Traditional medicinal plant knowledge and therapeutic practices among the Scheduled Caste community of Khurkhul village, Manipur, India: An ethnobotanical study

ABSTRACT Khurkhul village in Imphal West district, Manipur, possesses rich traditional knowledge of medicinal plants. This study is among the first focused ethnobotanical investigations of the Scheduled Caste community in Khurkhul village, whose traditional medicinal knowledge remains largely undocumented. This study aimed to document and analyze the community's ethnomedicinal practices and associated quantitative indices. Ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 informants. A total of 132 plant species belonging to 57 families were documented and categorized into 13 disease groups following ICPC-2. Quantitative indices such as use value (UV), relative frequency of citation (RFC), and informant consensus factor Fic were calculated. The highest UV (2) was recorded for Curcuma caesia Roxb., Ocimum basilicum L., Datura metel L., Lantana camara L., and Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. Zingiber officinale Roscoe showed the highest RFC (0.47), indicating widespread use. Fic was highest for skin-related ailments (0.62), followed by digestive and cardiovascular disorders, reflecting strong informant agreement. The family Asteraceae (12 species) was dominant, followed by Lamiaceae (11 species) and Zingiberaceae (7 species). Leaves were the most commonly used plant part, and decoction was the predominant preparation method. These findings indicate the reliability and cultural significance of traditional healthcare practices. The study highlights the importance of conserving indigenous ethnomedicinal knowledge and provides baseline information for future pharmacological and ethnopharmacological investigations.