BEPLS Vol 3 [1] December 2013 282 | P age ©2013 AELS, INDIA Bulletin of Environment, Pharmacology and Life Sciences Bull. Env. Pharmacol. Life Sci., Vol 3 (1) December 2013: 282-288 ©2013 Academy for Environment and Life Sciences, India Online ISSN 2277-1808 Journal’s URL:http://www.bepls.com CODEN: BEPLAD Global Impact Factor: 0.533 Universal Impact Factor: 0.9804 CASE STUDY Revitalizing Traditional Health Care Practices by Exploring Medicinal Plants: A Case Study of Jorhat, Assam, India Amit Pandey 1 ,Rajashree G. Mavinkurve 2 , J.K. Garg 1 1 University School of Environment Management, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, 2 Research Associate, Centre for Conservation of Natural Resources, I-AIM, FRLHT, Bengaluru, India ABSTRACT India is one of the few mega biodiversity countries with a rich diversity of flora and fauna, as well as a home for traditional health practices, remedies and therapies. Traditional medicine has been used for thousands of years with great contributions made by practitioners to human health, particularly as primary health care providers at the community level. Most of the populations especially in the rural areas depend on the oral knowledge of the Traditional Health Practices (THPs), remedies and therapies to meet their primary health needs. However, in view of the oral transmission of this folk knowledge over several generations, it is getting rapidly eroded. In order to prevent the erosion of THPs and to promote the safe and efficacious remedies used by the Traditional Health Practitioners a pilot study on Local Health Practices was undertaken with selected traditional health practitioners from 4 villages of Jorhat district, Assam. The study was undertaken by questionnaire, interview and the video documentation method with prior consent of the Traditional Health Practitioners. In support of the documented THPs plant Herbarium Specimens were collected for authentication and promotion of the safe and efficacious Local Health Practices. Analysis of the survey showed revitalization is important and contributes for primary health care. Keywords: Documentation, Assessment, Traditional Health Practices (THPs), Traditional Health Practitioners, Plant Herbariums, Community Knowledge Registers/ People’s Biodiversity Registers Received 10/10/2013 Accepted 02/11/2013 ©2013 AELS, INDIA INTRODUCTION India is one of the few mega biodiversity countries with a rich diversity of flora and fauna, as well as a home for traditional health practices, remedies and therapies. Traditional medicine has been used for thousands of years with great contributions made by practitioners to human health, particularly as primary health care providers at the community level. Traditional and cultural medical knowledge has a catalyzing effect in meeting health sector development objectives. But there exist major differences in the usage of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) in developed and developing world. While safety is the prime concern in developed countries, access and cost seem to be issues in developing countries. There is scant data on utilization of TCAM and a dearth of policy research as well as good integration models in the sector (Yokohama Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 14 No. 6, Unnikrishnan Payyappallimana). It is essential not to romanticize the TCAM but seriously consider issues of safety, efficacy and quality, access and rational use through suitable policy measures and appropriately integrate them with the mainstream health system without compromising the diversity and unique aspects. In the modern era, due to socio-political reasons, such traditions are facing the threat of rapid erosion to a great extent. A considerable amount of knowledge is being lost due to inadequate transmission of traditional health care knowledge. The fact that the majority of the carriers of traditional healing practices are old and younger recruits are few, adds to the seriousness of the situation. The goal of the present study is to produce a written evidence of the oral literature and make it available to the masses so as to eradicate the erosion of the Local Health Traditions and to give value addition to the Local Healer’s knowledge and to state the status of the medicinal plants (according to IUCN Red List Criteria) used in various formulations in India.