Documentation and validation of the potential ethno-medicinal practices from Almora forest range, Uttarakhand, India

BACKGROUND: Majority of the people in developing countries depend upon traditional medicine (TM) for their healthcare. Many local traditional healers in the Uttarakhand region are providing treatment for various ailments by using medicinal plants successfully. Present study aimed to collect and document the folklore claims practiced in the region of Almora forest range for treatment of various ailments for further validation, which will help in search of new treatment modalities for different disease conditions. METHODS: Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey (MEBS) was conducted in the region of Almora forest range of Almora forest division which is located between 29030’.08”N to 29058’.48” N latitude and 79004’.18”E to 790 47’30”E longitude at the southern edge of Kumaun hills in Uttarakhand during the month of July, 2018. The survey team met the traditional healers and interviewed them for documentation of Ethno-medicinal practices (EMPs). A structured standard questionnaire/format was used for systematic documentation of each claim. RESULTS: During the survey, potent ethno-medicinal practices based on 15 medicinal plant species were recorded which are being used for different common disease conditions by the local traditional healers. CONCLUSION: Inhabitants in remote and far-flung areas are still relying upon the medicinal plants for the management of various common ailments. But these EMPs have been declining in the recent period due to several factors. Hence, there is a critical need to document this traditional knowledge for widespread utilization to explore new treatment modalities for various disease conditions.