World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE ON HEALTH CARE PRACTICES IN RURAL AREAS OF CHAMOLI DISTRICT IN UTTARAKHAND

*Dr Ashok Kumar Sahani

ABSTRACT

More than 80% of the human population in developing countries still depends on traditional medicines; mostly plant derived drugs, to meet their primary health care needs. Over 50,000 plant species are used for medicinal purposes worldwide out of which almost 13% are angiosperms. Two-third of the estimated medicinal species in use is still harvested from the wild, out of which 4,000- 10,000 species may now be endangered. Sixty five percent of the human population depends on traditional medicine where over 8000 plant species have been recorded as being used in traditional and modern medicines. The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), recognized for its rich biodiversity, supports about 18,440 plant species (i.e. 8,000 angiosperms, 44 gymnosperms, 600 pteridophytes, 1,737 bryophytes, 1,159 lichens and 6,900 fungi, of which over 1,748 species (Angiosperms 96.3%, Pteridophytes 3.0% and Gymnosperms 0.6%) are known for their medicinal value. The Garhwal Himalayan region has been regarded as veritable emporium largely medicinal plants. About 90% of wild plant species collected from sub-alpine and alpine regions of the Himalaya is used in various herbal industries. Uttarakhand contributes 50% of the total plants used by the medicine industry as per the British Pharmacopoea. WHO caters to 80%, 46% and 33%, demands for medicine in Ayurvedic, Unani and Allopathic systems, respectively and contributes a major share in the economic earnings of rural communities1. Among the Indian Himalayan states, the highest i.e. 964 species of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have been recorded in the state of Uttarakhand.

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