Endangered Medicinal Plants Used in Traditional Herbal Medicines in the South-East Rajasthan (Hadoti Region)

Abstract

The present study was carried out to gather information about Ethno-botanical knowledge of tribal people and ethnic races those are residing in forests of south-east Rajasthan since ages. A large number of wild and cultivated plants are being used by them to treat various ailments due to limited access to modern health care services. The study was carried out in an unexplored remote tribal area of South east region of Rajasthan to investigate and document the existing ethno-medicinal knowledge on local flora which is rich and diversified in important medicinal plants. The ethno-medicinal knowledge in the study area is gradually heading towards extinction because the old age community members being the main bearer of this knowledge are passing away and younger generation is not interested to take it. Herbal practitioners in the area have sufficient traditional knowledge, but mostly, they are reluctant to disclose it to other community members. Hence, the current study was planned with the objectives to record the traditional knowledge of study area mainly pertaining to endangered Ethno-medicinal plants of the proposed area of study. The study was conducted through direct interviews with 35 Herbal practitioners and 240 informants from the study area. Data was collected through semi-structured questionnaires from the community members and local herbal. We presented thirty most used species by ancestral healers of Hadoti to cure different ailments and their medicinal uses. This study also provide details regarding Habitat, Mode of transfer, Abundance Status, Effect and popularity and Cultivation practices (status of plant)of selected 30 plants.