ABSTRACT:
The Chhattisgarh state, situated in central India is home to several important medicinal herb species that are being exploited by the tribal people inhabited in the rural area since centuries. The agro-climatic conditions existing in the region provide appropriate habitat for the natural growth of a variety of important plants and herbs of medicinal importance. The present study was carried on individuals above 15 years of age, in urban and rural areas of Raigarh district. An inventory was used to document various medicinal plant species, which were used by the local healers to cure Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). an autoimmune disease. The data were collected through extensive and periodical surveys conducted among the tribes inhabiting in the forest areas of Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh. Information pertaining to ethnomedicinal uses of the plants was collected from the tribal physicians (Baiga), tribal head man (Mukhia), aged tribal people, and further confirmed with ethnobotanist. The total population surveyed in Raigarh district was 6132 of which 47 Patients of RA was found representing significantly higher prevalence percent rate (0.77).Total 18 local healers were interviewed and they reported 75 medicinal plants used for curing RA. The present study also revealed that the tribal communities living in the forests have their own traditional ethno medical knowledge. The result obtained in the study provides information valuable for botanists, anthropologists, pharmacologists, phytochemists and other researchers for their study.