Ethnomedicinal plants of Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Odisha, India: A comprehensive review on bark as the source of traditional medicine

Abstract

Background: The Similipal Biosphere Reserve (SBR) is located in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha State of India, which is known for its rich ethnomedicinal plant species and indigenous tribal communities. The SBR provides the source of medicinal plants which are used by traditional healers of different communities residing in the forest fringe villages for preparation of ethnomedicines for treating a wide range of common ailments including gastrointestinal disorders, gynecological disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, other common health disorders like cold, cough, fever etc. So, the present review aims to systematically compile the traditional knowledge on the different medicinal uses of bark of both stem and root, their preparation methods and their application in treating various human diseases.

Methods: For present review, the relevant articles were retrieved from reputable electronic databases such as Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Academia.edu and Springer Nature. A total of 87 research papers which were published between 2001 and 2025 were collected through primary search and were considered for further screening. On the basis of predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and after the title and abstract screening, 31 articles were selected for the final review. The literature search was performed using the following keywords: “ethnomedicine,” “bark as ethnomedicine,” “ethnomedicinal plants of Similipal Biosphere Reserve,” and “ethnomedicinal practices of the local tribes of Mayurbhanj district.” The botanical names, family, and growth habit of the recorded plant species were verified using online plant databases, including Plants of the World Online (POWO), The Plant List, and World Flora Online. 

Results: A total of 110 ethnomedicinal plants (44 families, 76 genera) treating 61 diseases were documented from 31 research articles. The most dominant family is Fabaceae (10.9%). The most prominent genus was Terminalia comprised of 6 plant species. The most cited ethnomedicinal plant is Holarrhena pubescens mentioned by 9 authors. Notably 32.7% of plant species were reported to be used for diarrhea management. The most treated diseases category is gastrointestinal disorders (68.18%). Among the reported plant species, tree (70%) appeared as the dominant growth form followed by shrub (25.5%) and rest plants species were contributed by herb and liana which is less than 5%.

Conclusions: The present review pointed out the richness of medicinal plants in forest fringe areas of SBR and also showed the extensive use of EMPs by the local communities for treating various diseases. Yet, most of the plant species remain unexplored. So rigorous phytochemical and pharmacological studies are essential to confirm the therapeutic claims of these ethnomedicinal plant species, which will lead to drug discovery, and strengthen conservation efforts linking biodiversity with traditional knowledge systems.

Keywords: Ethnobotany, Bark, Similipal Biosphere Reserve, Ethnomedicine