ANTIDEPRESSANT PLANTS AND THEIR USE BY THE CHIRU TRIBES OF MANIPUR, INDIA

Abstract

Depression is a potentially life-threatening mental disorder with serious socioeconomic consequences. It is very common and affects people of all age groups. Clinically, a class of synthetic drugs called antidepressants is used to treat depression but face limitations due to multiple side effects. Traditional healing practices followed by different communities worldwide use plants as a source of antidepressants. The Chiru tribe is one such community with rich ethnomedicinal knowledge having their unique ways to cure mental ailments. Ten plants [Canthium parviflorum Lam., Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., Curcuma longa L., Holmskioldia sanguinea Retz., Magnolia champaca (L.) Baill. ex Pierre, Marsilea minuta L., Ocimum tenuiflorum L., Phyllanthus emblica L., Rotheca serrata (L.) Steane & Mabb. and Tagetes lucida Cav.)] are used by Chiru tribes as potential antidepressants. Out of these, two plants viz., Canthium parviflorum Lam. and Holmskioldia sanguinea Retz. are recorded as antidepressants for the first time by the Chiru tribes. Two antidepressant plants (Canthium parviflorum Lam. and Curcuma longa L.) are used for treating memory loss. A total of 132 medicinal plants have been recorded in literature to contain phytochemicals with antidepressant activity worldwide. Changes in lifestyle and lack of properly documented data on medicinal plants pose a serious concern. The plant-based alternatives to treat depression will be much safer and cost-effective in the long run. The primitive knowledge could prove useful in developing potent antidepressants shortly. For this, further productive research and appropriate conservation methods for these plant species must be initiated.

Keywords

• antidepressant plants
• chiru tribe
• ethnomedicinal knowledge
• phytochemicals