Traditional Knowledge of Medicinal Plants in Tribes of Khandesh: Need of Time to Preserve for Prosperity of Mankind

In the Maharashtra state, northern region is known as ‘Khandesh' mainly known for tribal population. These tribal peoples have sound knowledge about various plants and their preparations for the effective treatment of many diseases. Their knowledge is passed from generation to generation by oral communication and much of traditional knowledge is kept in secret from outside world. The present study was carried out to collect, document and preserve the traditional knowledge from tribal medicine men like ‘Vaidus' and elder people of tribal community of this region. During the same, the plant specimens were collected as directed by resource person in the flowering and fruiting conditions. In this study, information of 16different medicinally important plants was collected. The reported plants were arranged according to their scientific name, family, tribal name and method of preparation. In all, tribal health workers use these medicinal plants particularly to treat health issues like headache, jaundice, anemia, fever, etc. So an attempt was done to collect, document and preserve the traditional knowledge for the prosperity of mankind.