Factors determining ethnomedicinal plants choice in Pushparajgargh Tehsil of Madhya Pradesh, India

Ethnomedicinal Plant Choices

Abstract

The quantitative ethnobotanical indices and the important value index (IVI) were used to analyze the socio-cultural and ecological significances of the ethnomedicinal flora of a tribal-dominated division of the district Anuppur (Madhya Pradesh), India. The documented plants treat various ailments caused by taxonomically unrelated pathogens. The Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) results showed that reported plants were used to treat 12 different categories of diseases, including alcoholism. Plants such as Hedychium coronarium, Andrographis paniculata, Shorea robusta, Acorus calamus, and Azadirachita indica were the most important and popular plants among the local healers. The Index of Cultural Significance and IVI values further confirm plants' cultural and ecological importance. Findings also underpin demography (i.e., versatility and availability), social dynamics, and human traits (age, dynamics of knowledge, and social network) as reasons for the selection of plants by the healers.