An Ethnomedicinal Survey of Traditional Healing Practices of Indigenous Communities in Western Madhya Pradesh, India

The indigenous communities of Western Madhya Pradesh, India, rely heavily on ethnomedicinal plants to treat various ailments. This study aims to document the indigenous knowledge of tribal healers regarding herbal remedies, supporting conservation efforts and providing a foundation for pharmacological research. Data were collected from 115 traditional healers using semi-structured interviews. Quantitative indices such as relative frequency of citation (RFC), use value (UV) and informant consensus factor (ICF) were applied to analyze plant usage patterns. A total of 174 plant species from 66 families were identified, with herbs being the most commonly used (50%), followed by trees and climbers. Leaves were the most frequently utilized plant part (30.97%), while seeds, stems, and heartwood were less preferred. Common ailments treated included general health issues, with heart diseases and diabetes showing the highest ICF value (0.96). A strong positive correlation (0.046) was observed between RFC and UV. Additionally, 78 ethnomedicinal species were documented for the first time with new claims, and 10 species were newly recorded as ethnomedicinally important in Madhya Pradesh. The study highlights the cultural and medicinal importance of ethnomedicinal plants among indigenous communities, emphasizing the urgent need for conservation due to threats to local flora. Future research, including chemical screening, is necessary to validate the medicinal properties of these plants and promote their sustainable use.