Ethnomedicinal plants and traditional knowledge among three Chin indigenous groups in Natma Taung National Park (Myanmar)

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: This research describes the ethnomedicinal plants as used by three Chin indigenous groups inhabiting areas at Natma Taung National Park (NTNP) in bio-culturally diverse Myanmar. The aim of this study was (1) to identify wild medicinal species and evaluate their local importance in local peoples' healthcare as well as in protected area conservation; and (2) to compare traditional medicinal plant knowledge among the informants.

Materials and methods: A total of 206 Müün, Ng'gah and Daai informants from 20 villages were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Species use-reports were computed to determine plant local importance and the informant consensus factor. Descriptive and the inferential statistics Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were employed to evaluate and compare the informants' traditional medicinal knowledge.

Results: A total of 75 wild ethnomedicinal taxa in 40 plant families across 16 ICPC-based disease categories were recorded. Species which recorded the highest number of use-reports appeared to play an important role not only in informants' primary healthcare and in park conservation, but also in local livelihood.

Conclusion: This study presents the diversity of ethnomedicinal plants and their local importance in Chin indigenous peoples' healthcare. This paper also recognizes the value of these plants and the local traditional knowledge for the conservation and management of NTNP.

Keywords: Ethnobotany; Indigenous people; Myanmar; Protected areas; Wild medicinal plants.