Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(2): 257-269

International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 8 Number 02 (2019) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com

Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2019.802.031

Studies on Some Medicinal Plants of Suru Valley of Used in Sowa-Rigpa System of Medicine

Rigzin Angmo*, Padma Gurmet, Tsewang Dolma, Tashi Stobgais, Tsering Angdus, Sonam Dawa and Stanzin Kunphel

National Research Institute for Sowa-Rigpa (NRIS-) (Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of AYUSH Govt. of India), Leh-194101, Inidia

*Corresponding author

ABSTRACT

K e yw or ds The present study reveals that Suru valley is rich in medicinal flora. The traditional knowledge on native plants species indicates the Sowa-Rigpa (Amchi) system of Suru, Medicinal medicine which has been the traditional medicine of this region. Sowa-Rigpa has been plant, Shia, temperate, Sowa- the only medical system prevalent for centuries in the entire Ladakh region and Suru

Rigpa valley has been known f or its rich medicinal wealth since ages. Though the inhabitant

of this regions are follower of Shia sect of Islam known as Balti schedule tribe but the

Article Info people have great respect and believe in Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine for treating

Accepted: various diseases. The flora of Suru valley is a mixture of temperate as well as of alpine 04 January 2019 desert vegetation it is known for its rich medicinal plants wealth. The present study Available Online: attempts to study 33 medicinal plants of Suru valley used in Sowa-rigpa system of 10 February 2019 medicine.

Introduction region and the soil quality is also fertile. The valley’s most significant town is . The Suru valley is one of the most beautiful other places in this valley are Sanku, Paskum. regions of Ladakh. It stretches between 33° Batalic, Shakar-Chiktan, Panikhar, Mulbekh, 55’ N to 34°17’N latitudes and 75°57’E to Bodhkharbu, etc. The majority of inhabitants 76°21’longitude. It lies in northeastern of this valley are known as Baltis which were foothills of the great Himalayas. The average follower of Shia-sect of Islam followed by altitude of the valley is 3000 m. In general few Sunni populations. The people of this topography of the valley is rugged and valley are mostly depending on Agriculture mountainous with extremely irregular for livelihood. According to a survey boundaries. The valley is bounded on the conducted by Tribal Health Care Research north-west with Drass and on north-east with Project on Ministry of AYUSH by the . The summer seasons are longer and National Research Institute for Sowa-Rigpa warmer as compare to other valleys of Ladakh the population of these regions has prevalence 257

Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2019) 8(2): 257-269 of disease like arthritis, digestive disorders, time combination of various plants and are pulmonary problem, skin diseases and rarely made up of single plant and most often hypertension etc. Within a few kilometers it is a combination of 3 to 40 ingredients apart from Sanku there is giant rock cut statue (Samant et al., 2001, Phunstog, 2006). of Maitreya Buddha which is 23ft signifies that long time back Buddhism was prevalent Gradually traditional medicine has gained in this region. Majority of people know little considerable impetus in western countries due about the indigenous uses of the plants but to the growing awareness about the side effect Amchis are well aware of medicinal plants of of allopathic medicine (Kala 2000; 2005; the area. The local people largely depends on Olsen and Larsen, 2003). The consumption of traditional medicinal for the health care. herbal medicine is widespread and increasing in recent years and approximately 80% of the The flora of this valley is a mixture of people in developing countries depend on temperate as well as of alpine desert traditional medicine for primary health care vegetation it is known for valuable medicinal (Farnsworth et al., 1985; Dhyani and Kala, plants like Podophyllum hexandrum, 2005; Kala et al, 2006). The global market for Aconitum heterophyllum, Dactylorhiza herbal medicine is estimated to be worth US hatagirea etc. Suru valley is also known for $800 billion a year (Rajasekharan and good production of apricot. Even plantation of Ganeshan 2002; Raven, 1998; Kuniyal, willow and poplar trees made this region 2005). India is one of the leading countries in relatively lush and attractive. The white Asia in terms of wealth of medicinal plants. topped mountain peaks of the Nun (7135m) Kun (7090m) massif topping 7000m are Materials and Methods visible from several places in the valley. Due to comparatively lower altitude most of the Ethno-botanical survey and collection were areas of Suru valley are double cropped. done during the summer month. Collection was done all along the road sides, passes, hills In the present investigation ethno-medico as well as along the river beds. A total of 61 botanical survey of Suru valley has been medicinal plants species were collected out of undertaken in which out of 61 plant species which 33 plants of medicinal uses were collected detail study of thirty three medicinal identified with the help of available literature, plants are presented. at the same time ethno-botanical information were gathered from the local people, shepherd Herbal treasure and same were verified through various like Amchis, literature and old aged people. It is well known that Himalaya is considered Herbarium and field notes are prepared and as treasure house of medicinal plants since the kept at National Research Institute for Sowa- time immemorial. The people of Ladakh Rigpa- Leh. region still prefer herbal prescription based on traditional system of medicine known as Results and Discussion Sowa-Rigpa or Amchis system and practitioners of this medicine are popularly Observation known as Aba in Suru valley. Amchis used has been collecting medicinal plant from Suru Thirty three medicinal plants which were areas and it is one of the medicinal plants hot collected are arranged in alphabetical order spot of Ladakh region (Samal et al., 2004; providing information on their families (Table Kaul, 1997). The medicine are most of the 1 and Fig. 1). 258

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Table.1

Botanical Sowa- Family Habitat Botanical feature Part Sowa-rigpa uses name rigpa use name Aconitum Bong-dkar Ranunculaceae Moist places An erect perennial herb, stem Roots It treats arthritis, gout, swelling heterophyllum and in open branched, roots are tuberous and pain and inflammation, body pain, field leaves are ovate heart shaped to lymph fluid diseases, intestinal round blade. Lower leaves are worms, cardiac diseases, leprosy deeply lobed, long stalked and and paralysis etc. flowers are large, greenish purple usually in spike like clusters.

Arctium lappa Byi- Asteraceae Commonly A tall coarse herb, stems are much Roots It treats kidney diseases, urinary bzyung found in dry branched; leaves are petiole, ovate- bladder cysts, tumors in uterus, and wet cordate. Flower heads are terminal cancer, nerve disorders. Roots are places and hooked. especially used for cancer and tumors. Artemesia Mkhan- Asteraceae Dry and stony A much branched highly aromatic Leaves A leave extract is used against brevifolia dkar slopes and perennial plant. Leaves are ovate, stomach complaints, digestion, along the stalked, dissected into linear blunt seeds are considered to be useful roadsides segments. Flower heads are small, against obesity they also reduce fat yellowish to reddish in auxiliary deposition in stomach. cluster of spike. Artemisia Tsar-bong Asteraceae Dry and A perennial herb flower heads Leaves The extract of leaves and flowers dracunculus sandy areas racemose, panicle globose. Leaves is useful in stomach complaints. are trifed at the points, lanceolate. Stems are erect and branched. Anaphalis Ta-wa Compositae Open slopes Dwarf usually tufted woolly haired Leaves, It treats epidemic fever, antidote trilinervis perennial herb. Leaves narrow- stems, against poisons, bleeding and lanceolate, white woolly. Flowers flowers swelling. white in color, solitary or few borne and on an erect stem. fruits 259

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Cremanthodiu Ming- Asteraceae Open slopes It is a perennial herb of about 25 to Leaves, It is used for diphtheria, m ellisii chan- and rocks 40 cm tall with numerous long roots flower, inflammation muscular tissue, nagpo which look like spitted tendons. trunks infectious diseases including cold, Basal leaves are broad sword shaped and inflammation and act as antidote with their petioles flattened at the fruits for poisoning. base. Unevenly lobed, slightly thick and green in colour with light purplish base about 1 to 4.5cm wide and 20 to 30cm long including petiole. Codonopsis Klu-bdud- Campanulaceae Cultivated A sweet scented sub-erect hairy Leaves, It treats the arthritis, gout, ovate rdo-rje fields, moist perennial herb. Stem are much trunks, rheumatism, elephantiasis, leprosy, places and branched, covered with glandular flower nerves disorder, stiffening of alpine slopes. hairs. Leaves are compound, flowers and ligaments and tendons, joints are cream in color with mild fruits pains, planetary diseases, evil and fragrance and hooked spurs. spirits diseases Clematis E-mong Ranunculaceae Cultivated A woody perennial climber. Leaves Leaves, Treats indigestion, loss of vernayi Nakpo areas are pinnate, lanceolate-ovate leaflet flowers digestive heat, badkan and long lobed, long stalked. Flower dull and related growth or tumours and reddish yellowish green with broad fruits various other types of tumours and blunt spreading petals which are pus related problems. densely hairy inside and hairless outside. Carum carvi Go-Snyod Apiaceae Cultivated An annual or biennial glabrous herb Fruit The fruits and seeds are used as fields with procumbent or erect stem, 30- febrifuge, improve eye vision, 60cm. Leaves bi-pinnately dissected, digestive. It is useful for hot linear, bracteates with white pink disorders, weak eye sight, flowers, leaflet ovate, dentate lobes. ingestion and poisoning.

Cynoglossum Nad-ma Boraginaceae Dry Alpine An erect biennial herb. Stem are Leaves, The whole plant is used against wallichii Byar-ma slopes solitary. Basal leaves are petiolate, flowers, vomiting. lanceolate to obovate, lower cauline trunks leaves usually longer and broader and

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than basal ones. Flowers pale to fruits deep blue.

Capsella So-ka-pa Brassicaceae Found in A small annual herb. Stem 15-20cm Fruits It stops vomiting and restore bursa- pasttoris loamy soils, long. Leaves shortly stalked, kidney functions, bronchitis, nerve pastures, cauline, linear, sessile small. disorders, obstruction of urine and gardens and Flowers white, pedicle on long stops bleeding. abandoned corymbs. Fruits silque glabrous lands seeds numerous ellipsoid oblong punctuate Dactylorhiza Wang- Orchidaceae Common A tuberous perennial herb. Stem tall Roots Tubers are astringent, expectorant, hatagirea bolak-pa along damp upto 80cm. Flower spotted purple used as nerving tonic. Roots yield places arranged in densed spike. Sepals and mucilage with water and form a petals are nearly equal. Lower bracts jelly which is nutritious and useful are longer than the flower. in diarrhoea, dysentery and chronic fever. It has been used by the locals in the treatment of kidney complaints.

Delphinium Cha- Ranunculaceae Snow melts An erect, glabrous, perennial herb. Leaves, It treats dysentery, diarrhoea with cashmirianum rkyang alpine slopes Stems are hairy, branched and leaves trunks, bleeding, inflammation, wounds, are deeply lobed. Flowers are bluish- flowers lymph fluids. purple with short spur in terminal and racemes, long stalked. fruits Datura Dha-du-ra Solanaceae Cultivated A strong smelling hairless annual Flower It treats various kinds of stramonium areas, with few large erect white narrow and pathogenic diseases like sinusitis, wasteland and funnel shaped flower with ovate fruits tooth, head and any other diseases often on poor coarsely lobed or toothed leaves. associated with micro-organisms, soil in sunny Capsule ovoid 4-valved covered lymph fluid in limbs, severe pain places and with shape slender spikes and with in stomach, diarrhoea etc. Whereas along the road the enlarged base of the calyx the flower possesses anaesthetic sides. below. property. This plant has medicinal use similar to that of the plant

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Hysocymus niger (Henbane), it is especially effective in treating decayed teeth caused by bacteria. Geranium Le-gha-dur Geraniaceae Wet slopes An erect perennial herb, flower Roots It treats contagious fever, fever of wallichianum and along paired rose to red purple. Plant lungs, spleen, poisonous, swelling road sides readily distinguished by its large limbs and also to reduce pain and ovate often coloured stipules. Sepals inflammation. bristly haired on veins stamen filament 5-7 mm and leaves mostly 4-8cm. Gentiana sps. Ke-lche Gentianaceae Wet and An annual herb, leaves are Roots Roots are used in preparation of marshy areas numerous, weak and little divided, health tonic. cauline leaves are small ovate. Flowers are blue in color. Heracleum Tu-dkar Apiaceae Rocky and A tall perennial herb, stem upto Roots It treats bleeding, skin diseases, pinnatum dry slopes 100cm, branched while pubescent. and tumors, inflammation, pain caused Leaves are large pinnate with 1-3 fruits by vulnerable fever. Abdominal pairs of widely space small ovate cramps caused by intestinal leaflet. Flowers are white in color. worms, internal cancer and leprosy. It seed is particularly beneficial in treating wind (rlung) disorders and relieving pain. Hippophae Tsarmang Elaeagnaceae River belt and A dwarf thorny perennial shrub tree, Fruits It treats pulmonary diseases, rhamnoides or Sasta- wasteland stems are woody, erect, along with blockish blood vessel, blood cysts, lu-lu silvery waxy covering on the old gynaecological blood tumors, shoots. Leaves are variable, oblong blood circulation, high altitude blunt to green above and silvery diseases and phlegm (Bad-kan) scaly on both sides. Flowers are diseases. small greenish or yellowish. Male in clusters female dull yellow, short stalked. Fruits sub globose, orange or red.

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Inula Manu Asteraceae On moist A small prostrate annual or Roots The dried roots used against cold, racemosa slopes perennial herb, leaves pressed to the cough and chest pain. ground. Flowers heads many, yellow, densely clustered at the centre, ray florets are yellow. Lancea tibetica Spa-yak- Scrophulariaceae Moist places A small stem less herb, leaves are Roots, It treats various kinds of lungs rtsa-ba oblong ovate to spathulate with blue flowers, diseases like pulmonary diseases, flower. Fruits enriched by persistent leaves diphtheria, lungs inflammation, enlarged calyx. and cardiac diseases, amenorrhea, fruits blood tumours, wounds, large intestine tumors. Mentha Pho-lo-ling Lamiaceae Along the An erect aromatic perennial herb, Leaves It treats purgation phlegm (Bad- longifolia water stems are hairy, delicate much kan) diseases, cancer, swelling and channels and branched. Leaves are sessile ovate indigestion. moist place toothed round to kidney shaped. Flower is tiny lilac borne on terminal spikes. Nepeta clarkei Che-ruk Lamiaceae Open dry A low spreading erect aromatic Leaves The whole plant is useful against clumps perennial herb, stem branched septic wounds. reaching up to 60 cm high. Leaves ovate to lanceolate, flower blue with pales lower lip and a slender corolla tube borne in dense widely spaced whorls and forming terminal spikes of 8-15cm long. Physochlaina Lang- Solanaceae Along road An erect leafy perennial robust herb, Seeds It treats bacterial diseases, praelata thang sides stem grooved 40-100cm. Leaves are diphtheria, serous fluid, severe petioled ovate-oblong, entire or pain, disorders caused by micro- wavy margin. Flower dull yellow organisms, sinusitis, subsides pain funnel shaped in terminal clusters. caused by pathogens in the gastro- centric region, inflammation.

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Podophyllum Olmose Berberidaceae Cultivated A perennial herb, stem modified into Fruits The entire plant is used for hexandrum fields underground rhizomes. Leaves 2 gynaecological diseases like blade rounded in outline deeply cut menstrual irregularity, disease of into 3 ovate toothed lobes, uterus and improves rlung and sometimes further lobed. Flowers blood circulation, helps in delivery are solitary, terminal white or pink, of baby and placenta. The roots are cup shape. Fruits are large, scarlet or used against skin problems. The reddish berry. young and ripe fruits are edible and are useful against high altitude mountain sickness. Parnassia Dnyul-tik Parnassiaceae Damp sites on Readily distinguished by its solitary Leaves, This herb is used to treat various cabulica water white flower borne on a slender stem stems trigs-pa diseases and alleviate side channels with a singke stalk less clasping and effects caused by wrong ovate leaf arising from below the flowers medications. middle of the stem and with many basal leaves. Flowers are white in colour. Pedicularis Lugru- Scrophulariaceae Found on Erect perennial herb, leaves with Flowers It also treats bacterial diseases, punctata mug-po high meadow oblong, toothed lobes. Flowers are diphtheria, serous fluid, severe hills bright red or purplish pink with pain, disorders caused by micro- white throats in terminal clusters, organisms, sinusitis, subsides pain corolla tube is long. Upper lip caused by pathogens in the gastro- curved into bifid beak, lower lip enteric region, inflammation. broader, 3-lobed, lateral lobes broad rounded and mid lobe notching and in liver disorder, fever and headaches. Pisum sativum Sad-ma Fabaceae Found in A hairless glaucous climbing annual Flowers This plant is used in treating cultivated with large white auxilary flower or and irregular menstruation, nose areas. with standard lilac o red purple and fruits bleeding and ruptured blood with pinnate leaves ending in a vessels. branched tendril. Flower 1-3 borne on a stalk shorter than the

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subtending leaves. Leaves with 2-8 oval leaflets and larger and broader.

Ranuculus Chu-ruk- Ranunculaceae Moist places It is a submerged perennial herb, Leaves, The decoction of whole plant is tricuspis balak and fast leaves are much dissected. Flower stem, useful against diarrhoea. It is also moving water minute and yellow in colour, petals fruits used in fever by Amchis. widely spread. and flower Rumex Lhung-sho Polygonaceae Near water An erect, robust perennial herb. Whole The whole herb is used as patientia channels Stem upto 110 cm long and leaves plant febrifuge, heal wounds, purgative, are linear lanceolate, entire margin vermifuge and also this herb is petioled. Flowers are small, used against inflammation of yellowish green in spike like cluster lungs, constipation, influenza, forming a long compact wounds and skin diseases. inflorescence. Swertia Lchags-tig Gentianaceae Open moist It is perennial herb with stripped Leaves, The whole plant is considered to petiolata slopes tendon like yellow root with scarce stem be effective in fever and headache fibrous rootless and extremely bitter and and this plant is also use as tonic. taste. A few slender, short-lanceolate flowers Also effective for hot disorder of or oblong leaves grow from the base gall bladder, infectious fever and of stem. Flower white in color with wounds. 5 lingulate petals which are 3-5mm broad. Silene tenuis Lug-sug Caryophyllaceae Cultivated An erect herbaceous perennial herb Roots Treats nasal problems and hearing fields and with several erect branched stems defects. The roots are used as a found in hilly bearing terminal rather crowded detergent by the local people. slopes and in elongate clusters of dull purple, meadows brownish purple or yellowish brown flowers. Flowers petal with deep narrow lobes calyx cylindrical to narrow bell shaped. Leaves mostly linear to narrow lanceolate pointed usually 2-5cm.

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Taraxacum Khur- Asteraceae Along the It is a small herb, roots with milky Roots, Roots are used as diuretics, tonic officinale mong water channel latex. Leaves are stalk less long with flower, and as a blood purifier in human backward directed triangular tooth – leaves beings. The whole plants is used as edge lobes. Flowers are yellow in and fruit febrifuge, analgesic, hot disorder color of rLung, mKhris-pa, Badkan and blood, chronic fever, dyspepsia due to improper diet, gall bladder. Verbascum Yug-pa- Scrophulariaceae Wasteland A very distinctive tomentose Seeds Leaves and seeds are use for Thapsus gser-pcha perennial herb. Stem simple asthma and chest pain. Leaves and reaching upto 70-150cm high. seeds are smoked to cure breathing Flower golden yellow color. Corolla problem. The dried leaves are tubes are short with spreading lobes. smoked to relieve irritation of the upper respiratory tract and spasmodic cough.

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Fig.1 Pictures of some important medicinal plants of Suru valley of Ladakh region

Meconopsis aculeate Inula racemosa Gentiana sps.

Dactylorhiza hatagirea Codonopsis ovata Anaphilis triplinervis

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Aconitum heterophyllum Verbascum thapsus Lancea tibetica

Rheum emodi Podophyllum hexandrum Pedicularis punctata

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It is concluded that the present paper is an attempt Kuniyal, C.P., Rawat, Y.S., Oinam, S.S., Kuniyal, to document thirty three traditional medicinal J.C. Vishvakarma, S.C.R. 2005. Kuth plants growing around the Suru valley. The ethno- (Saussurea lappa) cultivation in the cold medicinal information gathers during the floristic desert environment of the Lahaul valley, survey are important to document and further northwestern Himalaya, India: arising systematic development of medicinal plants threats and need to revive socio-economic sector. If properly and scientifically develop the values. Biodiversity and Conservation medicinal plants sector, it has great economic 14:1035–1045. potential to uplift the economic condition of Olsen, C.S. and Larsen, H.O. 2003. Alpine farmers and local public in Suru valley. The medicinal plant trade and Himalayan authors are thankful to officers and staff members mountain livelihood strategies. The of National Research Institute for Sowa-rigpa, Geographical Journal:169:243. Leh for their help during the study and Central Phuntsog, T. 2006. Ancient Materia Medica: Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences and Sowa-Rigpa (Tibetan Science of healing). Ministry of AYUSH for funding the study. Rajshekhran, P.E. and Ganeshan, S. 2002. Conservation of medicinal plant References biodiversity-An Indian perspective. Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Dhyani, P.P. and Kala, C.P. 2005. Current Sciences 24: 132-147. research on medicinal plants: Five lesser Raven, P.H. 1998. Medicinal Plants: A Global known but valuable aspects. Current Heritage, Proceedings of the International Science 88:335-343. conference on medicinal plants for Farnsworth, N.R., Akerele, O., Bingel, A.S., survival. New Delhi: International Soejarto, D.D. and Guo, Z. 1985. Development Research Center; Medicinal Medicinal plants in therapy Bull World plants and global sustainability: The Health Organ 63(6): 965–981. canary in the coal mine; pp. 14–18. Kala, C.P. 2000. Status and conservation of rare Samal, P.K., Shah, A., Tiwari, S.C. and Agrawal, and endangered medicinal plant in the D.K. 2004. Indigenous health care Indian trans-Himalaya. Biological practices and their linkages with bio- Conservation 93:371–379. resource conservation and socio- Kala, C.P. 2005. Health traditions of Buddhist economic development in central community and role of Amchis in trans- Himalayan region of India. Indian Himalayan region of India. Current Journal of Traditional Knowledge 3:12– Science 89:1331–1338. 26. Kala, C.P., Dhyani, P.P. and Sajwan, B.S. 2006. Samant, S.S., Dhar, U. and Rawal, R.S. 2001. Developing the medicinal plants sector in Diversity and distribution of wild edible northern India: challenges and op plants of the Indian Himalaya. In: Pande portunities. Journal of Ethnobiology and PC, Samant SS, editor. Plant Diversity of Ethnomedicine 2: 32-41. the Himalaya. Nainital: Gyanodaya Kaul, M.K. 1997. Medicinal Plants of Prakashan; 421–482. and Ladakh. New Delhi: Indus Publishing Company.

How to cite this article:

Rigzin Angmo, Padma Gurmet, Tsewang Dolma, Tashi Stobgais, Tsering Angdus, Sonam Dawa and Stanzin Kunphel. 2019. Studies on Some Medicinal Plants of Suru Valley of Ladakh Used in Sowa- Rigpa System of Medicine. Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci. 8(02): 257-269. doi: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2019.802.031

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