title: Past, present and perspectives of Manipur traditional medicine: A major health care system available for rural population in the North-East India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditional health care practices are still being followed extensively in Manipur, North-East India. This is the major or the only medical facility available in some rural areas of Manipur. Cross cultural ethno-pharmacological survey was conducted to document traditional health care practices by Maiba-Maibi (male-female traditional health care practitioners of Manipur).
  
  
  METHODS
  All together 59 traditional practitioners belonging to 12 ethnic communities in nine districts of the Manipur state were interviewed. A predesigned questionnaire was used for interviews, which included queries for type of ailments treating, symptoms, bioresources used, method of preparation, dosage forms, formulation, unit doses. The entire interviews were done in the residence of respective Maiba-Maibi, their patient handing and preparation of medicinal formulations were documented in written and audio-visual format.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey recorded traditional knowledge on 949 formulations used for 66 human ailments. Five hundred forty six plant products, 42 animal products and 22 organic/inorganic materials were found to be used in these 949 formulations. Five plant species - Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae), Cocos nucifera (Arecaceae), Oroxylum indicum (Bignonaceae), Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae) and Allium sativum (Liliaceae) used by maximum number of Maiba and Maibi in maximum number of formulations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This particular method of documentation keeps traditional knowledge alive. The WHO estimated perspective of traditional medicine across the world. These observations support therapeutic worth of Manipur Traditional medicines (MTM). Having generated a large database in course of this survey, next focus targeted for the scientific justification of MTM with an aim to develop commercially viable products.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Laboratory, Natural Product Chemistry and Pharmacology Programme, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), (Department of Biotechnology, Government of India), Takyelpat Institutional Area, Imphal 795001, Manipur, India. Electronic address: lokeshdeb.ibsd@nic.in.
authors.forename: Lokesh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deb
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Laboratory, Natural Product Chemistry and Pharmacology Programme, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), (Department of Biotechnology, Government of India), Takyelpat Institutional Area, Imphal 795001, Manipur, India.
authors.forename: Surbala
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laishram
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Laboratory, Natural Product Chemistry and Pharmacology Programme, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), (Department of Biotechnology, Government of India), Takyelpat Institutional Area, Imphal 795001, Manipur, India.
authors.forename: Nongalleima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khumukcham
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Laboratory, Natural Product Chemistry and Pharmacology Programme, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), (Department of Biotechnology, Government of India), Takyelpat Institutional Area, Imphal 795001, Manipur, India.
authors.forename: Dhaneshwor
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ningthoukhongjam
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Laboratory, Natural Product Chemistry and Pharmacology Programme, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), (Department of Biotechnology, Government of India), Takyelpat Institutional Area, Imphal 795001, Manipur, India.
authors.forename: Surjit Singh
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Nameirakpam
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Laboratory, Natural Product Chemistry and Pharmacology Programme, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), (Department of Biotechnology, Government of India), Takyelpat Institutional Area, Imphal 795001, Manipur, India.
authors.forename: Amitabha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dey
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Laboratory, Natural Product Chemistry and Pharmacology Programme, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), (Department of Biotechnology, Government of India), Takyelpat Institutional Area, Imphal 795001, Manipur, India.
authors.forename: Dinesh Singh
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Moirangthem
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Laboratory, Natural Product Chemistry and Pharmacology Programme, Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), (Department of Biotechnology, Government of India), Takyelpat Institutional Area, Imphal 795001, Manipur, India.
authors.forename: Narayan Chandra
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Talukdar
authors.affiliation: Apunba Manipur Maiba Maibi Phurup (AMMMP) (Manipur State Traditional Healers׳ Association), Uripok Ningthoukhongjam Leikai, Imphal 795001, Manipur, India. Electronic address: tombiraj@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Tombi Raj
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Ningthoukhongjam
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012423:Rural Health; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations
keywords: Maiba and Maibi; Manipur; North-East India; Traditional health care practice; Traditional knowledge