Medico-ethnobotanical investigations in Parbat district of Western Nepal

The aim of present research was to record the indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants of Parbat district, Nepal. Field trips were arranged to collect the plants and ethnobotanical information from the study area during 2011 to 2012. The paper dealt with ethnobotanical plants along with their local names, parts and ethnomedicinal uses prescribed by ethnic tribes Gurung, Magar and Majhi of the district. A total of 61 plant species belonging to 59 genera and 43 families had been used by the local tribes for curing various human diseases. The plant specimens were also collected dried, pressed, mounted on herbarium sheets and deposited to the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kathmandu University. The investigation provided immense scope for the active principle analysis and clinical studies of these ethnomedicinal plants for future drug development.


INTRODUCTION
In Nepal, there are about 8.4 million indigenous nationalities of different groups inhabiting various terrains.These indigenous people possess their own culture, religious rites and rich traditional medicine practices.Those ethnic people residing in different geographical belts of Nepal depends on wild plants to meet their basic requirements and all the ethnic communities have their own pool of secret ethnomedicinal and ethnopharmacological knowledge about the plants available in their surroundings (Bhattarai et al., 2006a;Ghimire and Bastakoti, 2009;Joshi et al., 2011;Kunwar et al., 2009;Manandhar, 2002;Shrestha and Dhillion, 2003;Acharya and Acharya, 2009;Bhattarai et al., 2009;Rokaya et al., 2010;Uprety et al., 2010;Panthi and Chaudhary, 2003) which has been serving rural people with its superiority.
Due to changing life style, extreme secrecy of traditional healers and negligence of youngsters, the practice and dependence of ethnic societies in folk medicines is in rapid decline globally, therefore, ethnobotanical exploitation and documentation of indigenous knowledge about the usefulness of such a vast pool of genetic resources is deliberately needed (Bussmann and Sharon, 2006;Behera and Mishra, 2005;Rajkumar and Shivanna, 2010;Saikia et al., 2006;Rana et al., 2010).Traditional medicine in Nepal comprises those practices based on beliefs that were in existence often for hundreds to thousands of years before the development and spread of modern medicine, and which are still in use today (Hamilton and Radford, 2007).Long ago, there is a common practice of using plants in traditional medicine in Nepal, because it is not only easily available, but also affordable to the rural people (Manandhar, 1998).According to WHO (2001), 80% of the world population or roughly two thirds of the world's population, rely almost exclusively on traditional medicines using natural substances mostly derived from plants in the treatment of diseases.Approximately 90% of the Nepalese people reside in rural areas where access to government health care facilities is lacking (Bhattarai, 1998).
Investigation and documenting traditional knowledge through the ethnobiological approach is important for highly valuable medicinal plant conservation and sustainable resource use (Gemedo-Dalle et al., 2005).Targeted based studies with concentration on mechanism of action, effective dose and bioavailability mechanisms need to be conducted in future to explore medicinal potential of these plants so that the ill ethnic groups get maximum benefits from traditional medicinal system.Such scientific investigations are the baseline information for appropriate use of native medicinal plant species for drug development to cure various diseases (Cox and Balick, 1996;Flaster, 1996).Numerous studies on ethnomedicinal plants of Nepal have been conducted in the past by the Nepalese and foreign researcher.In the present study, some plant species used by three ethnic groups of Parbat to cure various human diseases are enumerated.As such, the present study was carried out to fill the gap of knowledge in this field of vital importance.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was undertaken during 2011and 2012 in the different localities of Parbat to survey the information on ethnomedicinal uses of plants growing in this region (Figure 1).Regular monthly visits were made to eleven different Village Developmental Committees (VDCs) of Parbat district for collecting ethnomedicinal information in particular.In this context, herbalist, senior knowledgeable men and women were interviewed for recording the ethnobotanical data.Local names and medicinal uses were documented critically.The herbarium specimens were made accordingly (Jain and Rao, 1997) and identified with the help of Flora of Nepal (Hara, 1966).Voucher specimens were deposited at the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Nepal.

Study area
Parbat, a hilly district situated in the Dhaulagiri zone of Western Nepal.It lies between 27° 58' N to 28° 39' N latitudes and 83° 34' E to 83° 59' E longitudes geographical limits in 536.86 km 2 area at altitudinal variation from 520 to 3309 m.Headquarter of the district is Kushma.The political boundaries of the district extend in the east to Syanga and Kaski districts; Baglung, Myagdi and Gulmi districts in the west; Myagdi and Kaski districts in the north and Syanja and Gulmi districts in the south (Figure 1).It has sub-tropical, temperate and sub-alpine monsoon type of climate with maximum temperature beyond 35°C during summer (May to June) and below 7.0°C during winter (December to January) and the northern part is moister, due to high rainfall and southern part is dry due to low rainfall.The average annual rainfall is 1950 ml.The major caste of the district is Brahmin (38.48%) followed by Chhetri (16.01%) and other major tribes inhabiting in this area are Gurung, Magar, Newar, Thakali, Kumal, Majhi, Bote, Puri, Snayasi, Tolange, Biswakarma, Pariyar, etc.For the present study only three ethnic groups are investigated, namely, Gurung, Magar and Majhi.In Parbat district, beside agriculture, animal husbandry is the main occupation of the tribal communities due to excess availability of fodders.Goats, cows, bulls, buffaloes and sheep are the main cattle of the local people in the district.Geographically, forest is divided into conifer forest (10.5%), broad leaved forest (69.5%), shrub forest (7%) and mixed forest (13%).It is traversed by two big rivers Kaligandaki and Modi as well as other rivulets, streams and streamlets, such as, Lungdi khola, Panyu khola, Luwa khola, etc.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The first hand information on the ethnomedicinal plants Malla et al. 97 used by the three ethnic tribes; Gurung, Magar and Majhi were arranged alphabetically by genus and species name (Table 1).A total of 61 plant species belonging to 59 genera in 43 families have been found to be used by the ethnic tribes for curing various human diseases (Plates 1 and 2).Out of the sixty one plant species, 31% were herbs, 26% were shrubs, 38% were trees and 5% were climbers (Figure 2).
Based on the surveyed ethnomedicinal data, a total of 61 plant species belonging to 59 genera under 43 families were used by different ethnic groups, the Gurung, Magar and Majhi of Parbat district.The present exploration provides ample information to believe that traditional medicinal practice of using the native medicinal plant is shown in the area.The traditional knowledge of the tribal people of Parbat district has tremendous ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal importance.They commonly use plants and their parts such as roots, rhizomes, tubers, leaves, stem, wood, bark, flowers, seeds, and fruits in various purposes in their daily life.Several interesting observations were made during the course of the survey.Some of the plants used by the tribe have already been reported to have medicinal values.Furthermore, the uses of some plants are same as used by certain other ethnic groups of Nepal (Mahato and Chaudhary, 2005;Kunwar et al., 2006;Kunwar et al. 2010;Bhattarai et al., 2010).It is evident from the present study that the tribal communities are dependent on a variety of plants to meet their requirements and beliefs to cure various diseases.The different plant parts are used for medicinal preparation, mode of administration, dosage and other human consumption.In some cases, the whole plant parts are utilized only for medicinal purposes.Study revealed that a total of 47 human diseases are cured using different plant parts by the tribal people in Parbat district.The plant parts are generally used to cure some important diseases, namely, diarrhoea, dysentery, asthma, fever, stomach disorder, cuts and wounds, sore throat, rheumatism, blood pressure, urinary problems, ear diseases, headache, cough and cold, hypertension, venereal disease, scorpion bites, paralysis, blood pressure, diabetes, eczema, bone fracture, constipation and piles.The elder ethnic people are more familiar with the plant species and their use for common ailments, and the plant remedies being used regularly.Majorities of young generation do not know many plants and their medicinal values.Only a few younger ones followed the medicinal practices and traditional knowledge by the elders and healers as in the other areas of Nepal (Joshi and Edington, 1990;Shrestha and Dhillion, 2003;Malla and Chhetri, 2012).Scientific cultivation, conservation and sustainable use of plant species by ethnic communities would be highly advantageous for socioeconomic growth, in conservation of rare and endangered plant species and the indigenous knowledge for the future generations.Reported medicinal plants are

Conclusion
This study showed that the study area has ethnomedici-nal plants used to treat wide variety of human ailments.According to the tribal communities and their traditional practices, majority of the ethomedicinal plants are selected for the treatment of human ailments.The tribal people used medicinal plants in the treatment of some very common diseases such as indigestion, diarrhoea and dysentery, muscular swelling, fever, scabies, ear Plant juice of about eight teaspoon is used to cure indigestion.Paste of the plant is used for the treatment of bleeding from nose and wounds.Leaves are used in many rituals.

Loranthaceae Aijeru (N) Bajung
Bark juice is used for treating asthma, tuberculosis, menstrual disorders and swelling.Paste of the fruits is applied to set dislocated bones.
Diploknema butyracea (Roxb.)Lam Malla-0363 Sapotaceae Chyauree, Chyuri (N, M), Sarthan Ripen fruits are taken as sources of vitamin.Bark juice about four teaspoon is given to cure indigestion.Fruits are used to make alcoholic beverage.Flowers are very useful for bees to make honey and leaves are looped for fodder.Juice of the root about 3 teaspoons twice a day is given to treat diarrhoea and dysentery.A decoction of the plant is also given to domestic animals when they eat poisonous plants.Juice of the leaves is applied to treat scabies.Ripe fruits are eaten fresh.

Chitre
Leaves are ground and taken for relief gastric disorder.The fresh ripe fruits are eaten and sold in the market.Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn.Malla-0370 Sapindaceae Reetha (N), Jharlyang (M) Ranipani Seeds are ground and used as detergent to washing cloths and hair.The lather of the fruits is used to treat burns.The bark is ground and taken for relief fever, cholera and stomach disorder.Fruits are chewed in toothache and stomachic.Fruits are widely used for making pickles.Fruits and thorns are used for fish poisoning (Majhi).
ache, cuts and wounds, peptic ulcer and backache.Thus, it is necessary to acquire and preserves this traditional system of medicine by proper documentation and identification of plant species.This traditional knowledge on the indigenous uses of the medicinal plants could boost new innovations in the pharmaceutical industries and have many beneficial applications such as new medicinal trails for some pernicious diseases like cancer and AIDS.

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. Percentage distribution of plants species according to habit.

Table 1 .
Information on ethnomedicinal plants used by ethnic tribes of Parbat district Nepal.

Table 1 .
Contd.Bark is crushed and made juice to cure muscular swellings caused by external injury of cattle's.Barks and young leaves are used to make alcoholic beverage.Leaf juice is used to treat throat problems.Fresh ripe fruits are eaten.Powder of leaves is smoked in case of cold.

Table 1 .
Contd. is used for treatment of cough, dysentery and diarrhoea.The petals are eaten raw to get relief from menstrual disorders and are chewed in case of a fish bone is stuck in the neck.Petals are used to prepare alcoholic beverage.tomake juice and used to treat diarrhoea, blood dysentery and paralysis.A past of the fruits is applied to treat swelling and wounds.Fruits are chewed in case of stomachache and as appetizer.Rubia manjith Roxb.exFlem.Juice of the leaves about 4 teaspoons three times a day is given to treat urinary problem and diabetes.A paste of the stem is applied to scorpion bites.The root is used for reddish dye.Rubus ellipticus Sm.Malla-0374 Rosaceae