🌿 PLANTS OF KASHMIR VALLEY HAVING ETHNO-MEDICINAL POTENTIAL 

Kashmir valley is a beautiful part of North-West temperate Himalayan region of Indian subcontinent , kashmir is a rich floral, faunal and cultural diversity. It is a biological paradise with many of its floral elements distinct and endemic to it. It is in fact a treasure house of medicinal plants. Being a mountain girdled, secluded agricultural state, its people through centuries have lived in close association with local biodiversity, largely dependent on their own bio-resources especially for treating variety of ailments. There are about 500 species of plants listed so far that have medicinal properties. Most of these plants are used locally to cure different kinds of ailments, while many of them are used to yield a broad range of drugs.

Kashmir valley is abode of many ethical groups of people who have their own knowledge of traditional herbal medicines inherited from their forefathers. These plants as medicines are well accepted by the local people since generations have experienced their efficacy in alleviating a variety of diseases. These herbal drugs are taken either in raw form or as aqueous extracts. The medicinal flora, directly or indirectly, provides a resource base for livelihood of the people, and fundamentally accounts for major part of the economy of this valley.

Some of the most commonly used medicinal plants are enlisted below along with their botanical names, local names and their therapeutic utility:

Table of Medicinal Plants

1. Aconitum heterophyllum – Patis – Substitute for quinine

2. Acorus calamus – Vai – Rhizome stimulant and carminative

3. Ajuga bracteosa – Jani Adam – Shoot extract diuretic

4. Arisaema jacquemontiana – Hapat makai – Respiratory ailments, regaining muscular strength

5. Arnebia benthami – Gav zaban kah zaban – Shoot in tongue and throat disease, prevent hair loss

6. Artemisia absinthium – Tethwan – As expectorant, anthelmintic

7. Atropa acuminata – Meit brand – Narcotic, sedative, diuretic and mydriatic

8. Berberis lyceum – Kaw dachh – Berries as astringent and a remedy for cholera

9. Bergenia ciliata – Zakhmi hayat – Rhizome extract diuretic and used to treat ulcers

10. Colchicum luteum – Virkeom – Yield colchicines, used in rheumatism

11. Conium maculatum – Mohraakash – Sedative and antispasmodic

12. Cuscuta capitata – Kuklipoth – Laxative, used in tonsillitis and chest pain

13. Datura stramonium – Datur – Leaves and seeds useful in bronchitis, antispasmodic, narcotic, cures toothache

14. Descurainia Sophia – Tsari latsi – Seeds as expectorant and tonic

15. Digitalis purpurea – Foxglove – Source of digitoxin, curative in heart diseases

16. Dipsacus inermis – Wopal hakh – Leaf decoction used by women after delivery

17. Ephedra gerardiana – Asmani buti – Yields ephedrine, used in asthma

18. Gentian kurroo – Gentian – Curative in stomachache

19. Geranium wallichianum – Kaw ashud – Astringent, used in toothache, applied externally to eyes

20. Hyoscyamus niger – Bazer bhang – Sedative, narcotic, used in whooping cough and asthma

21. Inula racemosa – Poshkar – Roots as expectorant, seeds aphrodisiac

22. Jurinea macrocephala – Gogal dhup – Heart ailments, source of dhup

23. Lavatera cashmiriana – Wan sotsal – Seeds antiseptic

24. Marrubium vulgare – Troper – Leaf paste in rheumatism

25. Picrorhiza kurroa – Koad – Liver and stomach troubles, treating eczema and vitiligo

26. Mentha piperita – Pudna – Leaf decoction used in indigestion and rheumatism

27. Podophyllum hexandrum – Wanwagon – Treats jaundice, syphilis and snake bites, yields anti-cancer drug

28. Saussurea costus – Kuth – Rhizome as spasmolytic in asthma, useful in rheumatism, insect repellent, treating cholera

29. Solanum nigrum – Kambai – Stomachic, fruit laxative

30. Taraxacum officinale – Handh – Expectorant, leaf decoction given to convalescent mothers after delivery

31.Taxus baccata – Postul – Yields taxol, anti-cancer

32. Trillidium govanianum – Tripater – Antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic, treating eye diseases

33. Urtica dioica – Soi – Leaf extract diuretic and stomachic

34. Valeriana jatamansi – Muski bala – Roots as tonic, stimulant, antispasmodic, used in epilepsy and hysteria

35. Verbascum thapsus – Wan tamoke – Leaves cure burns

36. Viola odorata – Nunposh / Bunafsha – Whole plant as antipyretic, flowers emollient, demulcent, used in lung trouble

The ethno-medicinal flora is a valuable asset of our valley. Many more of medicinal flora can be added to above enlisted ones. But emerging threats of destructive overharvesting, habitat degradation and bio-piracy have made this asset threatened. Some have become dangerously rare or even vulnerable to extirpation. According to a recent study about 10% of total flora of Kashmir Himalayas is threatened. This calls for immediate and adequate steps to be taken to address the crucial issue of unprecedented loss of our valuable plant resource of medicinal flora. There is no immediate conservation programme of this asset. The local herb sellers pay few rupees to local people to collect these herbs for them. Most of the plants are already on endangered category list and to prevent the extinction of these medicinal herbs, efforts need to be made to protect these species by creating the awareness of the local people and giving them incentives to help protect these plants. The need of the hour is to document the ethno-medicinal flora of our unique bio-geographic region so as to form a database for designing conservation strategies and developing a roadmap for sustainable utilization of our bio-resources in the welfare of the people of our Kashmir valley.

Aconitum heterophyllum (Atis)

   Uses. Fever Diarrhea digestive disorders.                  Acts as tonic and anti-inflammatory.                                                                                                                     

Artemisia absinthium (Tethwan /wormwood)                                                                                                  uses.     Stomach disorders intentional worms.      Antiseptic and anti microbial..