Abdul Wahab Khan
Panaji
In a major leap forward for traditional healthcare and conservation, a survey has documented the rich medicinal potential of mangroves along North Goa and Maharashtra’s Konkan coast.
By linking centuries-old ecological wisdom with modern research, the study fills a long-standing knowledge gap –providing a vital baseline for future scientific research, drug discovery and biodiversity protection.
Published in the International Journal of Ayurvedic Medicine, the study bridges the lack of comprehensive ethnomedicinal documentation for mangroves in Goa and the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg region.
Conducted between September 2024 and January 2025 across coastal villages such as Neura, Siridao, Pernem, Dabhil Ambere and Padel, the survey documented 16 mangrove species across eight botanical families, comprising 13 trees, two shrubs and one fern.
The survey highlighted healing properties across several species, with Acanthus ilicifolius emerging as one of the most versatile remedies. Traditionally, its roots are used for cough, asthma, leucorrhoea and general weakness, while leaf decoctions treat rheumatism. Its fruits act as blood purifiers, and various plant parts are applied to manage diabetes, hepatitis, skin diseases, snakebites and kidney stones.
Other vital species include Bruguiera gymnorhiza, reported to treat diarrhoea, diabetes, conjunctivitis and intestinal worms, and Xylocarpus granatum, whose bark combats cholera, dysentery and malaria, while its seeds address digestive ailments and breast tumours.
Additionally, Rhizophora apiculata and Rhizophora mucronata are traditionally relied upon for inflammatory bowel conditions, hepatitis and bleeding disorders, while Avicennia officinalis and Aegiceras corniculatum treat wounds, asthma and rheumatism.
The research was led by PhD scholar Jitendra Jayant Tapaswi, alongside Prof Meena S Deogade, Dr Shivani Ghildiyal, and Dr Bidhan Mahajon from the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), New Delhi, and Dr Tanuja Manoj Nesari, Director of the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda, Jamnagar.
Beyond their therapeutic value, the team noted unique biological adaptations such as specialised root structures in six members of the Rhizophoraceae family that allow them to thrive in intertidal zones.
However, the paper issued a stark warning: while all 16 recorded species are currently classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List, most face declining population trends driven by coastal development, aquaculture expansion, pollution, deforestation, climate change and fading traditional knowledge.
According to the authors, systematic documentation is urgently needed to safeguard these natural remedies before habitat loss wipes them out.
