ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO CURE VARIOUS AILMENTS AS HOUSEHOLD REMEDIES IN GARHWAL HIMALAYA, INDIA

ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO CURE VARIOUS AILMENTS AS HOUSEHOLD REMEDIES IN GARHWAL HIMALAYA, INDIA

Dhani Arya* and Ashaq Hussain Khan

Department of Botany, Kumaun University, S.S.J. Campus, Almora-263601, Uttarakhand, India

ABSTRACT:  The present investigation was carried out in five villages of the marginalized hill area block of Dewal in Chamoli district, regarding the uses of mild and native ethno-medicinal plants, by locals in their traditional health care system. The people residing in this area have been in isolation for centuries and possess good knowledge of phytotherapy. A total of 51 species of medicinal plants (both wild and cultivated) belonging to 30 families and 45 genera are being used in their folk system of treatment (locally known as ‘Gharelu Upchar’). These plants are used in crude form to treat  various ailments like, cough and cold, stomach problems, skin diseases, dysentery, boils and pimples, anaemia asthma, cuts and wounds, various fevers, bone fractures, kidney/ gall stone problems and other such indispositions (Table 1.1 and 1.2). The main purpose of this study was to document the indigenous knowledge of Vaidyas and other knowledgeable persons of the area about the use of local flora, as household remedies for treating different ailments.

Ethno-medicine, traditional knowledge,  Garhwal Himalaya

INTRODUCTION: The Indian Himalaya is the home of cultural and biological diversity and a paradise of   medicinal plants. In Himalaya, most of the people live in villages and use plants for medicine, food, fodder, fuel, timber, agricultural implements and various other purposes ¹.  Age old traditional values, attached to the forests and various forest products, have gained tremendous importance in the present century, particularly medicinal plants.

In the Indian Himalayan region, about 1748 species of medicinal plants ², 675 species of wild edibles ¹, 279 species of fodder ², 118 species of essential oil yielding medicinal and aromatic plants ³ and 155 species of sacred plants ⁴ have been recorded

The mountain region of Uttarakhand Himalayas is a well known treasure-trove of medicinal plant diversity, since antiquity.  Many plant species of this area (having medicinal value) are being used by the local people for curing a variety of ailments⁵. The people of this region also possess vast knowledge of traditional medicine. Medicinal plants have played an important role in the primary health care system of the local people of this Himalayan region ⁶. The survey of literature reveals that considerable work has been done on the medicinal plants and their various uses in treating ailments as local remedies in the perspective of Uttarakhand ^7-10.  Similarly work has also been done on the indigenous knowledge system of the high altitude society of Kumaun¹¹; ethno-botanical uses of plants by Bhotyia tribal communities in Niti valley ¹²; ethno-botanical plant diversity in Kumaun Himalaya ¹³; Traditional knowledge on ethnobotanical plant diversity from the Indian Western Himalaya ¹⁴.

However, no serious attempts have yet been made to document the traditional medicinal plants used by the people of the marginalized hill area of Dewal block as household remedies for treating various ailments. Therefore, the present work has been done on ethno-medicinal plants of this area, their locality and uses in different ailments with particular focus on their procedures of use.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Chamoli district is located between 29⁰ 55' 00' & 31⁰03'45" N latitude and 79º 02' 39" & 80º 03' 29" E longitude respectively with elevation ranges varying between 800 to 8000 meters above sea level. The climate of the district largely depends on the altitude. The total geographical area of the district is around 7520 sq. km. The present study was conducted with ethno-medicinal practices prevalent in five villages (1800-2600msl) of the marginal areas of Dewal Block, in Chamoli district, during the years 2013-2014.

The study area is also home to many of India’s most sacred places including the temple of the Hindu Goddess Nanda Devi (Roopkund & Bedni Bugyal) and Latu Devta (Brother of Nanda Devi) temple at Wan Village which attract thousands of pilgrims every year.

The information was gathered through personal interviews with the local Vaidyas and other knowledgeable persons of the area by the first author, with the help of a questionnaire after long discussions about plants (wild and cultivated) vis a vis listing of plants, their localities, various ethno-medicinal uses and procedure of their use for different ailments as household remedies. After collecting complete information on ethno- medicinal plants, the data were analyzed and compiled along with the available related literature and the report was then documented.  

 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: During the course of field investigation it was found that the locals (Vaidyas and other knowledgeable persons) of the marginalized hill area block of Dewal have a vast indigenous practical knowledge of the local flora particularly the medicinal plants and their uses in treating ailments as household remedies A total of 51 major plant species (21 cultivated and 30 wild) belonging to 38 genera and 30 families are being used as  ethno-medicine in different ailments as household remedies by the locals and this  is locally known as Gharelu Upchar.  Many among these 51 plants are used to cure cough and cold, stomach problems, skin diseases, dysentery, boils and pimples, anaemia and asthma. A few species are also used as remedies for cuts and wounds, fever, bone fractures, stone problems, blood pressure, leucorrhoea and diarrhea, etc. Besides these, some species are also used to treat scabies, eczema, measles, jaundice, gastric problems and diabetes (Table 1 and 2).

 TABLE 1: CULTIVATED ETHNO-MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN DIFFERENT AILMENTS AS HOUSEHOLD REMEDIES IN DEWAL BLOCK OF CHAMOLI DISTRICT

 TABLE 2: WILD ETHNO-MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN DIFFERENT AILMENTS AS HOUSEHOLD REMEDIES IN DEWAL BLOCK OF CHAMOLI DISTRICT

   Abbreviations: TR=tree; STR= small tree; SH= shrub; HR= herb; CL= Climber

 CONCLUSION: The marginalized hill area of Dewal block is a reservoir of an enormous natural floral and faunal wealth. The local inhabitants of this area living in the vicinity of the forests possess vast practical knowledge on indigenous flora about tits ethnomedicinal and other uses. They depend on folk medicine and household remedies (Gharelu Upchar) to a great extent. They use the local flora with the help of Vaidyas or other knowledgeable persons as ethno medicine for treating various ailments as supplementary options or in lieu of modern medicine due to lack of the availability of the latter.

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Authors are thankful to all informers of the study area, especially

traditional Vaidyas and experienced persons for revealing valuable information.

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   How to cite this article:

   Dhani Arya and Ashaq Hussain Khan: Ethnomedicinal Plants and Their Contribution to Cure Various Ailments as Household Remedies in Garhwal Himalaya, India. Int J Pharm Sci Res 2015; 6(4): 1590-95.doi: 10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.6(4).1590-95.

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