Paederia foetida — a promising ethno-medicinal tribal plant of northeastern India

The northeastern region of India constitutes one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world. The ethnic groups inhabiting this region practice their distinctive traditional knowledge systems using biodiversity for food, shelter and healthcare. Among the less-studied plants, Paederia foetida has been used by various ethnic tribes as food and medicine. Many of its therapeutic properties relate to the gastrointestinal system and suggest its potential utility for gastrointestinal ailments. This is a review of the ethnobotanical uses, phytochemistry and therapeutic properties of P. foetida compiled from various reports. P. foetida is promising as a remedy for life-style related conditions, especially treatment of ulcers. Its utility highlights the need for proper evaluation of tribal plants as medicines and the species could be considered for development of new drugs.