Living knowledge of the healing plants: Ethno-phytotherapy in the Chepang communities from the Mid-Hills of Nepal

Abstract

Contribution of indigenous knowledge in developing more effective drugs with minimum or no side effects helped to realise importance of study of indigenous remedies and the conservation of biological resources. This study analysed indigenous knowledge regarding medicinal plants use among the Chepang communities from ward number 3 and 4 of Shaktikhor Village Development Committee located in the central mid hills of Nepal. Data were collected in a one-year period and included interviews with traditional healers and elders. Chepangs are rich in knowledge regarding use of different plants and were using a total 219 plant parts from 115 species including one mushroom (belonging 55 families) for medicinal uses. Out of these, 75 species had 118 different new medicinal uses and 18 of them were not reported in any previous documents from Nepal as medicinal plants. Spiritual belief, economy and limitation of alternative health facilities were cause of continuity of people's dependency on traditional healers. Change in socio-economic activities not only threatened traditional knowledge but also resource base of the area. Enforcement of local institution in management of forest resources and legitimating traditional knowledge and practices could help to preserve indigenous knowledge.

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by ethnic people in Parbat district of western Nepal

“…6). Our findings resembled with other studies amongst Chepang community in Chitwan district (Rijal, 2008), Rai and Tamang community in Sunsari district (Deokota and Chhetri, 2009), Tamang community in Rasuwa district (Upreti et al, 2010), Tharu and Magar community in Rupendehi district (Singh et al, 2012)and Tamang communityin Makawanpur district (Luitel et al, 2014).…”

Collection and marketing of non-timber forest products by Chepang community in Nepal

“…Forest products not only provide the rural population with subsistence needs like fuel wood, fodder, and litter, but also provide wild foods during the periods of food shortage when the grain storage starts dwindling and the new harvest is not yet available (see Khatri-Chhetri, 2006, Piya et al, 2011a). Many NTFPs also have medicinal (Rijal, 2008) and socio-cultural values (Aryal, 2007). Besides these subsistence uses, trade of NTFPs form a source of cash income for many of the rural population in Nepal (Chhetri and Gupta, 2006;Edwards, 1996;.…”

Drivers and Frequency of Forest Visits: Results of a National Survey in the Czech Republic

“…The Czech Republic has quite a high rate (67%) of picking mushrooms compared to other western European countries, e.g., in Denmark, the picking rate is only 4% [13,20,65]; however, the information was not collected in this study. Nevertheless, the study confirmed that forestry plays a less vital role in the food availability of the respondents unlike in Asian or African countries [66][67][68].…”