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INDEX – GJRMI - Volume 4, Issue 4, April 2015

MEDICINAL PLANTS RESEARCH

Ethno-Medicine

ETHNOMEDICINAL SURVEY OF HERBACEOUS FLORA TRADITIONALLY USED IN HEALTH

CARE PRACTICES BY INHABITANTS OF DHUNDSIR GAD WATERSHED OF GARHWAL

HIMALAYA, INDIA

Sumati Rathore, Tiwari J K, Zubair A Malik* 65–78

COVER PAGE PHOTOGRAPHY: DR. HARI VENKATESH K R, PLANT ID – FRUITS OF MOORVA BHEDA – DREGEA VOLUBILIS (L.F.) BENTH. EX HOOK.F.*

OF THE FAMILY APOCYNACEAE PLACE – KOPPA, CHIKKAMAGALUR DISTRICT,

KARNATAKA, INDIA *BOTANICAL NAME VALIDATED FROM www.theplantlist.org AS ON 30/04/2015

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

ISSN 2277-4289 | www.gjrmi.com | International, Peer reviewed, Open access, Monthly Online Journal

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 K

2, Zubair A Malik

3*

1,2,3Department of Botany and Microbiology, HNB Garhwal University Srinagar (Garhwal) Uttarakhand-

246174 3High Altitude Plant Physiology Research Centre (HAPPRC), HNB Garhwal University Srinagar (Garhwal)

Uttarakhand-246174

*Corresponding Author, e-mail: malikmzubair081@gmail.com; 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.

Research article

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

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

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.

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

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 1200-

1600 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

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

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

Families Genera Species

32

7579

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

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.

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

Figure 4: Percentage of various taxonomic categories of dicots and monocots in the study area

Figure 5: Major families used for ethnomedicinal purpose

0 20 40 60 80 100

Monocots

Dicots

18.75

81.25

13.33

86.66

13.92

86.06

Species Genera Families

Percentage (%)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Am

ara

nth

acea

e

Ap

iacea

e

Ara

cea

e

Ast

era

cea

e

Bo

ra

gin

acea

e

Bra

ssic

acea

e

Ca

ry

op

hy

lla

cea

e

Cra

ssu

lacea

e

Cu

cu

rb

ita

cea

e

Eu

ph

orb

iacea

e

Fa

ba

cea

e

Fu

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ria

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e

Gera

nia

cea

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Hy

po

xid

acea

e

Irid

acea

e

La

mia

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Lil

iacea

e

Ma

lva

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Men

isp

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Ox

ali

da

cea

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Pa

pa

vera

cea

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Po

lyg

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acea

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Prim

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cea

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Ro

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Ru

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So

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Urti

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Vio

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Zin

gib

era

cea

e

Families

Percen

tag

e(%

)

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

Figure 6: Statistics of plant parts used

Figure 7: Number of plants used for treating various diseases

24%

37%

8%

6%

23%

2%

Roots Leaves Seeds Fruit Whole plants Flowers

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Diseases

Nu

mb

er o

f P

lan

t S

pec

ies

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

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. Brahmi -

butti

800-1000 Whole

plant

Skin ailments

Asteraceae

Ageratum conyzoides L. Gundrya 1000-1500 Whole

plant

Cuts and wounds, skin

ailments

Anaphalis adnata Wallich ex

DC.

Bugla 1500-2000 Whole

plant

Cuts and wounds, boils

Bidens pilosa L. Kumur,

kurei

600-2500 Whole

plant

Cough and bronchitis

Circium wallichi DC. Kandra 1300-3000 Roots Dysentery and chest pain

Echinops cornigerus DC. Kandara 1500-2200 Roots Fever, emergence of

teeth in infants

Eupatorium adenophorum

Sprengel.

Basha /

Bakura

500-1800 Leaves Cuts and wounds

Gnaphalium hypoleucum DC. Buglya 600-1000 Whole

plant

Cuts and wounds,

supposed to increase

lactation when applied

on breasts

Inula cappa (Buch – Ham. ex

D. Don) DC.

Athhu /

Tamagari

1200-2000 Roots Urinary disorders

Saussurea heteromalla

(D.Don) Hand.-Manz.

Murang 1200-1800 Leaves,

roots

Fever, cuts and wounds

Senecio graciliflorus DC. Kikret 2500-3500 Whole

plant

Insect bites, cuts and

wounds

Sonchus asper (L.) Hill. Pili - dudhi 1000-3000 Leaves Cuts and wounds

Tagetes erecta L. Genda 500-1800 Flower,

leaves

Cuts and wounds

Tridex procumbens L. Kumra 600-1000 Leaves Cuts and wounds

Boraginaceae

Cynoglossum glochidiatum

Wallich ex Benth.

Lichkura 1500-2500 Roots Digestive disorders

Brassicaceae

Capsella bursa-pastoris L. Tuntkya 400-1800 Roots,

leaves

Gonorrhoea, urinary

troubles, cuts and

wounds

Coronopus didymus (L.) J.

Smith

- 600-1300 Leaves Cuts, wounds and

inflammation

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

Nasturtium officinale R. Br. - 900-2000 Whole

plant

Constipation

Raphanus sativus L. Muli 800-1000 Whole

plant

Fever, bronchitis and

liver disorders

Thlaspi arvense L. Maula 1500-2500 Leaves Cuts and wounds

Caryophyllaceae

Gypsophila cerastioides D.

Don

Bakarchee 1500-2700 Whole

plant

Boils, cuts/wounds

Silene conoidea L. Tumriya –

ghas

700-2100 Leaves Skin infections

Stellaria media L. Badyalu 600-1650 Whole

plant

Boils, cuts/wounds

Crassulaceae

Bryophyllum pinnatum Lam. Bish -

Khapru

800-1500 Leaves Cuts, wounds and

inflammation

Cucurbitaceae

Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt,

Hort.

Kaduri 900-1400 Leaves,

roots, fruit

Diabetes, skin ailments

and gonorrhoea

Trichosanthes anguina L. Chachinda 1000-1800 Leaves,

roots

Diarrhoea

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia pilosa L. Chuplya 1600-2800 Roots,

fruits

Constipation

Fabaceae

Crotolaria albida Heyne ex

Roth.

Ban-methi 1300-1700 Seeds,

roots

Constipation and blood

purifier

Crotolaria juncea L. Jhun –

jhunia

700-1200 Seeds Blood purifier

Melilotus indica (L.) Allioni Ban – Methi 1200-1500 Seeds Diarrhoea and dysentery

Trigonella corniculata L. Ban – Methi 1800-4000 Young

plants,

fruits

Abdominal pains and

diabetes

Fumariaceae

Fumaria indica

(Haussknecht) Pugsley

Pit- papra 400-1500 Leaves Cuts and wounds

Geraniaceae

Geranium wallichianum D.

Don ex Sweet

Ratanjot,

Laljari

2300-3000 Roots Ophthalmia and hair fall

Lamiaceae

Ajuga bracteosa Wallich ex

Benth

Neelkanthi 1000-1500 Leaves Fever

Leucas cephalotes (Roth)

Sprengel.

Gumba 1200-1500 Whole

plant

Antidote to snake bite

Mentha arvensis L. Pudina 500-1500 Leaves Digestive disorders

Micromeria biflora (Buch.-

Ham. ex D.Don) Benth.

Ban -

Ajwain

800-2000 Leaves Cold and digestive

disorders

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

Nepeta ciliaris Wallich ex

Benth.

Nueet 600-2000 Leaves,

seeds

Fever

Ocimum tenuiflorum L. Tulsi 1500-2000 Leaves Fever, cough cold,

urinary disorders

Malvaceae

Malva parviflora L. Soncheli 1500-2000 Leaves,

seeds

Gonorrhoea, cuts and

wounds

Malvastrum coromandelianum

(L.) Garcke

Suchi 600-1300 Leaves Dysentery, cuts and

wounds

Sida rhombifolia L. Bhinuli 700-1000 Leaves Boils, cuts/wounds and

joint pains

Menispermaceae

Cissampelos parerira L. Pahre 500-2000 Roots Constipation and gastric

troubles

Oxalidaceae

Oxalis corniculata L. Chalmori 1600-2700 Leaves Cataract and

conjunctivitis

Papaveraceae

Argemone mexicana L. Pili Kateli 400-1200 Seeds,

roots

Seeds used as narcotic,

root used as wormicide

and chewed in

leucorrhoea

Polygonaceae

Fagopyrum tataricum (L.)

Gaertn.

Phaphar 1800-2700 Leaves,

seeds

Abdominal pains

Polygonum recumbens Royle

ex Bab.

Oglya –

Jhar

1200-2800 Roots Hair fall

Rumex hastatus D.Don. Kilmori 600-1600 Leaves Cuts and wounds

Ranunculaceae

Delphinium ajacis L. Nirbishi 1000-3000 Roots Toothache

Ranunculus arvensis L. Whole

plant

Fever, asthma, skin

ailments

Thalictrum foliolosum DC. Kirmuli 1200-2500 Roots Ophthalmia, fever and

abdiminal pains

Primulaceae

Anagallis arvensis L. Jonkmari 600-1000 Whole

plant

Leprosy

Rosaceae

Duchesnea indica (Andr.)

Fock.

Bhiun –

kaphal

600-1500 Leaves,

fruits

Diarrhoea and dysentery

Fragaria nubicola Lindley ex

Lacaita.

Gand –

Kaphal

1600-3500 Leaves,

fruits

Earache

Rubiaceae

Galium aparine L. Kuri,

Khuskusa

1000-2700 Leaves Skin diseases

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

Saxifragaceae

Berginia ciliata Haworth Silpara 1000-3000 Rhizome,

leaves

Digestive disorders and

skin ailments

Scrophulariaceae

Bacopa monnieri L. Ban - Brahmi 700-1200 Whole

plant

Rheumatic pains

Kickxia ramosissima

(Wallich) Janchen.

- 1500-2500 Whole

plant

Diabetes

Mazus pumilus Burm.f. Mastyar 700-2500 Leaves Burns, cuts and wounds,

Abdominal pains

Verbascum thapsus L. Akulbir 800-2800 Whole

plant

Asthma, bronchitis

Solanaceae

Solanum nigrum L. Makoi 1600-2200 Whole

plant

Piles, dysentary,

diarrhoea, fever, eye

ailments

Urticaceae

Girardinia diversifolia (Link)

Friis.

Jhir –

Kandali

1500-1800 Leaves Gonorrhoea

Pouzolzia zeylanica (L.)

Bennett & Brown.

1000-1800 Leaves Gonorrhoea,

stomachache, cuts and

boils

Urtica dioica L. Bicchu -

ghas

1000-3000 Leaves Hair fall

Violaceae

Viola biflora L. Vanafsa 2800-3000 Whole

plant

Cold and cough

Viola canescens Wallich Vanafsa,

Kauru

2000-3000 Whole

plant

Malarial fever,

bronchitis, asthma,

cuts/wounds

Viola pilosa Blume. Vanafsa 2500-3000 Flower,

leaves

Cough, cold, headache

and jaundice

Monocotyledons

Araceae

Sauromatum pedatum Willd. Bhasma –

Kand

500-1800 Tuber Cuts, wounds and

inflammation

Hypoxidaceae

Hypoxis aurea Lour. Golkya 1800-2500 Leaves Used as an aphrodisiac

Iridaceae

Iris kumaonensis D.Don ex

Royle

2000-3500 Rhizome Constipation

Liliaceae

Allium cepa L. Pyaz 400-1800 Whole

plant

Digestive and skin

ailments

Allium sativum L. Lehsun 500-2100 Bulb,

leaves

Respiratory and digestive

disorders

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

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

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

Lilium wallichianum J.A. &

J.H. Schultes

Findura 500-1800 Flowers Fever

Poaceae

Cynodon dactylon L. Bhoob 400-1800 Roots Fever and internal injury

Phalaris minor Retz. Phulla 700-1300 Roots Cuts and wounds

Saccharum spontaneum L. Munj 400-1200 Leaves Asthma and cholera

Zingiberaceae

Curcuma domestica Valeton Haldi 900-1500 Rhizome Digestive disorders and

skin ailments

Hedychium spicatum Buch. –

Ham. ex J.E. Smith

Ban-Haldi 1000-1800 Root Asthma, cold cough,

tuberculosis. Seeds

believed to cause

abortion

Global J Res. Med. Plants & Indigen. Med. | Volume 4, Issue 4 | April 2015 | 65–78

Global Journal of Research on Medicinal Plants & Indigenous Medicine || GJRMI ||

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.

CONCLUSION

The study provides comprehensive

information about the degrading indigenous

and traditional knowledge of medicinal plants

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.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors are thankful to the residents of

study area for sharing their knowledge and

cooperation during the field surveys and

interviews.

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Source of Support: NIL Conflict of Interest: None Declared

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