SERBD-International Journal of Multidisciplinary Sciences Volume 01 Issue 02, ISSN (Online): xxxx-xxxx July-Sept - 2018 A Comprehensive account of ethno-medicinal uses of monocot flora (reported from February–June)of Karwapani forest Doon valley-Uttarakhand Tawseef Ahmad Mir1*, Muatasim Jan2 and Sandeep Dhyani3 1,2,3Department of Botany, Uttaranchal (PG) College of Bio-medical Sciences and Hospital, Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Address:-SewlaKhurd, Transport Nagar, Dehradun, Uttarakhand-248002. e-mail: [email protected] Abstract: This paper is based on the results of an ethno-medicinal research conducted in Karwapani forest Doon valley, Uttarakhand. The survey was undertaken through frequent field visits, interviews and discussions with native tribal communities to collect information and documentation of these medicinal plants. During the course of study, 48 ethno-medicinally important plant species belonging to 08 different families were recorded with ethnomedicnal uses. The aim of the study was to gather the valuable information from the tribal people regarding the plants. Keywords : Ethnomedicine, Tribal people, Karwapani forest, Uttarakhand. INTRODUCTION Karwapani forest Uttarakhand which is some 13Km away There Man has always used the flora to alleviate common from the capital city Dehradun and forms the border line of sufferings and diseases. Demand for medicinal plants is the state (Figure 1). The forest is about 3-4sq.km and is increasing in both developing and developed countries. having a dense vegetation cover and is mainly dominated by About 80% of the world’s population rely on traditional oplismenus compositus. The area is located at 2250 ft. above health care system (Singh, 2002). The system of ethno- the sea level which is in the latitude 30˚2” to 30˚ 26” (N) and medicines is a safe and is a low cost therapy for treating Longitude 77˚52" to 78˚- 19" (E). The mean maximum various diseases and ailments. Ethno medicinal investigations temperature is 19.2°C to 36.6°C and mean minimum have led to the development of important drugs such as temperature is about 6.3°C to 23.2°C. reserpine, podophyllotaxin and vinblastine (Idu, 2009). Ethno-medicinal information on medicinal plants is useful METHODOLOGY not only in conservation of traditional cultures, but also for The present study was conducted during February to June community health care and drug development (Farooq et al., 2017 in the Karwapani forest region. The area was 2014). The tribal people use the plants in their unique ways exhaustively surveyed for this course of study. Usual mostly for the treatment of various diseases (Kumar et al., methods of collection, preservation and maintenance of 2015). There are various economic benefits from the specimens in herbarium were followed strictly (Joshi et al., development of indigenous medicine and the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various diseases 2014). A collection of plant species were made. After (Azaizehet al., 2003). As elsewhere, in India too, the collection, the specimens were processed, preserved, and medicinal use of plants has been practiced since the time mounted on herbarium sheets. Then the plants were identified immemorial by various rural and tribal communities through with the help of BSI (NRC) Dehradun (Table 1) and by the the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems (Gadgil, 1996). help of concerned floras (Gupta, 1969., Babu., 1977, and Medicinal plants still play a vital role in the primary health Gaur, 1999). Appropriate methodology was used to obtain care of the people (Akhtar et al., 2018).More than 2800 km the information about the medicinal uses of different plants long and 300 km wide Indian Himalayan region (IHR) is a from the local population. The information was obtained mega hotspot of biological diversity (Mayers, 2000). from the people by using the legal questionnaire. Herbal Uttarakhand which is famous for its medicinal plant diversity healers were mostly consulted during the course of study. lies in the western Himalayan region. 48 monocots belonging to 8 different families were reported by Mir et al., (2018) in Karwapani swamp forest in his survey of monocot flora. RESULTS During an ethnobotanical exploration in Karwapani swamp The present study shows that the Karwapani forest of forest, 54 plant species belonging to 29 Families were Doon valley, Utarrakhand is rich in useful medicinal plants. documented along with theirethnobotanical uses (Jan et al., During the course of study, a total of 48 medicinally 2018). Keeping into view the present scenario an effort was important plant species belonging to 8 different families were made to have a comprehensive account of monocot ethno- reported. The complete list of the plant species along with medicinal flora of Karwapani forest being used by the tribal their medicinal values encountered in the study area have community. been presented in the table-2. Poaceae (Grass family) was found to be used abundantly with (26-species), followed by MATERIALS AND METHODS Cyperaceae (12-species), Commelinaceae (4-species) Orchidaceae (2-species) shown in figure-2, and the rest were STUDY AREA found less dominant (figure-3). It was found that various Dehradun is in the Doon valley on the foothills of the parts of the plants are being used for the treatment of various Himalayas nestled between the river Ganges on the east and diseases like cough, fever, dysentery, diarrhea, ulcers, the river Yamuna on the west. The study was carried out in constipation, liver disorders and various other diseases. 22 https://www.serbdagra.com/serbd-ijms.html Life Sciences SERBD-International Journal of Multidisciplinary Sciences Volume 01 Issue 02, ISSN (Online): xxxx-xxxx July-Sept - 2018 Figure 2: Dominant families being used. Figure 1: Map Showing the Study Area. Figure 3: Less dominant families being used. CONCLUSIONS [3] Gadgil M., (1996). Documenting diversity; an Keeping in view the high cost and various side effects of experiment. Curr Sci. 70(1):36. allopathic medicines, the use of the medicinal plants for the [4] Gaur R.D., (1999). Flora of District Garhwal with treatment of different ailments plays a significant role in ethno-botanical notes. Transmedia Publications. Media meeting the primary health care of the rural communities of House., Srinagar Garhwal. Karwapani area of Doon valley, Uttarakhand. Since the local [5] Idu Mc-D., (2009). Current trends in ethnobotany. Trop. population depends on the forests as a result most of the plant J. Pharmaceut. Res. 8 (4): 295-296. species are being used extensively and are therefore [6] Joshi B., Chandra J., Rakesh K., (2014). The Role of overharvested. This shrinking population of some plant Medicinal Plants in Livelihood Improvement in species due to extensive use is a great matter of concern as Uttarakhand. International Journal of Herbal Medicine. plants form the backbone of our traditional medicinal system. 1(6): 55-58. Therefore there is a great need to speedily document the [7] Kanjilal U and Gupta B.L., (1969). Forest Flora of valuable information of medicinal plants andto take Chakrata, Dehradun and Saharanpur Forest Divisions, immediate steps for the conservation of the same for the Uttar Pradesh. Manager of Publications Delhi. Printed benefit of mankind. at FRI press, P.L.O. FRI&C, Dehradun. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS [8] Kumar N., Wani Z.A., Dhyani S.,(2015).Ethnobotanical study of the plants used by the local people of Gulmarg We are highly thankful to the local tribal community of and its allied areas. Int. J. Curr. Res. Biosci. Plant Biol. Karwapani area of Doon valley, Uttarakhand for their help in 2 (9): 16-23. our data collection regarding the medicinal plants. We are [9] Mayers N., (2000). Biodiversity hotspots for also highly grateful to Botanical Survey of India (NRC), conservation priorities. Nature. 403:853-858. Dehradun, for identifying some of our plant specimens. [10] Singh J.S.,(2002). The bio-diversity crises; a multifaceted review. Curr. Sci. 82(6):638. CONFLICT OF INTEREST [11] Mir T.A., Dhyani S., Jan M.,(2018). Taxonomic evaluation of monocot flora in Karwapani swamp There is not any kind of conflict of interest between the forest, Dehradun, Uttrakhand. Indian forester. 144 (3): authors. 260-263. [12] Jan M., Dhyani S., Mir T.A.,(2018). Ethnobotanical REFERENCES Studies of Some Common Plants of KarwaPani, Sub- [1] Azaizeh H., Fulder S., Khalil K., Said O.,(2003). Tropical Forest, Doon Valley, Uttarakhand. Int. J. of Ethnomedicinal knowledge of local Arab Practitioners Curr. Trends in Sci. and Tech. 8 (04): 20288-20294. in the Middle East Region.Fitoterapia. 74:98–108. [13] Akhtar R., Mir T.A., Showkat S., (2018). [2] Babu C.R., (1977). The Herbaceous Flora of Dehradun, Ethnomedicinal observations among the inhabitants of CSIR, Delhi. sarfnaar area of Shiekhpora-Kreeri, Baramulla, Jammu Farooq A.G., Saggoo M.I.S., Dar M.A., (2014). and Kashmir. Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies. 6(3): Ethnobotany of some selected Monochlamydeae plant 78-81. species from the Kashmir Himalayas. India. Med. Plants Res. 8 (23): 834-839. 23 https://www.serbdagra.com/serbd-ijms.html Life Sciences SERBD-International Journal of Multidisciplinary Sciences Volume 01 Issue 02, ISSN (Online): xxxx-xxxx July-Sept - 2018 Table 1: Species of plants identified by Botanical survey of India (NRC) with their accession number. S. No Botanical name Family Accession no. 1 Apluda mutica L. Poaceae 117768 2 Cyperus rotundus L. Cyperaceae 117764 3 Echinocloa colona (L.) Link Poaceae 117767 4 Eragrostis gangetica (Roxb.) Steud. Poaceae 117765/70 5 Fimbristylis bisumbellata (Forssk.) Bubani. Cyperaceae 117771 6 Phalaris minor Retz. Poaceae 117766 Table 2:List of monocot medicinal plants used against various human ailments. S.no Botanical name Common Name Part Used Common uses (Family) 1 Apluda mutica L. Mauritian grass Whole plant Used as disinfectant and for healing (Poaceae) minor wounds. 2 Arundo donax L. Giant reed Roots It is used as diaphoretic, emollient, (Poaceae) diuretic and for headache.