Ethnobotanical studies on Medicinal Plants of Himalyas

Himalayas are rich in bio diversity. Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim and Assam regions are the biggest reservoirs of traditional medicine. Bhutan with rich biodiversity is one of those regions in Himalaya where the tribal populations and forest dwellers commonly use traditional medical plants for healing . Several plants in this area have great medicinal value e.g. Nardostachys grandiflora, Podophyllum emodii, Polygonatum verticillatum, Ephedra gerardiana, Artimisia vulgaris and many others. The folk medicine of the Himalaya has gifted many plant drugs to modern medicine such as Rauvolfia serpentina (for high blood pressure), Tylophora indica (for asthma and whooping cough), Viola serpens and Adhatoda vasica (for bronchitis), Nardostachys grandiflora (sedative). Ethnobotanical attributes of the plants commonly utilized by the native people have also been studied with the help from highly placed local experts of traditional medicine. Some of the plants have been dealt with in detail for their characterization and pharmacognostical parameters. The book provides valuable information for use of students of pharmacognoy, ethobotany , local practitioners and researches alike.