© 2023 JETIR October 2023, Volume 10, Issue 10 www.jetir.org(ISSN-2349-516) JETIR2310418 Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR) www.jetir.org f153 Medicinal Plants of Choice Practiced by Tharu Tribal Population against Fever. Manoj Kumar Tharu 1* , Nanda Bahadur Singh 1 , Bikash Parajuli 2 , Prashant Kafle 3 1 Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal. * Correspondence to [chaudharymanoj754@gmail.com] 2 Department of Chemistry, Birendra Campus, Tribhuvan University, Chitwan, Nepal. 3 New Horizon English Boarding Secondary School, Butwal-11, Rupandehi, Nepal. Abstract Fever has been one of the primary health problem that seeks medical attention. Though there is a remarkable variety of modern medicines available to treat pyrexia, various indigenous communities throughout the globe still believe that medicinal plants have equal potential for reducing elevated body temperature (T). This article emphasizes the tendencies of tribal Tharu community of Nepal towards treatment of fever by ethnomedicinal approach. The interview taken from 31 local Tharu healers/vaidyas of 23 villages of Rupandehi and Nawalparasi district of Nepal revealed the use of 5 different plant species for fever namely Guilandina bonduc L., Trichosanthes dioica Roxb., Swertia chirayita (Roxb.ex Fleming) H. Karst., Tinospora cordifolia (Thumb.) Miers and Strychnos nux-vomica L. Out of them Guilandina bonduc L. was found to be used most often for treatment of fever. Moreover, Guilandina bonduc L. seeks conservation due to its decreased population and the ethnomedicinal knowledge of these local communities needs documentation and conservation at least for future plant based drug discoveries. Key words: Fever, Tharu people, Ethnobotany, Medicinal plants, Nepal. Introduction Fever or pyrexia is an ailment where the body T is raised above the body's T set point [1] and is a process where body T rises above homeostatic condition[2]. Fever is considered to be present if rectal T is at or above 37.5-38.3 °C [3], oral T at or above 37.2 – 37.7 °C, axillary T 37.2 °C [4] and ear T 35.5-37.5 °C [5] however central T is more correct than peripheral one [6]. In general, 37 °C is taken as the normal value of human T which may fluctuate by 1 °C [7] but this threshold merely should not be characterized to define fever since it is rather a complex physiological as well as immunological response [8] and is also distinct from hyperthermia where the set-point is unchanged and is induced by specific pharmacological, environmental or endocrine stimuli [9] and remains unaffected by antipyretics since pyrogenic molecules are not involved [10].