Ethnomedicinal Plants Used in Traditional Healthcare By The Bodo Community of The Bodoland Territorial Council, Assam: A Review

Abstract

Medicinal plants play an important role in traditional healthcare systems and remain a vital source of primary healthcare for indigenous communities worldwide. The Bodo community of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) region of Assam, Northeast India, possesses extensive ethnomedicinal knowledge associated with the use of local plant resources for treating various human ailments. However, this knowledge is increasingly threatened by modernization, habitat degradation, and the gradual erosion of traditional practices. Therefore, the present review aimed to systematically document and analyze the ethnomedicinal plants utilized by the Bodo community and assess their therapeutic significance. A comprehensive literature survey of peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2025 was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and NCBI databases. Information on plant diversity, taxonomy, plant parts used, and therapeutic applications was extracted and synthesized. A total of 225 medicinal plant species belonging to 178 genera and 82 families were documented. Asteraceae, Fabaceae, and Lamiaceae were the dominant families. Leaves were the most frequently utilized plant part (40.89%), followed by fruits (15.99%), roots (9.67%), and flowers (5.58%). The recorded species were used in the treatment of 93 ailments categorized into 14 disease groups. Gastrointestinal disorders constituted the most extensively treated category, followed by dermatological disorders, parasitic infections, wounds and injuries, and skeletal disorders. Several species, including Carica papaya, Andrographis paniculata, Cynodon dactylon, and Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, exhibited broad-spectrum therapeutic applications. The findings highlight the rich ethnomedicinal heritage of the Bodo community and provide a foundation for future phytochemical, pharmacological, conservation, and drug-discovery research.