Ethno-medicinal survey of plants used by Magar (Kham) community, Rolpa district, Western Nepal Shanta Budha-Magar, Prabin Bhandari and Suresh Kumar Ghimire Research Key words: Rolpa district, Jaljala Mountain, Abstract Indigenous Uses, Quantitative ethnobotany, Use Value Index Background: Medicinal plants (MP) are the primary source of health care in developing countries like Nepal. Specially, indigenous people depend on MP Correspondence species for their basic livelihood. In this study, we 1 2 aimed to document MP species and assess their Shanta Budha-Magar *, Prabin Bhandari and 3 indigenous use among Magar (Kham) community in Suresh Kumar Ghimire Western Nepal. 1 City Campus, Auckland University of Technology, Methods: A list of MP species was prepared through Auckland, New Zealand 2 empirical ethnobotanical study and their indigenous State Key Laboratory of Systematics and use was assessed using a set of questionnaires. The Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, CAS 3 data collected was generalized for MP species Central Department of Botany, Tribhuvan diversity, use categories, and life forms. Informant University Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal consensus factor (Fic), Use Frequency (UF) and Use * Value (UV) were used to find the cultural importance Corresponding Author: [email protected] of MP species. Ethnobotany Research & Applications Results: We recorded 82 MP species, belonging to 19:18 (2020) 45 families and 75 genera of which nine species cited in Magar (Kham) community are Background ethnobotanically new to Nepal. Informant consensus The term “ethnobotany” was first given by John factor value was found to be high (1) for eight ailment Harshberger in 1896 to specify use of plants by categories; cancer, warts, pneumonia, dandruff, aboriginal people. It is the study of relationship frightening, anesthetic, skin disease, eye irritation between aboriginal society and their plant and leeches. Based on use value index, the most environment (Schults 1962). It is also defined as the important ethnomedicinal species were Bergenia science of people’s interaction with plants (Bennett ciliata, Swertia chirayta, Acorus calamus and 1996). It deals with the study of relationship of people Aconitum gammiei. with plants and the documentation of indigenous knowledge on how local plant resources are utilized Conclusions: This study provides complete by the ethnic groups or communities. The science of document of indigenous uses of MP species among ethnobotany includes the understanding of Magar (Kham) community of Thabang Rural knowledge system by using both the anthropological Municipality (RM), Rolpa district. Nine MP species and botanical approaches (Ford 1978; davis 1995). were reported with new uses for the first time in Nepal. There is further possibility of recording of new Traditional medicine has been the focus for the use reports in other villages adjoining to the present primary health care in Nepal and rest of the world studied Magar Kham community. The species with since time immemorial. It has been used in either high cultural values must be tested further for their explicably or inexplicably in diagnosis, prevention or pharmacological properties. elimination of a physical, mental or social disease Manuscript received: 22/12/2019 – Revised manuscript received: 21/02/2020 - Published: 26/02/2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.32859/era.19.18.1-29 Ethnobotany Research and Applications 2 based on past experiences or observation from with low importance in broad geographical region generation to generation (WHO 2011). MP species could be very important for the people of a small are main element in traditional system of healing in geographical region. Hence, quantitative data thus developing countries which have been an integral obtained can be used for macro scale comparison for part in history and cultural practices of people. In further study of both biological and cultural diversity countries like Nepal, they have been especially (Begossi 1996). valuable in the rural areas where majority (about 80%) of people depend for their primary health care In Nepal, both qualitative and quantitative (WHO 2011, UNEP 2012, Sathiyaraj et al. 2015). documentation on use of plants related to Traditionally, MP species are used as antidote to ethnomedicine were carried out by several botanists cure and prevent cuts, wounds, burns, allergies, after publication of a paper on medicinal and food insect/snake bites and other conditions such as plants of eastern Nepal by Banerji in 1955 fever, and eye irritation (Shrestha & dillion 2003, (Manandhar 2002). Some major studies worked out Mahato & Chaudhary 2005, Malla & Chhetri 2009). are; Manandhar 1985, 1986, 1990, 1993, 1995a, Furthermore, people use MP species in treatment of 1995b, 2002, Mahato & Chaudhary 2003, Shrestha illness such as cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal & Pradhan 1986, Shrestha et al. 1998, Ghimire et al. disorder and skin diseases (Heinrich & Gibbons 2000, Lama et al. 2001, Baral & Kurmi 2006, 2001, Rokaya et al. 2014, Kunwar et al 2014, Shrestha & dillion 2003, Mahato & Chaudhary 2005, Balaraju et al. 2015). Besides, people in rural areas Malla & Chhetri 2009, Uprety et al. 2010, Kunwar et harvest MP species for their economic subsistence al. 2013 and Singh et al. 2018. However, many too (Olsen 2003). communities in different parts of the country are still unexplored. Magar community mostly living in Moreover, MP species are the novel components Himalayas or mountains from east to west is one of and important sources of phytochemicals and the least explored community. Only few antioxidants for drug production in pharmaceutical ethnobotanical studies have been conducted among industries (Cunningham et al. 2008, Malla and this community in several parts of Nepal such as; Chhetri 2009, de Boer & Cotingting 2014). About Sapkota 2008, Ale et al. 2009, Acharya 2012, Thapa one-third of currently available drugs come from 2012 and Singh et al. 2018. Among Magar natural products that have a plant origin (Stroh community, Magar (Kham) community of Rolpa 2000). With an application of developing advance district is unmapped community regarding technology in biological activity for screening like ethnobotanical knowledge, which constitutes 44% of high throughput screening and chemical analysis, the district (CBS 2011). They are involved in there have increased interests of researchers agriculture and hence highly dependent on local towards naturally derived compounds. In this resources specially on MP for their basic health care scenario, ethnomedicinal plant survey and recording requirements. But, ethnobotanical study regarding their subsistence uses will definitely contribute to the their indigenous knowledge is almost nil. Therefore, identification of MP species (Albuquerque et al. we aimed to document indigenous knowledge of this 2013). On other hand, ethnomedicinal study community on use of medicinal plants in Rolpa analyzes the results of traditional use of plants district, Western Nepal. together with the cultural context in which the plants and plant parts are used and contribute by its various Materials and methods approaches to preserve, promote and conserve Study area indigenous knowledge (Alexiades 2003). This present study was conducted in ward one and two of Thabang RM in mid-mountain zone of Rolpa In documentation of indigenous knowledge and district western Nepal (Figure 1). The district is improvement of traditional compilation-style of surrounded by dang to South, Pyuthan to East, ethnobotanical studies, there has been increasing Rukum to North and Salyan to West. Geographically, incorporation of quantitative research methods in Rolpa lies between 28.80 to 28.380 N latitudes and data collection, processing, and interpretation 82.100 to 83.900 E longitudes with an elevation range (Hoffman & Gallaher 2007). One of such key of 700-3600 m asl (meter above sea level). However, components in quantitative research is relative present study Thabang RM lies between importance of plant taxa to different human groups. 28030’29.92” to 28023’52.92” N latitude and The relative importance such as use-value indices 82042’06.32” to 82044’43.73” E longitude and the are elaborated based on the agreement or elevation ranges from 2000 m to 3580 m asl. This disagreement in the use of plant species. This area is characterized by the monsoonal type of depends on the geographical focus of survey, vital climate (mean annual precipitation; 1569.7 mm). use of plant by informant number who mention its Mean annual maximum temperature (Tmax.) varies usefulness (Tardio & Santayana 2008). Thus, a plant from 19.600C to 35.12 0C and minimum temperature Ethnobotany Research and Applications 3 (Tmin.) varies from 5.300C to 22.86 0C (Source: inhabitants are Magar (Kham) people of Athȃra Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, GoN, magarȃt followed by occupational groups Kathmandu). This topographic and climatic variability (Bishowkarma and Nepali). Agriculture (animal in Jaljala Mountain area have created complex husbandry and crop production) is the main ecological gradients within a small area allowing a livelihood strategy adopted in the region. Besides great diversity of ecosystems; forests, grasslands or this, collection of Non-timber forest products meadows, and wetlands. This zone is characterized (NTFPs) including medicinal and aromatic plants is by typical assembles of both western and eastern other source of Magar (Kham) people’s income. Himalayan elements of flora and fauna. Main Figure 1.