Ethnomedicinal Practices and Conservation Status of Medicinal Plants of North Kashmir Himalayas

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Description of the study area: Kashmir is one of the provinces of Jammu & Kashmir State located in the laps of Himalaya decorated with snow covered, silver-headed mountains, magical halcyon lakes and green grass lands. The study area falls under north Kashmir comprises of district Baramulla and Kupwara lies between 33⁰ 22' and 37⁰ 06' N latitude and 72⁰ 30' and 77⁰ 03' E longitude. The climate of the area is of Mediterranean type with four distinct seasons, viz., Spring (March-May), Summer (June-August), Autumn (September-November) and Winter (December-February). The monthly mean temperature ranges from -00.3°C in January to 30.4°C in August. Geologically, the mountains enclosing the area are comprised of complex crystalline rocks such as granite, genesis and schists and sedimentary rocks such as slates, phyllites and schists with embedded lime stone.

Survey, sampling and documentation of traditional knowledge: During 2003-2004, the ethno-medicinally important six areas/sites in each district: Baramulla (Tangmerg, Yarikheh, Buniyar, Shadara, Bonakote and Wanpora) and Kupwara (Kalaroce, Khurhama, Tangdhar, Keran, Jumgund and Budnamel) were selected for the study. The areas/sites were visited regularly for one year with special emphasis to the period of collection/extraction of medicinal plants during April to November. Professional herbalists (Hakeems), occasional practitioners and experienced established prescribers were approached, brought into confidence and interviewed. To avoid erroneous identification, knowledgeable persons and herbalists were taken to the forests to verify the plant samples. Questionnaire method was adopted to gather quantitative information about the medicinal plants and their utilization by the local peoples. The common name of the plant, medicinal uses and practices (mode of administration and dosages) were recorded for each claim. Each specimen having an accession number was identified with the help of local floras (Dhar and Kachroo, 1983; Sharma and Jamwal, 1998) and deposited in Herbarium section of Sheri Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Shalimar, Srinagar (J and K). This study was carried out to fulfill the partial requirement of the degree of Master of Science by the first author.

Conservation status of medicinal plants: The valuable information regarding plant abundance, distribution and localities of their maximum availability were collected from the local people especially from plant collectors of the area. This information was confirmed with regular field visits. Keeping some parameters in to consideration, personal observations including range of extent, area of occupancy, exploitation level, plant availability, habitat alternation, conservation efforts, plant part collection techniques, threats (pollution, urbanization, lack of awareness, deforestation, etc.) were also made in the field. Based on the above, these species were categorized into Critically endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU) and Rare (R) following IUCN criteria (IUCN, 1993). The plants which did not fall in these categories were considered as ‘Secure’ (S) in the study area.

Trade of medicinal plants: Collectors, Traders, Hakeems and Consumers were interviewed to understand the market chain of medicinal plants in the region

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Traditional uses and practices: A brief set of information including botanical name, local name, family, source of raw material, conservation status and traditional knowledge and practices (part used, mode of administration and dosages) of medicinal plants used by the inhabitants of north Kashmir is given in Table 1. A sum of eighty species (69 herbs (2 fungus), 7 shrubs and 2 trees) of medicinal plants representing 43 families and 72 genus were recorded. Lamiaceae (11 spp.), Asteraceae (9 spp.), Apiaceae (4 spp.), Rosaceae and Polygonaceae (3 spp. each) were dominant families and 29 families were monotypic. Adiantum, Artemisia, Chenopodium, Malva, Mentha, Plantago, Salvia and Viola (2 spp. each) were dominant genus.

Table 1:	Traditional knowledge and practices of medicinal plants used by the inhabitants of north-Kashmir Himalaya
Abbreviations used: W: Wild, C: Cultivated, H: Herb, S: Shrub, T: Tree, Fg: Fungus, CR: Critically Endangered, EN: Endangered, VU: Vulnerable, R: Rare, S: Secure, WP: Whole Plant RS: Root stock, WF: Whole fruiting body, BR: Bark of roots, ST: Stem, SE: Seeds, LE: Leaves, FL: Flowers, F: Fronds and FR: Fruits

Analysis of utilization pattern of these species indicates that the whole plant (43 spp.), root stock (16 spp.), leaves (4 spp.), flowers (4 spp.), stem (2 spp.), seeds (2 spp.), bark of roots (1 spp.) and fronds (1 spp.) have been used to cure various diseases. In some diseases, plant parts (7 spp.) are used in combination. Major diseases and conditions cured by these plants include “Hasub”, asthma, rheumatism, ulcer, diarrhea, poliomyelitis, chronic fever, stomach pain, abdominal pain, sterility in females, snake bite, dysentery, body swellings, boils, headache, burns, wounds, cough, allergies, eye diseases, general weakness, throat infection, etc. and some species as antiseptic, hair tonic and insecticides. The “Hasub” has been found to be the most prevalent disease among children at the age group of 1 month to 3 years old and is characterized by frequent diarrhea, with green stool. This disease is cured by 0.5-1mL extract of root of Inula racemosa which is taken once a day in alternate days till cure. According to local people, this disease is not cured by allopathic medicines and they are urged to resort to local herbalist. Poliomyelitis is another acute disease among the children of 2 to 5 years of age. The extract of roots and leaves of Sambucus wightiana are prepared and its 1-1.5 drops are given orally twice a day once a week. Likewise, asthma is the most prevalent disease among the adults which is cured by using the species like Angelica glauca, Althaea rosa, Atropa acuminata, Polygonum amplexicaulis, etc. Morchella esculenta is claimed to be used for back pain, rheumatism and as an anticancerous drug. The whole fruiting body of this fungus is dried in sunlight and then crushed into powder. The powder is mixed with oil or ghee and eggs without yolk to make a paste. Paste is rubbed over painful portion twice a day or 0.5-1mL of extract is taken once a day for 25-60 days. Besides above, one interesting claim for throat infection or swelling and chest congestion was recorded. In which, the flowers of Viola odorata and sugar are mixed in 1:3 ratios and kept in closed tin for 20-40 days. This is locally called as “Khambir”. Half spoon of “Khambir” is taken once a day mostly early in the morning. Some of the these claims are very similar to that reported by Sharma and Jamwal (1988), Bhattacharyya (1989), Kaul et al. (1995), Singh (1995), Kapur (1995), Sharma (1995), Lone (2003) from different part of Kashmir Himalayas.

Conservation status: In recent years, the demand of Indian medicinal plants has increased considerably at national and global markets. India is second largest volume exporter of raw herbal drugs to the global market (Lange, 1997). Keeping this in view, the country has planned to increase the trade of medicinal plant extracts to 3,000 Crores by year 2005 and 10,000 Crores by year 2010 (Bhattacharya and Mittra 2002). In fact, a huge volume of raw material of medicinal plants is required to meet this goal within stipulated time. For that, wild populations of medicinal plants have been targeted which are the main source of raw materials and only a minor fraction of the requirement is met from cultivation (Dhar et al., 2000). Of the total medicinal plants known worldwide, agrotechnology of about 1% and propagation protocol of <10% species is available so far (Lozoya, 1994; Khan and Khanum, 2000). The overharvesting or unsustainable manner of harvesting coupled with other biotic and abiotic factors have brought a sizeable number of medicinal plants to the brink of extinction (Nayar and Sastry, 1987, 1988, 1990) or facing various categories of threats (CAMP, 2003). The situation assumes more alarming with respect to the species endemic to Himalayan ecosystem and if lasts, they will lost from biological world itself. It is estimated that 4000 to 10,000 medicinal plant species might now be endangered at global level (Edwards, 2004). In the present study, it was noted that the majority of the species (71 species) used for medicine were collected from the wild, only 4 species from cultivation and 5 species from the both sources (Table 1). It is a well known fact that the wild populations of medicinal plants are the main source of raw materials to the pharmaceutical industries (Ved et al., 1998). Assessment of conservation status of the above medicinal plants showed 9 species viz., Aconitum heterophyllum, Angelica glauca, Arnebia benthamii, Berberis aristata, Geranium wallichianum, Morchella esculantum, Inula racemosa, Saussurea costus and Rheum emodi as Critically endangered, 14 Endangered, 24 Vulnerable, 28 Rare and only 5 species as Secure in the area. Except Geranium wallichianum and Morchella esculantum all these species have already been reported as threatened for Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand (CAMP, 2003). Although, earlier these herbs were gathered especially for own consumption or by local herbalist, but due to increasing demand of raw materials at local, national and international markets, they are being indiscriminately harvested for the commercial purposes. Such malpractices prevalent throughout the Himalayan region have posed these plants at the brink of extinction (Ved et al., 1998; Dhar et al., 2000; Kala, 2000). It was also noted in the present study that due to absence of adequate modern healthcare facilities in the region the dependency of local inhabitants on indigenous medicine is very high.

Trade: The market sector of medicinal plants in Indian Himalaya is not well established and is generally unregulated. In the study region, local people are involved in collection and trade of medicinal plants to sustain their basic needs of livelihood. The market channel of medicinal plants trade in north Kashmir is shown in Fig. 1 which is identical to the market channel existed in Himachal Pradesh (Butola and Badola, 2008). According to local collectors and traders of medicinal plants, the demand of some species like Aconitum heterophyllum, Angelica glauca, Podophyllum hexandrum and Saussurea costus is very high but supply is low which is due to rare populations and absence of cultivation of these medicinal plants. Generally, three main stakeholders viz., collectors, traders and pharmaceutical industries, are involved in medicinal plants trade. Amongst them, the major beneficiaries are traders and pharmaceutical industries. The collectors, generally the villagers, are not aware of the end products (formulations) and huge profits earned by the traders.

Fig. 1:	Market channel and representatives involved in medicinal plant trade in North Kashmir

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Medicinal plants are now emerging as an important bio-resource. Earlier they have been used only by specialized herbal healers and rural communities, but now the herbal products have become the first choice of every household. Undoubtedly, there efficiency in controlling human aliments together with no side effect has brought a great recognition to these valuable species. Documentation of rare and highly efficacies claims of health care among the hill communities have been practiced by different institutions and interested individuals. Such documents are widely considered as an asset for welfare of the present and future generations. The traditional knowledge and practices of medicinal plants among rural communities of north Kashmir against different diseases like “Hasub”, asthma, rheumatism, ulcer, diarrhea, poliomyelitis, chronic fever, stomach pain, abdominal pain, sterility in females, snake bite, dysentery, body swellings, boils, headache, burns, wounds, cough, allergies, eye diseases, general weakness, throat infection, etc. have great significance considering high cost and side effects of allopathic medicine. On the other hand, due to unsustainable harvesting, over harvesting, deforestation and uncontrolled grazing, medicinal plant diversity of north Kashmir is being largely threatened and many species have come under Critically endangered category. It is high time that a feasible conservation strategy and action plan should be formulated and implemented effectively in order to save this high value dwindling resource. The situation is more alarming in absence of any cultivation practices and therefore, the cultivation of these species should be promoted on priority basis. The indigenous extraction and drug formation practices recorded in the present study should be tested and standardized on scientific scale. The commercial harvesting of threatened medicinal plants should be banned, strictly. Most importantly, the native communities need to be sensitized to the sustainable use and conservation value of these species.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We gratefully acknowledge SKUAST-K, Shalimar, Srinagar (J and K) for providing key facilities to manuscript preparation. Thanks are also due to local people especially to Hakeems, Traders and Forest workers for kind co-operation and providing desired information during the course of study.