ethnomedicinal survey of herbaceous flora traditionally

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78
ISSN 2277-4289 | www.gjrmi.com | International, Peer reviewed, Open access, Monthly Online Journal
Research article
ETHNOMEDICINAL SURVEY OF HERBACEOUS FLORA
TRADITIONALLY USED IN HEALTH CARE PRACTICES BY
INHABITANTS OF DHUNDSIR GAD WATERSHED OF GARHWAL
HIMALAYA, INDIA
Sumati Rathore1, Tiwari J K2, Zubair A Malik3*
1,2,3
Department of Botany and Microbiology, HNB Garhwal University Srinagar (Garhwal) Uttarakhand246174
3
High Altitude Plant Physiology Research Centre (HAPPRC), HNB Garhwal University Srinagar (Garhwal)
Uttarakhand-246174
*Corresponding Author, e-mail: [email protected]; Tel. +91 9634899743
Received: 12/02/2015; Revised: 25/03/2015; Accepted: 30/03/2015
ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to document the indigenous and traditional knowledge of
medicinal plants used by local inhabitants in Dhundsir Gad watershed area of Garhwal Himalaya.
The intensive field surveys were carried out for collection and ethno-medicinal surveys of
herbaceous flora of the study area. The ethno-medicinal data was gathered through interviews and
semi structured questionnaires from the local people especially from women and elderly people. A
total of 79 medicinally important herbaceous species belonging to 75 genera and 32 families were
recorded in the study area. The leaves were used more frequently (37%) as compared to roots (24%),
whole plants (23%) and seeds (8%). The plant species were used by local inhabitants for treating
various ailments like asthma, cough, cold, fever, constipation, cuts/wounds etc. The precious
traditional knowledge along with the phytochemical and pharmacological investigations to find out
the active ingredients in the plants used by local people, may be a step ahead towards the new drug
development.
KEY WORDS: Ethnobotany, Traditional Knowledge, Medicinal Plants, Garhwal Himalaya.
Cite this article:
Sumati Rathore, Tiwari J K, Zubair A Malik (2015), ETHNOMEDICINAL SURVEY OF
HERBACEOUS FLORA TRADITIONALLY USED IN HEALTH CARE PRACTICES BY
INHABITANTS OF DHUNDSIR GAD WATERSHED OF GARHWAL HIMALAYA, INDIA,
Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med., Volume 4(4): 65–78
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Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78
INTRODUCTION:
The term ethnobotany was coined by John
W. Harsberger in 1896 and was considered as
the art of collection of useful plants by a group
of people and the description of the uses of
plants. Over the last century, ethnobotany has
evolved into a scientific discipline that focuses
on the people-plant relationship in a
multidisciplinary manner, incorporating not
only collection and documentation of
indigenous uses but also ecology, economy,
pharmacology, public health, and other
disciplines
(Gomez-Beloz,
2002).
Ethnomedicine, a branch of ethnobotany, is a
set of empirical local practices embedded in the
indigenous knowledge of a social group often
transmitted orally from generation to
generation with intent to understand social,
cultural, and economic factors influencing
health problems and to overcome such
problems (Bussmann and Sharon, 2006). The
use of plants and plant products as medicine
can be traced as far back as the beginning of
human civilization. The earliest record of
medicinal plant use in the Himalayas is found
in the Rigveda. This work was written between
4500 BC and 1600 BC, is supposed to be the
oldest repository of human knowledge and
describes 67 plants (Rahul et al., 2010).Total
60% of the population of world and 80% of the
population in developing countries rely on
traditional medicine, mostly plant drugs, for
their primary health care needs (Shrestha and
Dhillion, 2003). An account of 70% of the
population of India is dependent on traditional
plant based medicines (Singh et al., 2013). The
dependence on herbal resources to cure
different types of diseases is well known. It has
been estimated that there are between 3,500
and 70,000 plant species that have been used
around the world, at one time or another, for
medicinal purpose. At least 65,000 species are
used in Asia alone as home remedies for
various ailments (Karkri and Williams, 1999).
In India, the importance of plants as
medicine has not diminished in any way in
recent times, and traditional medicines are still
the most important health care source for the
vast majority of the population living in remote
and rural areas. India has the ancient
indigenous knowledge of medicinal and herbal
medicines
accumulated
through
many
centuries. This knowledge of curing human
illness is based on different Indian systems of
medicine, practiced by various communities
such as Ayurveda, Unaniand Siddha (Gadgil,
1996). It is estimated that in India, traditional
healers use around 2500 plant species in the
preparation of traditional medicine (Pei, 2001).
Garhwal Himalaya occupies an important
place in Indian subcontinent and has a peculiar
topography, vegetation, people and traditions.
About 80% of the total population is rural and
the inhabitants are called the Garhwalis or
Paharis. Due to limited means of
communication, poverty, and unavailability of
modern health facilities, many people,
especially in rural areas, still relies on
traditional medicines to treat common ailments
(Tiwari et al., 2010). However, this traditional
knowledge about the use of medicinal plants is
vanishing day by day and young generations do
not pay any attention towards this vanishing
knowledge. Ethnomedicinal studies that
explore and help to preserve knowledge are
therefore urgently needed before traditional
folklores are lost forever.
During the recent time, there has been an
increasing interest in the study of medicinal
plants and their traditional use in different parts
of the world. The documentation of traditional
knowledge aids in the preservation of
indigenous culture, identifies threatened species
and contributes to the conservation and
management of plant diversity. The precious
indigenous knowledge when supplemented and
validated by the latest scientific incites can
offer new holistic models of sustainable
development that are economically viable,
environmentally benign and socially acceptable
(Shinwari and Gilani, 2003). Keeping the
aforesaid facts in view, the present
ethnomedicinal study was carried out in a part
of Garhwal Himalaya to document the
indigenous knowledge about the use of
medicinal plants used by local inhabitants for
curing various ailments.
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Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study Area: Garhwal Himalaya occupies
central part of the western Himalaya between
the latitude and longitude of 30°-31° N and
78°-81° E, respectively. The present study was
carried out in a watershed called Dhundsir Gad
in Garhwal Himalaya (Figure 1). The
watershed is extended in a geographical area of
about 50.5 sq. km and is located between 30°
13’ to 30° 23’ N latitudes and 78° 44’ to 78° 49’
E longitudes with the elevation ranging from
530 m to 2350 m asl. The study area is
characterized by undulating topography.
Agricultural fields are often terraced with less
area and with various degrees of slopes. The
study area is a remote and rural area of
Garhwal Himalaya. There are 22 villages in the
watershed with 1325 households. The greater
concentration of population is between 12001600 m asl and the minimum inhibition is in
the lower altitudinal zones because of deep and
narrow valleys with steep slopes. Because of
the limited employment opportunities, people
of this region are dependent on the adjacent
forests for their basic requirements, such as
fuelwood, fodder, timber, medicinal plants,
small timber for agricultural implements and
other non timber forest products (NTFPs).
Methodology: The study area was frequently
visited for collection and ethnomedicinal
surveys of herbaceous flora of Dhundsir Gad
watershed. The ethno-medicinal data was
gathered through interviews and semi
structured questionnaires from the local people
especially from women and elderly people
having much traditional knowledge about use
of medicinal plants. The questionnaires were
used to obtain information on medicinal plants
with their local names, parts used, ailment
treated and mode of preparation. The collected
plant specimens were identified with the help
of local floras (Naithani, 1984-85; Gaur, 1999)
and deposited in the Herbarium, Botany
Department, HNB Garhwal University Srinagar
(GUH).
Figure 1: Map showing the location of study area
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RESULTS
A total of 79 medicinally important
herbaceous species belonging to 75 genera and
32 families were recorded in the study area
(Figure 2 and 3). The complete list of the
recorded plant species with ethnomedicinal
properties is given in Table 1.
Most of these species (86.06%) belonged to
dicots and monocots were represented by only
a small percentage (13.92%) as depicted in
Figure 4.
The most privileged family used for the
curing of disease was the Asteraceae (17%)
followed by Lamiaceae (7.89%), Brassicaceae
(6.57%), Fabaceae and Scrophulariaceae
(5.26% each) etc. (Figure 5).
Although all plant parts were used in
various remedies (Figure 5) however, the
leaves were used more frequently (37%) as
compared to roots (24 %), seeds (8%), fruit
(6%) and flowers (2%, Figure 6).
The plant species were used by local
inhabitants for treating various ailments like
asthma, cough, cold, cholera, constipation,
cuts/wounds, digestive disorders, fever, eye/ear
diseases, rheumatism, toothache, etc. (Figure
7). It was observed that a particular disease
(e.g. digestive disorder) was cured by many
different plant species and, further, many plant
species were reported to cure more than one
ailments (Table 1). The disease that was cured
by maximum number of plants (20) was “Cuts
and Wounds”, followed by fever and skin
ailments (11 each), asthma/bronchitis and
digestive disorders (by 8 plants each) and so on
(Figure 6). The disorder of “Hair fall” was
cured by minimum number of plant species (3).
Figure 2: Total numbers of families, genera and species of plants having medicinal values
79
75
32
Families
Genera
Species
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Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78
Figure 3: Medicinal Plants in the study area
1: Anagalis arvensis, 2: Iris kumaonensis 3: Verbascum Thapsus, 4: Tridex procumbens , 5: Ajuga bracteosa,
6: Capsella bursa-pastoris, 7: Mentha arvensis, 8: Sauromatum pedatum.
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Figure 4: Percentage of various taxonomic categories of dicots and monocots in the study area
Species
Genera
Families
86.06
86.66
Dicots
81.25
13.92
13.33
Monocots
18.75
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percentage (%)
Figure 5: Major families used for ethnomedicinal purpose
18
16
Percentage (%)
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
Amaranthaceae
Apiaceae
Araceae
Asteraceae
Boraginaceae
Brassicaceae
Caryophyllaceae
Crassulaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Fabaceae
Fumariaceae
Geraniaceae
Hypoxidaceae
Iridaceae
Lamiaceae
Liliaceae
Malvaceae
Menispermaceae
Oxalidaceae
Papaveraceae
Poaceae
Polygonaceae
Primulaceae
Rosaceae
Rubiaceae
Saxifragaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Solanaceae
Urticaceae
Violaceae
Zingiberaceae
0
Families
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Figure 6: Statistics of plant parts used
2%
24%
23%
6%
8%
37%
Roots
Leaves
Seeds
Fruit
Whole plants
Figure 7: Number of plants used for treating various diseases
Number of Plant Species
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Diseases
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Flowers
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Table 1: List of medicinal plants traditionally used by the inhabitants of Dhundsir Gad
watershed of Garhwal Himalaya, India
Botanical Name of the plant
Local Name
Altitude
Parts used
Ailment used for
Dicotyledons
Amaranthaceae
Aerva sanguinolenta (L.) Bl.
Bijdr.
Sufed phulia
600-1000
Whole
plant
Urinary disorders and
inflammation
Apiaceae
Centella asiatica L.
800-1000
Brahmi butti
Asteraceae
Whole
plant
Skin ailments
Ageratum conyzoides L.
Gundrya
1000-1500
Bugla
1500-2000
Cuts and wounds, skin
ailments
Cuts and wounds, boils
600-2500
Circium wallichi DC.
Echinops cornigerus DC.
Kumur,
kurei
Kandra
Kandara
1500-2200
Whole
plant
Whole
plant
Whole
plant
Roots
Roots
Eupatorium
adenophorum
Sprengel.
Gnaphalium hypoleucum DC.
Basha /
Bakura
Buglya
500-1800
Leaves
600-1000
Whole
plant
Inula cappa (Buch – Ham. ex
D. Don) DC.
Saussurea
heteromalla
(D.Don) Hand.-Manz.
Senecio graciliflorus DC.
Athhu /
Tamagari
Murang
1200-2000
Roots
1200-1800
Kikret
2500-3500
Pili - dudhi
Genda
1000-3000
Leaves,
roots
Whole
plant
Leaves
Flower,
leaves
Leaves
Anaphalis adnata Wallich ex
DC.
Bidens pilosa L.
Sonchus asper (L.) Hill.
Tagetes erecta L.
Tridex procumbens L.
Cynoglossum
glochidiatum
Wallich ex Benth.
Capsella bursa-pastoris L.
Coronopus didymus (L.) J.
Smith
1300-3000
500-1800
600-1000
Kumra
Boraginaceae
1500-2500
Lichkura
Brassicaceae
400-1800
Tuntkya
-
600-1300
Cough and bronchitis
Dysentery and chest pain
Fever, emergence of
teeth in infants
Cuts and wounds
Cuts and wounds,
supposed to increase
lactation when applied
on breasts
Urinary disorders
Fever, cuts and wounds
Insect bites, cuts and
wounds
Cuts and wounds
Cuts and wounds
Cuts and wounds
Roots
Digestive disorders
Roots,
leaves
Gonorrhoea, urinary
troubles, cuts and
wounds
Cuts, wounds and
inflammation
Leaves
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Nasturtium officinale R. Br.
Raphanus sativus L.
900-2000
Muli
800-1000
1500-2500
Maula
Caryophyllaceae
Thlaspi arvense L.
Gypsophila cerastioides
Don
Silene conoidea L.
-
D.
Stellaria media L.
Bakarchee
1500-2700
Tumriya –
ghas
Badyalu
700-2100
600-1650
Whole
plant
Whole
plant
Leaves
Constipation
Whole
plant
Leaves
Boils, cuts/wounds
Whole
plant
Boils, cuts/wounds
Leaves
Cuts, wounds and
inflammation
Fever, bronchitis and
liver disorders
Cuts and wounds
Skin infections
Crassulaceae
Bryophyllum pinnatum Lam.
Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt,
Hort.
Trichosanthes anguina L.
800-1500
Bish Khapru
Cucurbitaceae
900-1400
Kaduri
1000-1800
Chachinda
Euphorbiaceae
1600-2800
Chuplya
Euphorbia pilosa L.
Leaves,
roots, fruit
Leaves,
roots
Diabetes, skin ailments
and gonorrhoea
Diarrhoea
Roots,
fruits
Constipation
Seeds,
roots
Seeds
Constipation and blood
purifier
Blood purifier
Seeds
Young
plants,
fruits
Diarrhoea and dysentery
Abdominal pains and
diabetes
Leaves
Cuts and wounds
Roots
Ophthalmia and hair fall
Fabaceae
Crotolaria albida Heyne ex
Roth.
Crotolaria juncea L.
Melilotus indica (L.) Allioni
Trigonella corniculata L.
Fumaria
indica
(Haussknecht) Pugsley
Geranium wallichianum
Don ex Sweet
D.
Ajuga bracteosa Wallich ex
Benth
Leucas cephalotes (Roth)
Sprengel.
Mentha arvensis L.
Micromeria biflora (Buch.Ham. ex D.Don) Benth.
Ban-methi
1300-1700
Jhun –
jhunia
Ban – Methi
Ban – Methi
700-1200
1200-1500
1800-4000
Fumariaceae
400-1500
Pit- papra
Geraniaceae
2300-3000
Ratanjot,
Laljari
Lamiaceae
Neelkanthi
1000-1500
Leaves
Fever
Gumba
1200-1500
Antidote to snake bite
Pudina
Ban Ajwain
500-1500
Whole
plant
Leaves
Leaves
800-2000
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Digestive disorders
Cold and digestive
disorders
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Nepeta ciliaris
Wallich ex
Benth.
Ocimum tenuiflorum L.
Nueet
600-2000
Tulsi
1500-2000
Leaves,
seeds
Leaves
Fever
Gonorrhoea, cuts and
wounds
Dysentery, cuts and
wounds
Boils, cuts/wounds and
joint pains
Fever, cough cold,
urinary disorders
Malvaceae
Soncheli
1500-2000
Malvastrum coromandelianum
(L.) Garcke
Sida rhombifolia L.
Suchi
600-1300
Leaves,
seeds
Leaves
Bhinuli
700-1000
Leaves
Cissampelos parerira L.
Menispermaceae
500-2000
Pahre
Roots
Constipation and gastric
troubles
Oxalis corniculata L.
Oxalidaceae
1600-2700
Chalmori
Leaves
Cataract and
conjunctivitis
Argemone mexicana L.
Papaveraceae
400-1200
Pili Kateli
Seeds,
roots
Seeds used as narcotic,
root used as wormicide
and chewed in
leucorrhoea
Leaves,
seeds
Roots
Abdominal pains
Hair fall
Leaves
Cuts and wounds
Roots
Whole
plant
Roots
Toothache
Fever, asthma, skin
ailments
Ophthalmia, fever and
abdiminal pains
Whole
plant
Leprosy
Leaves,
fruits
Leaves,
fruits
Diarrhoea and dysentery
Malva parviflora L.
Fagopyrum tataricum (L.)
Gaertn.
Polygonum recumbens Royle
ex Bab.
Rumex hastatus D.Don.
Delphinium ajacis L.
Ranunculus arvensis L.
Thalictrum foliolosum DC.
Anagallis arvensis L.
Polygonaceae
1800-2700
Phaphar
1200-2800
Oglya –
Jhar
600-1600
Kilmori
Ranunculaceae
1000-3000
Nirbishi
1200-2500
Kirmuli
Primulaceae
600-1000
Jonkmari
Rosaceae
Duchesnea indica (Andr.)
Fock.
Fragaria nubicola Lindley ex
Lacaita.
Bhiun –
kaphal
Gand –
Kaphal
600-1500
1600-3500
Earache
Rubiaceae
Galium aparine L.
Kuri,
Khuskusa
1000-2700
Leaves
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Skin diseases
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Berginia ciliata Haworth
Bacopa monnieri L.
Saxifragaceae
1000-3000
Silpara
Scrophulariaceae
Ban - Brahmi 700-1200
Kickxia
ramosissima
(Wallich) Janchen.
Mazus pumilus Burm.f.
-
1500-2500
Mastyar
700-2500
Verbascum thapsus L.
Akulbir
800-2800
Rhizome,
leaves
Whole
plant
Whole
plant
Leaves
Whole
plant
Digestive disorders and
skin ailments
Rheumatic pains
Diabetes
Burns, cuts and wounds,
Abdominal pains
Asthma, bronchitis
Solanaceae
Solanum nigrum L.
1600-2200
Makoi
Whole
plant
Piles, dysentary,
diarrhoea, fever, eye
ailments
1500-1800
Leaves
Gonorrhoea
1000-1800
Leaves
1000-3000
Leaves
Gonorrhoea,
stomachache, cuts and
boils
Hair fall
Urticaceae
Girardinia diversifolia (Link)
Friis.
Pouzolzia
zeylanica
(L.)
Bennett & Brown.
Jhir –
Kandali
Urtica dioica L.
Bicchu ghas
Violaceae
Viola biflora L.
Vanafsa
2800-3000
Viola canescens Wallich
Vanafsa,
Kauru
2000-3000
Viola pilosa Blume.
Vanafsa
2500-3000
Whole
plant
Whole
plant
Flower,
leaves
Cold and cough
Malarial fever,
bronchitis, asthma,
cuts/wounds
Cough, cold, headache
and jaundice
Monocotyledons
Araceae
Sauromatum pedatum Willd.
Hypoxis aurea Lour.
500-1800
Bhasma –
Kand
Hypoxidaceae
1800-2500
Golkya
Iridaceae
2000-3500
Iris kumaonensis D.Don ex
Royle
Tuber
Cuts, wounds and
inflammation
Leaves
Used as an aphrodisiac
Rhizome
Constipation
Liliaceae
Allium cepa L.
Allium sativum L.
Pyaz
400-1800
Lehsun
500-2100
Whole
plant
Bulb,
leaves
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Digestive and skin
ailments
Respiratory and digestive
disorders
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Lilium wallichianum J.A. &
J.H. Schultes
500-1800
Findura
Flowers
Fever
Roots
Roots
Leaves
Fever and internal injury
Cuts and wounds
Asthma and cholera
Rhizome
Digestive disorders and
skin ailments
Asthma, cold cough,
tuberculosis. Seeds
believed to cause
abortion
Poaceae
Cynodon dactylon L.
Phalaris minor Retz.
Saccharum spontaneum L.
Curcuma domestica Valeton
Hedychium spicatum Buch. –
Ham. ex J.E. Smith
400-1800
Bhoob
700-1300
Phulla
400-1200
Munj
Zingiberaceae
900-1500
Haldi
Ban-Haldi
DISCUSSION
The present study documented 79 medicinal
plants traditionally used in health care practices
by inhabitants of Dhundsir Gad watershed area
of Garhwal Himalaya. It reveals that the
denizens of the area prefer using herbal drugs
for primary health care, even the health
facilities are available nearby. The study has
confirmed the fact that ethnomedicine presents
an alternative source of healthcare for most
rural dwellers. The local people have good
knowledge of medicinal plants. Since such
knowledge is still mostly taught orally without
written records, there is need to conduct a
similar survey in as many rural areas as
possible. Due to the changing perception of
local people and the ever-increasing influence
of
global
commercialization
and
socioeconomic transformation, indigenous
knowledge of plant resource use is constantly
diminishing. The younger generation does not
seem much interested in keeping this traditional
knowledge alive. With the passage of time,
knowledge about these valuable medicinal
plant resources will vanish. In the future, the
information will be completely lost, thereby
greatly weakening traditional medical practices.
Therefore, this valuable information needs to
be systematically collected and documented, so
that it can serve mankind for generations to
come and may also conserve the precious plant
resources of high economic utility. Further,
phytochemical
and
pharmacological
1000-1800
Root
investigations about the medicinal use of
plants, along with the precious traditional
knowledge may be a step ahead towards the
new drug development.
The most commonly used parts of
ethnomedicinal plants in the present study
comprised of leaves (37%), roots (24%), whole
plants (23%), seeds (8%), fruit (6%) and
flowers (2%). Bhat et al., (2013) while
studying the ecological status and traditional
knowledge of medicinal plants in a protected
area of Garhwal Himalaya, also reported that
most frequently used parts of medicinal plants
were leaves (32%), roots (24%), whole plants
or plant (13%), followed by fruits (9%) and
seeds and flowers (6% each). Based on their
studies from east African equatorial country,
Keter and Mutiso (2012) reported that leaves
were the most frequently used plant parts
(48%) followed by stem bark (16%), roots and
root bark (10%), while the fruits, whole plant,
and aerial parts accounted for less than 10% for
each. Akhtar et al., (2013) also reported from
Pakistan that the most frequently used plant
parts in the preparation of herbal remedies were
leaves (29%), followed by fruit (18%), roots
and rhizomes (17%), and whole plants (7%).
Uttarakhand state of India is the hub of
medicinal plants species due to its rich
biodiversity. The state has tremendous potential
for medicinal plants cultivation and it can
become one to the important options for
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sustainable livelihood for the hilly area. About
300 medicinal plants species have been
documented from Uttarakhand, indicating its
potential as an herbal state and for
strengthening herbal-based industry in this
region (Kala et al., 2004). New approaches of
biotechnology and conservation strategy can
help preserve and utilize the indigenous
knowledge of medicinal plants for humankind.
used by local inhabitants in a part of Western
Himalaya, India. Indigenous knowledge
systems are culturally valued and scientifically
important. The identification of the active
ingredients of the plants used by the local
people may provide some useful leads for the
development of new drugs.
CONCLUSION
The authors are thankful to the residents of
study area for sharing their knowledge and
cooperation during the field surveys and
interviews.
The study provides comprehensive
information about the degrading indigenous
and traditional knowledge of medicinal plants
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
REFERENCES
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Source of Support: NIL
Conflict of Interest: None Declared
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