panna were selected, and 100 informants (60 men and 40 women) were interviewed during the study period. The study recorded 97 medicinal plant species belonging to 49 families, indicating considerable ethnomedicinal diversity. The dominant families included Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Solanaceae, Acanthaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Convolvulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Liliaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Combretaceae, Malvaceae, Menispermaceae, Myrtaceae, Poaceae, Rhamnaceae and Vitaceae. Analysis of life forms revealed that herbs (39.18%) were predominant, followed by shrubs (26.80%), trees (18.56%), and climbers (15.46%), reflecting the composition of the documented flora. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part, followed by roots, fruits, seeds, bark, flowers, and whole plants, with preparation methods including fresh leaf juice, decoctions, poultices, powders, and infusions for the treatment of various ailments. The comparatively less use of roots and bark suggests relatively sustainable harvesting practices among local communities. The findings highlight the richness of ethnomedicinal knowledge in the region and underscore the importance of conserving medicinal plant diversity and indigenous knowledge systems, which may serve as valuable resources for pharmacological exploration and sustainable healthcare development.
Keywords: Biodiversity conservation, Indigenous healthcare practices, Medicinal plant diversity, Pharmacology, Traditional knowledge system, Traditional practitioners
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Kumar, M., & Sharma, M. (2025). Medicinal plant diversity and indigenous healthcare practices in janpad Panna, (MP), India. Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Sciences, 47(4), 186–194. https://doi.org/10.62029/jmaps.v47i4.kumar
