Ethnobiological survey on medicinal plants used by gaddi and gujjar tribes of riparian region of Beas River of Himachal Pradesh in North Western Himalayas, India
Abstract Himachal Pradesh is one of the most species-rich regions in the world and a key center for the origin and diversity of numerous plant species. Ethnobotanical research is essential for exploring these diverse biological resources for medicinal uses. This study aimed to record the traditional...
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SpringerOpen
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Clinical Phytoscience |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40816-024-00388-5 |
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| author | Neha Thakur Nitesh Kumar Sanjeev Kumar Anju Sharma Yogesh K. Ahlawat Anurag Malik Meraj Ahmed |
| author_facet | Neha Thakur Nitesh Kumar Sanjeev Kumar Anju Sharma Yogesh K. Ahlawat Anurag Malik Meraj Ahmed |
| author_sort | Neha Thakur |
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| description | Abstract Himachal Pradesh is one of the most species-rich regions in the world and a key center for the origin and diversity of numerous plant species. Ethnobotanical research is essential for exploring these diverse biological resources for medicinal uses. This study aimed to record the traditional knowledge of the tribal communities in Himachal Pradesh concerning the use of medicinal plants for treating diseases in humans and livestock. Despite this richness, there is a lack of detailed documentation about the use of therapeutic plants in this area. The indigenous communities in this region rely on traditional knowledge of medicinal plants, making it a valuable resource for further pharmacological and phytochemical research. The ethnobotanical surveys were conducted from August 2022 to July 2023, and our fieldwork took place in four districts (Kullu (1279 m), Mandi (760 m), Hamirpur (780 m) and Kangra (1200–1300 m) under various villages. The ethnobiological data was gathered through field surveys, open interviews, discussions, and semi-structured questionnaires conducted with 193 tribal participants aged 40 to 80 years. Informants were chosen using the randomized household interview and snowball sampling methods. The study documented 64 plants from 39 families, among which 58 species are angiosperms, 5 species are pteridophytes and one species is bryophyte utilized for therapeutic purposes. Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, and Ranunculaceae were the most used medicinal herb families. Rubus ellipticus (0.75) and Trillium govanianum (0.74) demonstrated the highest UV (Use value) values. The ICF (Informant Consensus factor) value revealed that nervous system disorders-related ailments were the most treated. This study explored the ethnobiological information of therapeutic flora from riparian vegetation within tribal communities while also assessing the present state of research and the practical application of their medicinal information. It underscores the potential for additional research to delve deeper into the indigenous properties of their therapeutic floras and emphasizes the importance of preserving their traditional medicinal wisdom. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1a07dc70bb5f4bf48f2f0d70b67db14d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2199-1197 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
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| series | Clinical Phytoscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-1a07dc70bb5f4bf48f2f0d70b67db14d2025-02-02T12:48:00ZengSpringerOpenClinical Phytoscience2199-11972025-01-0111112410.1186/s40816-024-00388-5Ethnobiological survey on medicinal plants used by gaddi and gujjar tribes of riparian region of Beas River of Himachal Pradesh in North Western Himalayas, IndiaNeha Thakur0Nitesh Kumar1Sanjeev Kumar2Anju Sharma3Yogesh K. Ahlawat4Anurag Malik5Meraj Ahmed6Department of Biosciences, Himachal Pradesh UniversityDepartment of Biosciences, Himachal Pradesh UniversityDepartment of Basic Sciences, College of Forestry, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni SolanDepartment of Basic Sciences, College of Forestry, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry Nauni SolanUniversity Centre for Research and Development, Chandigarh UniversityDivision of Research and Innovation, Uttaranchal UniversityDepartment of soil science, School of agriculture, Lovely Professional UniversityAbstract Himachal Pradesh is one of the most species-rich regions in the world and a key center for the origin and diversity of numerous plant species. Ethnobotanical research is essential for exploring these diverse biological resources for medicinal uses. This study aimed to record the traditional knowledge of the tribal communities in Himachal Pradesh concerning the use of medicinal plants for treating diseases in humans and livestock. Despite this richness, there is a lack of detailed documentation about the use of therapeutic plants in this area. The indigenous communities in this region rely on traditional knowledge of medicinal plants, making it a valuable resource for further pharmacological and phytochemical research. The ethnobotanical surveys were conducted from August 2022 to July 2023, and our fieldwork took place in four districts (Kullu (1279 m), Mandi (760 m), Hamirpur (780 m) and Kangra (1200–1300 m) under various villages. The ethnobiological data was gathered through field surveys, open interviews, discussions, and semi-structured questionnaires conducted with 193 tribal participants aged 40 to 80 years. Informants were chosen using the randomized household interview and snowball sampling methods. The study documented 64 plants from 39 families, among which 58 species are angiosperms, 5 species are pteridophytes and one species is bryophyte utilized for therapeutic purposes. Rosaceae, Lamiaceae, and Ranunculaceae were the most used medicinal herb families. Rubus ellipticus (0.75) and Trillium govanianum (0.74) demonstrated the highest UV (Use value) values. The ICF (Informant Consensus factor) value revealed that nervous system disorders-related ailments were the most treated. This study explored the ethnobiological information of therapeutic flora from riparian vegetation within tribal communities while also assessing the present state of research and the practical application of their medicinal information. It underscores the potential for additional research to delve deeper into the indigenous properties of their therapeutic floras and emphasizes the importance of preserving their traditional medicinal wisdom.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40816-024-00388-5Medicinal plantsRiparian vegetationTribal peopleHimachal Pradesh |
| spellingShingle | Neha Thakur Nitesh Kumar Sanjeev Kumar Anju Sharma Yogesh K. Ahlawat Anurag Malik Meraj Ahmed Ethnobiological survey on medicinal plants used by gaddi and gujjar tribes of riparian region of Beas River of Himachal Pradesh in North Western Himalayas, India Clinical Phytoscience Medicinal plants Riparian vegetation Tribal people Himachal Pradesh |
| title | Ethnobiological survey on medicinal plants used by gaddi and gujjar tribes of riparian region of Beas River of Himachal Pradesh in North Western Himalayas, India |
| title_full | Ethnobiological survey on medicinal plants used by gaddi and gujjar tribes of riparian region of Beas River of Himachal Pradesh in North Western Himalayas, India |
| title_fullStr | Ethnobiological survey on medicinal plants used by gaddi and gujjar tribes of riparian region of Beas River of Himachal Pradesh in North Western Himalayas, India |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ethnobiological survey on medicinal plants used by gaddi and gujjar tribes of riparian region of Beas River of Himachal Pradesh in North Western Himalayas, India |
| title_short | Ethnobiological survey on medicinal plants used by gaddi and gujjar tribes of riparian region of Beas River of Himachal Pradesh in North Western Himalayas, India |
| title_sort | ethnobiological survey on medicinal plants used by gaddi and gujjar tribes of riparian region of beas river of himachal pradesh in north western himalayas india |
| topic | Medicinal plants Riparian vegetation Tribal people Himachal Pradesh |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40816-024-00388-5 |
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