Vindhya Forest Medicine and Tiger Corridor Herb Knowledge of Panna

Panna Tiger Reserve forest edge communities maintain herbal knowledge shaped by the biodiversity of Ken River gorge forest — mixed deciduous woodland with teak, dhok, jamun, and wild fig providing diverse medicinal resources. Mahua — Madhuca longifolia — is central to both subsistence economy and medicine. The flower is fermented into spirit, boiled for a sweet drink, and the oil from seeds is applied for skin and joint conditions. Tendu leaf is collected for beedi wrapping and its seed is used medicinally for digestive ailments. Palash gum — from the Flame of the Forest — is used to treat dysentery. Tiger reserve buffer zone communities participate in Joint Forest Management committees that govern non-timber forest product collection, providing both legal rights and conservation incentive for protecting the forest from which their livelihood and medicine derive.