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Abstract
Ethnomedicinal plants play an important role in Skin and hair care during the Reign of Ahom administration. Different kind of pastes were made from extracts of plants. These plants are now available in different reserve forest of Upper Assam specially in the Tai-Ahom people dominated area . Pomatum preparation is a traditional culture of Tai-Ahom. In this paper we highlights 22 species of such ethno-medicinal plants belonging to 16 families and 22 genera . this is the high time to conserve these ethno-medicinal plants for future applications.
Keywords: ethono-medicinal plants , Tai-Ahom , Assam.
INTRODUCTION :
According to world health Organization over 80% of the world population relies on the traditional systems of medicines largely plant base to meet their primary health care need. The estimate Global herbal market is about US $ 62 billion which includes medicinal plants herbal and Ayurvedic products. At present India’s turnover in drugs use in traditional system of medicines is around Rs.2400 Crores with an export component of around 436 crores.
Ethno botanical practices among Tai –Ahom people of Assam is a common phenomenon . There is a need for further investigations in different healthcare , Hair care & Skin Care among the traditional Life style of young and adult Tai- woman’s in different occasion and festival they use various types of plant species . Application of plant is quite systematic. During this paper highlight 26 such plants species belonging 19 genera and 18 families which are used in skin care commonly known as pomatum .
MATERIALS AND METHODS :
The survey was conducted during the period 2006-2008. The information were collected from (115) persons 26 traditional practitioners, 11 village heads 21 women 30 elderly persons in 73 villages. Most of the interviews (45) were more than 60 years old , belonging to the families which still have a strong connection with traditional agriculture, sericulture and preparation of different types of paste and extracts for their day today needs for skin and hair care. The data were collected throw direct interviews. The interviews were registered on field note books immediately.
Additional information was collected from published literature ( Hooker, 1872-1879; Kanjilal & Kanjilal ,1934-1940; Gogoi,1988; Islam, 1984,1996; Borthakur, 2003; Gogoi and Islam, 2006; etc.)
OBSERVATION:
Collected plants species were enumerated with following order as scientific name , family in parenthesis , common name in bold , parts used and their mode of application in different skin and hair problems .
1. Abrus precalorious Linn(Fabaceae) Latumoni – Leaves , seads and roots applied in leucodarmatic spots.
2. Acorus calamus Linn (Araceae) Boss – Rhizome powder used to remove dandruff.
3. Adhatoda zeylanica Medic. (Acanthaceae) –Boga-bahak -Powdered leaves are used in skin infection and control pimple.
4. Aloe barbadensis Linn, (Liliaceae) -Sulkumari -Leaf extract use to remove sopt and increase skin shinning .
5. Alternanthera sessilis Linn R.Br.ex DC (Amaronthaceae) – Matikaduri – The whole plant is used to treat skin disease and liver problem.
6. Amaronthus gangatiurs Linn .(Amaronthaceae) – Morisa-Shak use to treat skin inflammation and sunburn.
7. Azadirachta indica A. juss (Meliaceae)- Moha Neem use to remove skin debris.
8. Baccawurea ramiflora Lour. (Euphorbiaceae)- Leteku fruit bark used in pricule control and specially used pomatum.
9. Bacopa monnieri (Linn) Brahmi Pennell Scrophubariacaea used as paste with buffalo curd.
10. Basala alba Linn. (Basellaceae) Purai Hak used in Sunburn.
11. Celosia argentea Linn. (Amaranthaceae) Leheti – Seeds used in skin eruption.
12. Centella asiatica Linn (Apiaceae) Bor-manimuni leaf paste use to growth of hair & silky hair.
13. Citrus reticulates Linn (Rutaceae) -Kamala Fruit , bark used to prepare pomatum.
14. Costus speciosus J.Koening ex Retz smith (Costa ceae)- Jam Lakhuti leaves , tender young shoots and rhizome powder used in skin shining and face wash.
15. Curcuma longa Linn ( Zingiberaceae)- Halidhi – it is mainly used as a Cosmetic.
16. Dilleria indica Linn. (Dilleniaceae) -Ou-tenga – used for removal of dandruff .
17. Phyllanthus emblica Linn (Euphorbiaceae) – Amlokhi- used for hair growth .
18. Hibiscus rosa chinensis Linn(Malvaceae)- JobaPhul- It is applied for the growth and color of the hair.
19. Lawsonia imermis Linn (Lythraceae) –Jatuka – it is mainly used for its property of coloring the hair and skin.
20. Santalum album Linn.(Santalaceae) – Chandan – it is used as cosmetic .
21. Sapindus mukorossi gaertn (Sapindaceae) – Monishal- fruit bark is used to wash hair which is used in hair growth.
22. Sesamum indicum Linn (Pedaliaceae) – Til – seed oil is used for hair growth and root powder and leaf juice are used as antidandruff.