No abstract

Background. Despite easy access to modern medicines, people are still using plant-based medicine for their primary healthcare needs. People, particularly in the rural area are more dependent on herbal medicines. This study aims to explore the essential plants used in medicine locally and their uses on different ailments and diseases in Dhurkot Rural Municipality of Gulmi district, a western district of Nepal.Methodology. The study includes several visits to different community forests, interviews, and discussions with people at different time intervals from February to October 2021. Data were collected through Focus group discussion, transect walk, direct observation, and key informant interviews. Local indigenous healers, popularly known as "dhami", "pujari", "guru" and elderly people who know the uses of medicinal and aromatic plants helped us in collecting information about the utilization of plants as medicines.Results. Altogether 67 plant species belonging to 39 families and 64 genera were used by the people for their primary healthcare needs to treat different health problems. We found that the leaves are the most used parts of the plant followed by barks. During preference ranking among 484 individuals and focus group discussion people showed a preference for Cinnamomum tamala (Lauraceae) followed by Phyllanthus emblica (Phyllanthaceae), Zanthoxylam armatum (Rutaceae). Herbs are dominant among the plant forms used followed by trees, shrubs, and climbers.Conclusion. We conclude that people in this area still depend on plant-based medicine for their primary health care needs. Many people seek traditional remedies when they suffer from various common health problems. Besides this, abundance of medicinal plants in the region are declining due to various anthropogenic factors, infrastructure development, and climate change. Thus, appropriate conservation and management approaches along with proper identification and cultivation of important medicinal and aromatic plants are urgently required in the study area.