Traditional phytomedicines for the treatment of human ailments in Budgam, Kashmir Himalaya, India

Medicinal plants play a significant role in the treatment of different ailments. The present study aims to evaluate the medicinal plant species utilized for the treatment of various disorders by various ethnic communities of the Pir Panjal mountain system in north-western Kashmir Himalaya. The data was collected from September 2020 to August 2021 through interviews and group discussions with the people (n = 54) by surveying 14 villages. The collected data was analyzed using various indices like use value (UV) and informant consensus factor (ICF). We recorded a total of 71 plant species belonging to 65 genera and 37 families were reported to be commonly utilized for the treatment of a range of ailments. Leaves were found to be the most frequently utilized plant part, and most of the remedies were prepared in the form of decoction and administered orally. During the present study, gastrointestinal disorders had the highest ICF value (0.87), and fever and general weakness recorded the lowest ICF (0.77). Artemisia absinthium recorded the highest use value of 0.57. We recommend that species reported with high UV should be employed for further phytochemical and pharmacological investigation to authenticate this indigenous knowledge.