Chümoukedima, July 6 (MExN): In a move to safeguard and scientifically validate the state’s rich traditional knowledge, the International University Nagaland (IUN) has launched an interdisciplinary research project to systematically document, chemically map and clinically validate the indigenous medicinal flora of the region.
The project, titled “Integrated Phytochemical and Clinical Standardization of Naga Ethnomedicine,” aims to ensure the safe and effective integration of these traditional remedies into modern holistic healthcare systems. It directly builds upon the university’s expanding academic infrastructure in Naturopathy and Allied Health sciences, stated a press release issue by the university.
The initiative comes as Nagaland’s vast repository of traditional medicine, relied upon for centuries by various tribes to treat ailments from chronic inflammatory conditions to infectious diseases, remains largely uncodified and vulnerable to biopiracy or permanent loss.
Issuing a joint statement at the project launch, Dr Roopam Bachhil, Registrar of the university, and Prof Zavise Rume, Director of the Academic Staff College, highlighted the immense cultural and commercial value of this scientific endeavor.
“Nagaland sits within a global biodiversity hotspot, and our traditional healers possess extraordinary wisdom that has never been properly cataloged under modern laboratory conditions,” stated Dr Roopam Bachhil.
“Through this project, our institution is taking the lead in creating a digital, intellectual-property-protected repository of Naga Ethnomedicine. This will secure the patent rights of our indigenous communities while laying the groundwork for standardized, safe naturopathic formulations that can be commercialized globally, creating an entirely new economic sector for the state and generating rural employment,” she added.
The research team will systematically catalog various plant species across different climatic zones in Nagaland, extract active phytochemicals in high-tech laboratories, and conduct rigorous pre-clinical screenings to analyze their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.
Prof Zavise Rume further explained the academic integration of this research, noting, “The Academic Staff College will utilize the findings of this project to enrich our allied health, pharmacology, and botany curricula. We are training our faculty and research scholars to bridge the gap between ancient ethnomedicinal practices and rigorous modern laboratory science.”
“This initiative will also involve direct workshops with traditional healers across Nagaland, treating them as vital knowledge partners. By combining their generational insights with our scientific infrastructure, we hope to discover novel therapeutic compounds that can combat modern drug-resistant infections effectively,” he added.
The expected outcome of this project includes the formulation of standardized, quality-controlled natural supplements, ointments, and alternative medicines, paving the way for local manufacturing opportunities and wellness industries in Nagaland.
The university has called upon local conservationists, traditional practitioners, and village elders to collaborate with the research teams during the upcoming field collection drives across the state’s interior districts. By securing this knowledge, the university aims to elevate indigenous science to an international platform while protecting community heritage from exploitation.
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