Therapeutic Medicinal Plants: Traditional uses of the Himalayan Cherry Prinsepia utilis used by Traditional Healers of the North Western Himalayan Region

Abstract

The medicinal plants of the northwestern Himalayas are noted for their unparalleled biodiversity and important secondary metabolites that are peculiar to this dynamic geoclimatic zone. The scientific documentation of the richness, distribution, and conventional applications of medicinal flora in this Mountainous region can be crucial in the conservation and sustainable use of these valuable plant resources. These medicinal plants have been used for their therapeutic properties since ancient times. The Himalayan people have a plethora of traditional knowledge that can be used to treat a range of ailments. In accordance to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 80% of the population in underdeveloped nations relies on traditional medicines, most of which are derived from plants, for health care. In India, traditional health practices and formulations are used by around 70% of the rural population and the recognition of these effective plant-based formulations is rising among the general population. Traditional Indian medicinal practices such as Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani have a long history of efficacy; modern research has also recognized the relevance of such medicine. Traditional medicinal plant knowledge and traditional health practices are also important sources of revenue for poor populations. Plant-derived bioactive compounds, often known as phytocompounds, and their corresponding chemical analogs have produced a plethora of clinically relevant medications for the management of both chronic and acute illnesses. Even Nevertheless, research into additional therapeutic compounds derived from medicinal plants is ongoing. This chapter provides an insight into some of the major therapeutic medicinal plants of the North Western Himalayan region, with particular emphasis on the traditional.