Author

NIQUEHAT NOOR AND KUNJA BIHARI SATAPATHY

Abstract

Nature has gifted indigenous leafy vegetables with innate nutritional and therapeutic potential for curing various ailments. The indigenous leafy vegetables play a crucial role in addressing health issues in rural areas where modern health care facilities are  inadequate. Unfortunately, the traditional medicinal knowledge associated with leafy vegetables is declining at a faster rate due to lack of awareness among the public about their multifaceted benefits. The present investigation was carried out in Balasore district, Odisha, India in order to explore the ethnomedicinal uses of indigenous leafy vegetables among the tribal inhabitants. A total of 51
plant species belonging to 50 genera under 27 families were recorded. There is an urgent need for preservation and perpetuation of ethnomedicinal knowledge related to indigenous leafy vegetables which are on the verge of extinction in the coming decades. By investigating these plants for the presence of important bioactive components they can be explored for discovery of new herbal drugs.

Doi Number 10.5958/2455-7218.2021.00018.8

Keywords Ethnomedicinal, Indigenous, Leafy vegetables, Balasore, Odisha.