Ethnobotanical study of traditional antidiabetic plants with potential synergistic use with modern formulations in coastal Odisha, India

Authors

  • Satyanarayana CH Department of Pharmacology, Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Berhampur, Odisha, India-760010
  • Bimalendu Chowdhury Department of Pharmacology, Roland Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Berhampur, Odisha, India-760010
  • Biswajeet Acharya Centurion University Of Technology and Management, Odisha
  • Prafulla Kumar Sahu Department of Pharmacy, Keonjhar Institute of Medical Science and Research, Keonjhar, Odisha, India

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a growing global health challenge, particularly in under-resourced coastal and rural regions where conventional healthcare access is limited. In these settings, communities often rely on traditional medicinal knowledge and locally available plants for managing diseases, including diabetes.

Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted over nine months (February–October 2023) in the coastal districts of Odisha, specifically in Balasore and Bhadrak. A total of 105 informants—including traditional healers, farmers, fisherfolk, and women-led self-help group members-were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires, free listing, and field walks. Data were analyzed using key ethnobotanical indices such as Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Cultural Importance Index (CI), and Use Reports per Participant (UR/N).

Results: Fifty medicinal plant species traditionally used for diabetes were documented. Terminalia pallida (RFC: 0.99, CI: 1.14, UR: 120) and Didymocarpus pedicellata (RFC: 0.99, CI: 1.10, UR: 115) were the most culturally and therapeutically valued species. Twenty-six polyherbal formulations were identified, with combinations like D. pedicellata + T. pallida (RFC: 0.99, CI: 1.05) and Syzygium cumini + Phyllanthus emblica (RFC: 0.97, CI: 0.91) rated as highly effective. These plant pairs are believed to exert synergistic effects on glycemic regulation and organ protection.

Conclusions: The study highlights a rich, community-driven pharmacopoeia of antidiabetic plants, many of which influence key metabolic pathways such as AMP-activated Protein Kinase activation and oxidative stress modulation. These findings support further pharmacological validation of high-ranking species and their combinations. Traditional knowledge, when documented systematically, can guide the development of accessible, integrative antidiabetic therapies rooted in cultural and ecological sustainability.

Keywords: Ethnobotany; Diabetes mellitus; Polyherbal formulation; Traditional medicine; Odisha; Synergistic phytotherapy

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Published

2025-12-04

How to Cite

Satyanarayana CH, Chowdhury, B., Acharya, B., & Sahu, P. K. (2025). Ethnobotanical study of traditional antidiabetic plants with potential synergistic use with modern formulations in coastal Odisha, India. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 32, 1–26. Retrieved from https://ethnobotanyjournal.org/index.php/era/article/view/7399

Issue

Vol. 32 (2025)

Section

Research

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