Ethnomedicinal uses of some plants in the Kashmir Himalaya

Recent re-emergence of herbal medicine along with the ever-escalating threats to biodiversity, and the intensifying biopiracy controversies, have necessitated for an urgent documentation of the traditional use(s) of bioresources. Thus, a survey was carried out in the far flung areas of the Kashmir Himalaya, to record the traditional healthcare remedies currently practiced by the local population. The survey, in addition to the precious ethnomedicinal information, recorded the important natural history details. These medicinal plant species dwell in a diverse array of habitats along an elevation range of 1300-4500 m (asl), spanning from valley plains to alpine peaks in the montane Himalayan region. The knowledge base obtained in the investigation, besides contributing in the documentation of treasure troves of cultural diversity, requires to be rigorously subjected to pharmachemical analysis in order to validate their authenticity and future prospects in the drug development, with due benefit-sharing with the primary stakeholders.

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