Ethnobotanical Diversity and Plant-Part Utilization of Medicinal Plants Used for the Treatment of Stomach Disorders and Jaundice in Mahoba District, Uttar Pradesh, India
Author : Dr. V.K. Prajapati
Abstract :
Traditional medicinal plants play an important role in community-based healthcare, particularly in the management of gastrointestinal disorders and jaundice. Ethnobotanical documentation provides valuable insights into medicinal plant diversity, taxonomic representation, and the plant parts utilized in traditional healthcare practices. The present study documents the diversity and utilization patterns of medicinal plants traditionally used for stomach disorders and jaundice in Mahoba district, Uttar Pradesh, India. For stomach disorders, 17 medicinal plant species belonging to 17 genera and 14 families were recorded. Fabaceae was the most dominant family, represented by four species. The whole plant was the most frequently utilized plant part, represented by six species, followed by roots (five species), leaves (four species), seeds (two species), bark (two species), stems (two species), and bulbs (one species). For jaundice, nine medicinal plant species belonging to nine genera and eight families were documented. Arecaceae was the most represented family, with two species, while Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Flacourtiaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Aizoaceae, Verbenaceae, and Euphorbiaceae were represented by one species each. Roots were the most frequently used plant part for jaundice, accounting for three species, followed by fruits and stems, with two species each, while leaves and inflorescences were represented by one species each. The findings highlight the diversity of medicinal plants and the variation in plant-part utilization associated with the two health conditions in the study area. This documentation provides baseline information for further ethnobotanical investigations, pharmacological research, scientific evaluation of traditional medicinal applications, and the sustainable utilization and conservation of medicinal plant resources in Mahoba district.
Keywords :
Ethnobotany, medicinal plants, stomach disorders, jaundice, Mahoba district, Uttar Pradesh, traditional medicine, plant-part utilization.
