Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

Vol. 28, Dec. Suppl Issue, 2022; Page No.(415-421)

ETHNO MEDICINAL PLANT WEALTH OF SAHARANPUR, UTTAR PRADESH: APPLICATION OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

Yogendra Kumar and A. K. Singh

Abstract

A floristic survey of ethnomedicinal plants occurring in the rural area of Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India was conducted during 2020-2021 to document important flora and information from local community about their medicinal uses. The indigenous knowledge of local traditional uses was collected through open interviews and group discussions with local people of study area during The field trips. The local inhabitants mostly depend upon their indigenous knowledge to treat their various health problems. People collect useful plants from their surrounding plant communities in wild, semi-wild and some are cultivated as well. A total of 83 plant species were collected, of which 56 plants of medicinal importance were documented along with botanical name, local name, family, habit, parts used and utilization as herbal remedies. These 56 plant species belongs to 44 genera and 28 families. The main objective of the study was to explore traditional knowledge regarding uses of these plants for various medicinal purposes by the rural people of this area from time immemorial. It is evident from The present investigation that the most widely used plant part was leaves, followed by root, seed, whole plant, fruit, bark, stem, wood and flower. These plants are widely used to treat various ailments such as diabetes, rheumatism, dysentery, fever, urinary infection, asthma, paralysis, elephantiasis, kidney stones, snake bite, tuberculosis, leprosy, syphilis, leucorrhoea, eye infection and skin disorders by the local people of the study area.