Ethnoveterinary Medicines Practised in Management of Wound by Farmers of Gossaigaon, Kokrajhar, BTR, Assam, India

Abstract

Aim: The objective of this study were to collect the ethnoveterinary practices used for cure of various types of wounds using indigenous plants having medicinal properties by livestock owners and healers. As these practices are in vogue amongst the villagers and has been passed down from one generation to the next, it has now become pertinent for documentation for its sustainability. Place and Duration: The study was carried out in the Gossaigaon sub-division of Kokrajhar district, Assam for a period six months i.e. November, 2024 to April, 2025. Methodology: The study was conducted in different villages of the sub-division namely Joymaguri, Joyma no.2, Hudumkhata no. 2, Saljuri no.3 and Jambuguri F.V. of Gossaigaon sub-division during regular extensive and intensive field visits. Results: A total of eleven plants and two other remedies using oils along with its application method and healing time were studied for different types of wounds of animals. The plants used are Curcuma longa(turmeric), Azadirachta indica (neem), Brassica campestris (mustard), Allium sativum (garlic), Zingiber officinale (ginger), Piper nigrum (black pepper), Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco), Mikania micrantha (bitter vine), Centella asiatica (Asian pennywort), Senna obtusifolia (sicklepod), Datura sp. Amongst all, the most widely used plant for wound healing was turmeric. The preparations were in powdered form, paste or concoctions, however, leaves were extensively used for the preparations. Six preparations are from leaves, others are either the fruit or seeds. Two other preparations were also involved, one using coconut oil and the other using a commercially available oil named Pain nil oil. The healing time ranges from three to seven days for most of the remedies.