Author(s): Poly Tikadar, Sharat K Palita and Debabrata Panda

Abstract: The present investigation elucidates the ethnomedicinal importance of nine different medicinal plants such as Holarrhena antidysenterica. (Roth), Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng, Thysanolaena maxima (Roxb.) Kuntze, Flemingia strobilifera (L.) W.T. Aiton, Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels, Helicteres isora (L.), Manilkara zapota (L.) P. Royen., Plumbago zeylanica (L.), Bombax ceiba (L.) used for treatment of diarrhea and dysentery by the Paraja tribe of Koraput district of Odisha, India. A high degree of informant consensus for each species was observed. The aqueous extract of different plant samples were used for the phytochemical analysis to find out the phytochemical constituents in the plants. Phytochemical analysis of these plants revealed that some plants are promising sources of several chemical constituents like alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols and antioxidants with free radical scavenging activity in varying proportions and possess anti-diarrhoeal activity. The study suggests that further work should be carried out to elucidate the possible mechanism of action of these extracts against diarrhea and dysentery.