Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by ethnic of Dusun Tagahas along Kiulu River at Tuaran district, Sabah / Sherene Mylon

Ethnobotanical is the study of relationship between plants and people who used it while taxonomy is the study of classification and naming an organism. The purpose of this study is to determine the species of medicinal plants used by ethnic of Dusun Tagahas that live along the Kiulu River at Tuaran district, Sabah. Apart from that the medicinal plants taxonomical classification is also determined as well as the disease treated and the Index Cultural Significance (ICS). This study involved major standard ethnobotanical methods which are surveying study area, interview, collecting sample, compressing, drying, mounting, identification, classification and constructing dichotomous key. 62 species of medicinal plants were collected which most of the parts used for treatment was the root. The medicinal plants used to treat 28 types of ailments or illness: fever, high blood pressure, malaria, diarrhea, flatulence, stroke, wound, diabetes, cough, boils inside ear, flu, stomachache, ulcer, mouth thrush, lowering cholesterol level, cooling body, piles, pain from leech sting, blood circulation, anorexia, post-partum, burns, jaundice, bones pain, chicken pox, relieve pain during teething, toothache and eyesore. The plants are classified into one Kingdom, one phylum, two class, 11 sub-class, 28 order, 32 family, 54 genus and 62 species of medicinal plants. The results of ICS show that one plant has very high ICS score, 6 plants have high ICS score, 16 plants have medium ICS score, 10 plants have low ICS score and 29 plants have very low ICS score. This study has high potential to provide a documentation of medicinal plants that found in Sabah which give knowledge to society. Apart from that, the ICS score and distribution of each plant species is very important resource for developing management strategies for each plant.