Local Knowledge on Medicinal Plants of Batak Mandailing and Nias Communities in Batang Toru, North Sumatra, Indonesia

Knowledge and the use of medicinal plants by the local community is quite a lot in Indonesia. However, local knowledge about medicinal plants from Batak Mandailing and Nias communities in North Sumatra is still rare. The research objective was to explore local knowledge using medicinal plants in several villages in Batang Toru and surrounding areas, South Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra Province. The methods used were including open discussion and direct field observation. To better assess the extractive activities and the utilization of the plant diversity by the local people, an index of cultural significance (ICS) analysis was employed. The results recorded at least 110 plant species, including 93 genera and 49 families as medicinal plants for 40 types of diseases. Plants found to be utilized as medicinal plants in single or more plant species. Among the medicinal plants used by the community were Acorus calamus, Styrax benzoin, and Zingiber officinale and a kind of mushroom (Lignosus sp.). The ICS analysis for the potential value of each species showed that hunik (Curcuma longa) was the most important species and well utilized by local community in the Batang Toru area.