Ethnomedicinal uses of wild edible Angiosperms in Thachi Valley, Western Himalayas

Abstract

Background: Since the dawn of history, humans have depended on wild edible plants as a vital source of food and nutrition. In the present time, these plants have been neglected by the people, but rural people still rely on wild edible plants not only as food but also for their therapeutic properties.

Methods: Fieldwork was carried out with local informants and data was collected through focus group discussions, questionnaires, and interviews. Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) and Use Value (UV) were calculated to assess the cultural significance, medicinal relevance, and overall importance of wild edible plants in the daily lives of the local communities.

Results: It was found that 51 species of medicinal plants from 28 families were utilized to cure 52 ill-nesses in 10 different disease categories. The most widely utilized plant part was leaves, while the most prevalent life form was herbs (72%). The Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) values were recorded for skin disorders (0.73), respiratory disorders (0.79), sexual disorders (0.97), metabolic disorders (0.93), digestive disorders (0.75), ophthalmic disorders (0.97), infectious disorders (0.84), muscular and joint disorders (0.94), cardiovascular disorders (0.98) and nutritional deficiency disorders (0.97). With the greatest usage value (0.95), Urtica dioica demonstrated its nutritional as well as medicinal significance.

Conclusions: The study reveals that rural communities possess rich traditional knowledge and rely heavily on wild plants for food, medicine, and cultural practices. However, this heritage is under threat due to lifestyle changes and declining transmission of knowledge to younger generations.

Keywords: Biodiversity, Informant consensus factor, Traditional knowledge, Use value