Diversity of Ethno-Medicinal Plants of Tropical Islands – With Special Reference to Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Ethno-medicine is the study of the traditional medicine practiced by indigenous people. They use plants from their surroundings, and they pass oral information on medicinal plants and its use to the next generation. Common traditional uses of ethno-medicine include the treatment of indigestion, stomach problems, fever, minor injuries, childhood ailments and complications of pregnancy. Tropical islands are rich in these plants, and most of them are part of the global biodiversity hotspots. A total of 536 species of ethno-medicinal plants from Andaman and Nicobar Islands belonging to 382 genera and 138 families of Angiosperms, Gymnosperms, Pteridophytes and Algae are provided with their use. From Sri Lanka, 41 most important ethno-medicinal plants belonging to Caesalpiniaceae (4) followed by Acanthaceae (2), Combretaceae (2), Fabaceae (2) and Malvaceae (2) are recorded. In the Caribbean regions, analysis of 1753 plant species revealed that maximum endemism of medicinal plants occurs in Cuba followed by Mexico, Haiti and Dominican Republic. Among the Pacific islands, Melanesian countries generally have a much more diverse flora than other insular Pacific countries.