Inventorization of Phyto-remedial formulations prevalent among the natives of Deiya range, Nerwa, Himachal Pradesh, India

Abstract

Background: Indians has long been using plants and their parts as medical remedies to treat various diseases. They have been utilized as medications to treat various illnesses since ancient times. The majority of tribal people still rely on regional traditional healing methods to cure their illnesses. Therefore, documenting the use of traditional medicinal plants by the natives will provide valuable information on the distribution and utilization of medicinal plants in the region.

Methods: The present study commenced to explore the traditional knowledge of ethno-medicinal plants used by indigenous people of Deiya range, tehsil Nerwa of district Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India. Snowball sampling was used to gather data from 110 people living in 11 distinct villages within the study area. Present work contains a compilation of information obtained through field surveys, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires conducted with the natives of studied area.

Results: In this investigation, total 52 ethnomedicinal plants belonging to 34 distinct families were recorded from the natives as potential remedies for various illnesses. The indigenous inhabitants primarily utilized the 26 species of herbs for medical purposes. Rosaceae and Amaranthaceae families were the two most frequently employed in medicine. The most species (26) were used to cure skin ailments followed by 12 plant species for curing Gastro-intestinal Disease (GID), 11 plant species for General Health (GH) and 10 species for Muscle/Bone Problem (MBP).

Conclusion: This study offers comprehensive details about the Deiya range's significant medicinal plants. In this study we concluded that mostly old age people possess most of the information of medicinal plants, whereas the generation below forty has a little or no knowledge. Herbs and leaves (as a part) are majorly used as medicinal preparation and skin problems are most treatable disease in the study area. Angelica glauca, Gentiana kurroo and Taxus wallichiana need to be carefully monitored for conservation due to their great therapeutic value in the research region.

Keywords: Ethnobotanical Uses; Indigenous; Medicinal Plants; Phytotherapeutical; Traditional Knowledge