Ethnomedicinal plant resources of Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Orissa, India

Abstract

© Zoo Outreach Organisation; www.zoosprint.org Manuscript 1435; Received 17 September 2005; Revised received 02 May 2006; Finally accepted 17 June 2006; Date of publication 21 July 2006 2372 August 2006 | ISSN 0973-2535 (Print edition); 0973-2551 (Online edition) On a global scale, the current dependence on traditional medicine system remains high, with a majority of world’s population still dependent on medicinal plants to fulfill most of their healthcare needs. It is estimated that about 64% of the total global population depend on traditional medicines (Farnsworth, 1994; Sindiga, 1994). Nearly 8000 species of plants have been recognized as of ethnobotanical importance (Anon., 1994). Medical ethnobotany deals with the nature and application of plants used within traditional medical systems and it involves the identification of plants used in traditional remedies, and sometimes includes investigations into folk systems of classifying medicinal plants. This paper deals with the study of ethnomedicinal plant resources of the Similipal Biosphere Reserve.