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Purpose <p>Nagaland, a hilly state in Northeast India, is home to several indigenous communities with rich ethnomedicinal traditions. The Kacharis, recognised as one of the state’s seventeen indigenous tribes, remain demographically underrepresented (0.76% of the population) and ethnobotanically undocumented in Nagaland. This study provides the first systematic and quantitative account of their ethnomedicinal knowledge, focusing on the Dimapur and Chumoukedima districts, where 72.19% of the community resides.</p> Methods <p>Semi-structured interviews and field surveys were conducted across 13 Kachari villages between June 2023 and November 2024, involving 48 informants. Ethnobotanical and similarity indices (primarily UR, FC, NU, JSI and BEI) were employed to identify use patterns, dominant taxa and disease prevalence.</p> Results <p>Out of the 83 medicinal plant species (74 genera, 44 families) documented for treating 69 ailments (13 ICPC-2 categories), 43 were identified as having recognised crop value. Among the 337 claims reported 6 were novel in Indian context. Most of the plants were herbaceous, with Lamiaceae and Asteraceae being the dominant families. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part, and poultice was the most common mode of preparation. <i>Psidium guajava</i>, <i>Ocimum tenuiflorum</i> and <i>Andrographis paniculata</i> were the most prominent species. Digestive disorders received the highest citations. Comparative analysis showed significantly greater ethnomedicinal affinity with Assamese than with Naga practices. Knowledge transmission among Kachari sub-tribes appeared limited.</p> Conclusion <p>This study provides a crucial baseline for understanding Kachari ethnomedicine in Nagaland and highlights the need for pharmacological and safety assessments of the reported medicinal uses.</p>

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Quantitative ethnomedicine of the Kacharis in Nagaland, India: Plant-use patterns and cross-regional links

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月26日

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  • Amom Gyanendro Singh,
  • Walsan Kalarikkal Vishnu,
  • Nikhil Krishna,
  • Laiphrakpam Renu Devi,
  • Supratim Mahajan,
  • Neha Mech,
  • Devanjal Bora,
  • Shiddamallayya Nagayya,
  • Narayanam Srikanth

摘要

Purpose

Nagaland, a hilly state in Northeast India, is home to several indigenous communities with rich ethnomedicinal traditions. The Kacharis, recognised as one of the state’s seventeen indigenous tribes, remain demographically underrepresented (0.76% of the population) and ethnobotanically undocumented in Nagaland. This study provides the first systematic and quantitative account of their ethnomedicinal knowledge, focusing on the Dimapur and Chumoukedima districts, where 72.19% of the community resides.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews and field surveys were conducted across 13 Kachari villages between June 2023 and November 2024, involving 48 informants. Ethnobotanical and similarity indices (primarily UR, FC, NU, JSI and BEI) were employed to identify use patterns, dominant taxa and disease prevalence.

Results

Out of the 83 medicinal plant species (74 genera, 44 families) documented for treating 69 ailments (13 ICPC-2 categories), 43 were identified as having recognised crop value. Among the 337 claims reported 6 were novel in Indian context. Most of the plants were herbaceous, with Lamiaceae and Asteraceae being the dominant families. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part, and poultice was the most common mode of preparation. Psidium guajava, Ocimum tenuiflorum and Andrographis paniculata were the most prominent species. Digestive disorders received the highest citations. Comparative analysis showed significantly greater ethnomedicinal affinity with Assamese than with Naga practices. Knowledge transmission among Kachari sub-tribes appeared limited.

Conclusion

This study provides a crucial baseline for understanding Kachari ethnomedicine in Nagaland and highlights the need for pharmacological and safety assessments of the reported medicinal uses.