INFORMANT CONSENSUS FACTOR (ICF) AND FIDELITY LEVEL ANALYSIS OF TRADITIONALLY USED ANTI-DIABETIC PLANTS AMONG TRADITIONAL HEALERS (VAIDYAS) OF AMARKANTAK, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA

Abstract

The Amarkantak region of Madhya Pradesh, India, which lies at the point where the Vindhya and Satpura ranges meet, is rich in forest biodiversity and home to indigenous tribal communities of Madhya Pradesh, namely the Baiga, Gond, and Agaria, which have rich oral traditions in plant-based healing practices. In this landscape, traditional healers, known as vaidyas, treat diabetes mellitus, locally referred to as madhumeha, using various herbal mixtures. The present study documented 45 vaidyas across 18 villages in and around the Amarkantak biosphere zone and quantitatively analysed anti hyperglycemic plants using two standard ethnobotanical indices: Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) and Fidelity Level (FL). Twenty plant species in 17 botanical families were recorded in the study. In which three plants that proved to be most therapeutically specific anti-diabetic plants were Gymnema sylvestre (FL = 95.6%), Syzygium cumini (FL = 91.1%) and Pterocarpus marsupium (FL = 90.7%). The highest ICF value (0.939) was observed for diabetes mellitus, with strong intra-community consensus on plant selection. The leaves were the most often used part of the plant (45%), and the decoction (kadha) was the most common method of preparation (40%). Cross-validation with the published pharmacological literature revealed that 85% of the recorded plants have been tested for in vitro hypoglycemic activity, and 70% have shown marked antidiabetic activity. The results confirm the ethnopharmacological plausibility of the therapeutic knowledge of the Vaidyas and emphasise the necessity of recording, pharmacologically evaluating and protecting this medicinal knowledge, which is rapidly disappearing. The knowledge of this study will help cure diabetes and further research on valuable plants.