Traditional knowledge and use of medicinal plants: a case study from Joshimath block of Chamoli Uttarakhand

Abstract

The rural communities living in remote areas of Uttarakhand, have their own way of living with in social and cultural moorings. Irrespective of their simplicity and complexity, these communities holds rich traditional knowledge on medicinal plants. The interviews were collected in local dialect to avoid translation problem. The interviews were conducted through structured questionnaires to obtain information on medicinal plants, including local name, name of the disease for which the plant is used and mode of preparation, part of the plant used etc. A total of 53 plant species were recorded in the study area, Among the medicinal plants, the recorded species of trees, shrubs, herbs, lichens and fungi are 21, 5 22, 2 and 3 respectively, belonging to fifty two genera of forty families. The most frequently used parts of ethono-medicinal plants, compiled with relevant literature were whole plant (26.42%), leaf and twig (16.98%), leaf and fruit (15.09%), fruit (13.21%), root and rhizome (9.43%), aerial parts, bark, root and flower (3.77% each) and followed by leaves and rhizome (1.89% each). The medicinal plants used to cure several ailments such as stomach ache, fever, cough, diarrhoea, dysentery, kidney problems, pain, wounds, cuts, insecticides, eye diseases, stop bleeding, abdomen pain, indigestion, antiseptic, healing foot cracks, mouthwash, blood diseases etc.