Ethno-medicinal plants of indigenous people: A case study in Khatling valley of Western Himalaya, India

Abstract

Background: Khatling valley is an unexplored and remote region located in the Uttarakhand state of Indian Himalaya, the area possesses rich medicinal flora, and local inhabitants using these plants since generations. The majority of primary health care depends upon traditional medicine due to the unavailability of a modern medicinal facility, however, the identity of medicinal plants is limited to traditional healers or elder people in the region thus the documentation of such important medicinal knowledge is a dire need for sustainable use.Methods: An ethnomedicinal survey was carried out in this region from 2018 to 2020. Ethnomedicinal data were collected from 82 informants through semi-structured questionnaires and group conversations. To check the popular and frequently used species URs and Informant consensus factor (ICF) were calculated for the collected data.Results: The present study recorded 68 plants from 63 genera and 35 families utilized for treating various disorders.The dominant families were Asteraceae (7) and Rosaceae (6) followed by Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Ranunculaceae, Polygonaceae, Zingiberiaceae (4 species each). The majority of the useful plants were herbaceous (78%) followed by trees (12%), shrubs (9%), and climbers were the least in number (1%). Most of the plant parts used were leaves and roots 25% each, followed by rhizome, aerial part and tuber (9% each), seeds, fruits, and whole plant (5% each), bark (4%) while, stem, flower, resin, and the bulb has less proportion (1% each). Five drug formulations were used by the local inhabitants of which paste was the most common (32%) followed by powder (31%), decoction (19%), raw (12%), and juice (6%). Some important medicinal plants based on use reports (URs) were Valeriana jatamansi Jones (300 URs and 5 uses), Aconitum lethale Griff. (275 URs and 5 uses ), Nardostachys jatamansi (D. Don) DC (250 URs and 4 uses), Solanum nigrum (L.) (234 URs and 5 uses), Paeonia emodi Royle (230 URs and 4 uses). ICF values ranged between 0.96 and 1. The highest ICF value (1) was recorded for mental disorders (ICD code F) and epilepsy (ICD code G) while a minimum of 0.96 was recorded for blood problems (ICD code I).Conclusion: Ethnomedicinal plants having high URs and ICF can be a good source for novel phytoconstituents and novel drug discoveries, apart from this documentation of traditional knowledge will be helpful for the new generation, researchers, and policymakers for sustainable use of the species.

Exploring the benefits of wild plants in dietary nutrition: investigating perspectives, choices, health impacts and sustainable practices

“…Thymus mongolicus had the highest recorded use value (UV=1) followed by Mentha longifolia, Foeniculum vulgare and Juglans regia with UVs of 0.97 and 0.94 respectively. The lowest UV values were found for Adiantum capilus-vaneri s (0.02) [ 33 ]. The UV calculation is influenced by the frequency and diversity of plant use within a specific community or culture.…”

Assessing ethno-veterinary practices in Kashmir Himalayas: Traditional knowledge and its role in animal healthcare

“…Leaves, however, may be put to greater use because of their mobility, shelf life, and concentration of phytochemicals. Leaves have been described as safe and sustainable by many research groups, including Dutt et al (2015), Singh et al (2017), Hussain et al (2023. Roots used in traditional medicine preparation have been shown to stunt plant development and pose a major danger to wild plant populations, as documented by Ghimire and Bastakoti (2009).…”

“…Since raising cattle is such an important component of people's livelihood in the Himalayan region, there is a significant amount of ethno-veterinary medicine that is plant-based and widespread (Sharma et al, 1989). Compared to western allopathic pharmaceuticals, these traditional herbal remedies are not only more accessible but also more cost-effective and less invasive with many treatment options (Hussain et al, 2023). This indigenous wisdom is intricately woven into the fabric of rural civilizations and has been passed down through the generations for hundreds of years.…”

Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.)―A Review of Its Botany, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Activities, and Biotechnological Development

“…Remote areas in India, such as the Uttara Kannada District, used herbal treatments with O. basilicum L. to treat reproductive diseases, such as dysmenorrhea, by crushing the bark in milk and drinking it once a day for seven days [ 51 ]. Additionally, local healers from the Khatling Valley and Pauri District in Uttarakhand, India, drink the decoction of leaves and seeds of O. basilicum L. for fever, cough, cold, and urinary problems [ 52 , 53 ]. Traditional healers in the North West Ganjam District, Odisha, India, employ powder and decoction from the leaves of O. basilicum L. for treating dysuria, cough, and cold [ 54 ].…”