A Review of Medicinal Plants and their Therapeutic Use in the Nimar Region, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

The Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh is recognized for its rich floristic diversity and long standing tradition of ethnomedicinal practices preserved by indigenous tribal communities such as the Bhil, Bhilala, Gond, and Korku. For generations, these communities have relied on locally available medicinal plants to treat a wide range of ailments including fever, cough, dysentery, diabetes, skin diseases, wounds, inflammation, and snakebites. The present review highlights the significance of traditional medicinal knowledge in the Nimar region by documenting important medicinal plant species and their therapeutic applications. Species such as Cassia fistula, Bauhinia variegata, Pimenta dioica, Moringa oleifera, Asparagus racemosus, and Nyctanthes arbor tristis are commonly used in primary healthcare owing to their accessibility, affordability, and perceived safety. However, rapid socio economic changes, urbanization, deforestation, and the gradual shift of younger generations toward modern healthcare systems have led to the erosion of this valuable knowledge base. The study emphasizes the urgent need for systematic documentation, scientific validation, and conservation of ethnomedicinal knowledge to preserve the cultural and biological heritage of the Nimar region and to ensure sustainable utilization of medicinal plant resources.

Introduction

Ethnobotany explores the relationship between indigenous communities and plant resources, particularly in biodiversity-rich regions like India. The Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh, home to tribal communities such as Bhil, Bhilala, Gond, and Korku, retains extensive traditional knowledge of medicinal plants used for primary healthcare. Limited access to modern medicine makes herbal remedies—prepared from roots, leaves, bark, seeds, flowers, fruits, and latex—essential for treating ailments including digestive disorders, respiratory problems, metabolic diseases, skin conditions, wounds, and snakebites.

Literature Review:
Previous studies in Nimar and broader Madhya Pradesh document numerous medicinal plants, emphasizing their therapeutic importance for humans and livestock, and highlighting the risk of knowledge loss due to oral transmission, modernization, and habitat degradation. Ethnoveterinary practices also underscore the multifunctional role of medicinal plants in tribal livelihoods.

Objectives of the Study:

1. Document medicinal plants and their traditional uses.

2. Record botanical names, local names, families, and plant parts used.

3. Analyze therapeutic applications for common and chronic diseases.

4. Assess tribal dependence on plant-based healthcare.

5. Identify threats to ethnomedicinal knowledge.

6. Promote conservation, sustainable use, and scientific validation.

Materials and Methods:
Ethnobotanical surveys (Sept–Nov 2025) were conducted via interviews, questionnaires, and field observations. Plants were collected from forests, fields, and home gardens, identified using standard floras and botanical keys, and preserved in a herbarium. Data were analyzed to determine plant usage frequency, dominant families, and commonly treated ailments.

Results and Discussion:

• 20 medicinal plant species from 18 genera and 13 families were documented.

• Fabaceae was the dominant family; leaves were the most frequently used plant part (30%).

• Plants were prepared as decoctions, pastes, powders, and juices, applied orally or topically.

• Commonly used plants include Moringa oleifera (nutritive), Asparagus racemosus (tonic), Cissus quadrangularis (bone healing), and Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (fever).

• Traditional knowledge is declining due to modernization, migration, and reliance on allopathic medicine, while habitat loss and unsustainable harvesting threaten plant availability.

Future Scope and Conservation Strategies:

1. Phytochemical and pharmacological validation of medicinal plants.

2. Community-based conservation and sustainable harvesting.

3. Establishment of medicinal plant gardens.

4. Programs for intergenerational knowledge transfer.

5. Integration of validated traditional medicine into primary healthcare.

6. Policy support to protect indigenous rights and promote benefit sharing.

Conclusion

The present review reveals that the Nimar region of Madhya Pradesh possesses a rich and diverse heritage of traditional medicinal knowledge intricately linked with tribal culture and local biodiversity. A wide range of medicinal plants are used by tribal communities as primary healthcare resources due to their availability, affordability, and therapeutic efficacy. Species such as Pongamia pinnata, Pimenta dioica, Moringa oleifera, Asparagus racemosus, and Nyctanthes arbor tristis play a vital role in treating various ailments Evans, W. C. (2009). However, this invaluable knowledge system is rapidly declining as a result of modernization, deforestation, migration of younger generations, and increasing dependence on allopathic medicine. The absence of comprehensive documentation further threatens the continuity of ethnomedicinal traditions. Therefore, immediate and coordinated efforts are required to document, scientifically validate, and conserve both medicinal plant resources and indigenous knowledge systems for future generations.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Dr. Priya Trivedi, Nandani Prajapat, Sunita Goyal . This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.