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Orchidaceae is one of the two largest families in angiosperms. Orchids are popular owing to the most beautiful flowers they produce and due to their wide spread ethnobotanical importance. In this review, ethnobotanical uses and pharmacological activities of A. praemorsa is discussed by referring flora, journals, and search engines such as Google scholar, ScienceDirect and Pubmed. Ethnobotanical investigations have revealed the potential therapeutic roles of different parts of A. praemorsa. The orchid is used traditionally by for treating ailments such as stomachache, earache, backache, wounds, neuralgia, rheumatism, eye diseases, sciatica, cough and fracture. A. praemorsa is investigated for various pharmacological activities. Studies have revealed the potential of A. praemorsa to exhibit a range of bioactivities such as anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In conclusion, A. praemorsa is an extensively used epiphytic orchid for medicinal purposes in several parts of the India and other countries. Major emphasis has to be given in order to conserve this medicinally important orchid species. A. praemorsa can be a promising candidate in terms of its pharmacological potential.

Dharwad district is situated at an elevation of 678 m. above MSL. This district is adjacent to Western Ghats. There are several herbal practitioners who depend mostly on the locally available plants. There is no published data on the ethno-medico botanical study of this district and hence an extensive survey was undertaken between 1999-2001. More than 200 traditional herbal practitioners were contacted, amongst whom 54 are effectively treating the jaundice. Twenty five species belonging to 18 families used for curing jaundice in Dharwad district of Karnataka have been recorded. Amongst these species, the most commonly used are Eclipta prostrata L., Plumbago zeylanica L., Ricinus communis L., Balanites aegyptlaca (L) Delile., Phyllanthus niruri L. and Tinospora cordifolia Miers. The method of preparation of medicines disclosed by few of the practitioners are discussed.