Traditional use of medicinal plants in the Chyangthapu-Phalaicha biological sub-corridor, Panchthar District, Kangchenjunga Landscape, Nepal

Abstract

Background: Chyangthapu-Phalaicha located in the northeastern Panchthar District, is a biodiversity hotspot in the Eastern Himalaya. The area is dominated by the Kirat indigenous community. The present study was conducted to document the knowledge of the ethnomedicinal uses and practices that exist in the area before the associated socio-cultural knowledge on biological diversity is lost. Methods: Ethnomedicinal data were collected through three focus group discussions and 47 key informant interviews using semi-structured questionnaires. The importance of medicinal plant species was assessed using quantitative indices such as informant consensus factor, relative frequency of citation, relative importance, fidelity level and Rahman’s similarity index. Results: Altogether, 140 medicinal plant species from 68 families and 127 genera were reported, which were used to treat 12 diseases categories. The dominant families were Asteraceae and Fabaceae which contributed eight species each. Fifty-five percent of the total medicinal plant species comprised of herbs. The most frequently used plant parts were underground parts (33%) and leaf (15%). The most common remedies preparation method was extract. Oral administration was the most common therapeutic mode (60%). Maximum informant consensus factor (0.96) was calculated for gastrointestinal diseases. The highest relative frequency of citation and fidelity level was observed for Swertia chirayita (0.83 and 100% respectively). Artemisia dubia depicted the highest relative importance (91.67). A thorough review of previous literature and analysis of field data revealed 90 new therapeutic use reports for 42 ailments belonging to 64 plant species.Conclusions: The ethnomedicinal study of the Chyangthapu-Phalaicha biological sub-corridor in the Kangchenjunga Landscape indicates that the area supports significant medicinal plants and associated traditional knowledge. The varied use of reported medicinal plants in the area indicates the need for their cultivation, processing and phytochemical investigation, especially for those with high ethnobotanical indices.

Study on Biological Activity of Litsea monopetala From Panchthar District of Nepal

“…The medicinal values of varieties of Nepalese plants from different localities have been reported in previous studies (Rajbhandari & Lindequist, 2020;Joshi & Bashyal, 2018, Subba & Thapa, 2018. However, few works have been reported on the medicinal plants from the Panchthar district of Nepal (Bhandari et al, 2020;Gautam, 2011).…”

“…Panchthar district of Nepal is one of the most important natural storehouses of medicinal plants owing to its geographical diversity, variations in topography, altitude, climatic gradients, and biological resources of flora and fauna (Gautam, 2011). A recent review on the ethnomedicinal study of the Chyangthapu-Phalaicha biological sub-corridor of the northern part of Panchthar district located in the Kangchenjunga Landscape indicated that the area has significant medicinal plants and traditional knowledge associated with it (Bhandari et al, 2020). The use of the medicinal plants in the area indicates the need for their cultivation, processing and phytochemical investigation, especially for those with high ethnobotanical indices.…”