A Survey on the Ethnomedicinal claims of Blumea lanceolaria (Roxb.) Druce - An Anukta Dravya

Abstract

Many ethnobotanicals which are widely used by tribal communities and other forest dwellers, claimed to have therapeutic qualities but not mentioned in classical Ayurvedic text are said to be Anukta Dravyas (Extra-pharmacopoeial drugs). One such highly beneficial plant is Blumea lanceolaria (Roxb.) Druce. It is a traditionally significant medicinal plant widely distributed across the Northeast, Central and South India. It belongs to the family Asteraceae and has been used by indigenous communities for generations to treat various ailments. The main aim of this article is to discuss the ethnomedicinal uses of Blumea lanceolaria (Roxb.) Druce. For the first time, this paper delves deeply into the various uses of the plant among the Boro, Dimasa and Chakma communities of Meghalaya, Assam and Mizoram states. This article presents a comprehensive survey of the ethnomedicinal uses of Blumea lanceolaria, including its vernacular names, traditional applications, medicinally useful parts and their preparations. In the present survey study, it was found that this herb is consumed regularly in diets and is also utilised as a natural cure for numerous ailments like headache, fever, cough, asthma, dysentery, stomach problem, etc. indicating the pharmacological activities like anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory etc. The topic also comprises the morphology of the plant and reviews from various research articles, books, and authenticated websites. Ethnomedicinal plants used by local communities are often very effective for various ailments, as they claim, but thorough scientific research is required. The current study creates a baseline dataset on Blumea lanceolaria, setting the stage for further investigations in other domains.