Medicinal Plants Used By Tribal Communities: A Study of Uttarakhand Himalayan Region

The present paper is a study of the traditional medical practices by the tribes of Uttarakhand Region. Forest and forest products have historically played a significant role in the economy as well as culture and religious in this region since ancient time. Forest has played an important part in history of civilization. They have affected the distribution of mankind over the earth surface and have influenced the religious life of primitive people. In India, the Indigenous people are predominantly composed of the large and diverse tribal population scattered across several states. In Indian language, there is no exact equivalent for “Tribe”, but close synonyms are “Vanavasi (forest dwellers)” or “Adivasi”. Tribal people and medical practices are corelated with forest ecology. Tribal communities in this region like Bhotias, Rajees, Tharu, Boxas, and Jaunsarees are distinct in cultures, traditions, languages and customs but have an intimate attachment with forest for their basic needs such as food, fruits, edible roots, leaves, medicinally important plants etc. Their primary health care system is depending on traditional knowledge of medical practices and medicinal herbs. The research and utilization of the traditional medicinal system has become an essential part of the contemporary health care planning, report of world health organization 1978.Therefore the objective is to analyze the paper in two sections. Firstly, the importance of medicinal plants and secondarily, medicinal plants used by tribal communities in this Himalayan region. It is a combined study of historical and scientific approach of traditional medical practices in Uttarakhand.