Ethnobotanical And Phytochemical Studies of Selected Medicinal Plants of Jhalawar District

Abstract

Indian subcontinent harbors immense wealth of ancient medicinal knowledge in the form of writings mentioned in Vedas and Upanishads, which form the foundation stone of spirituality, philosophy and cultural practices of Hinduism. Vedas are a storehouse of ancient herbal remedies, health practices and medicinal knowledge that can be utilized for well-being of human civilization. The Vedas showcase an integration of medicine with hymns and mantras followed by utilization of herbal remedies for treatment of different maladies. On the other hand, Upanishads comprise of mystical text that explore the metaphysical questions encompassing the spirituality and health of individuals and society as a whole. Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita are the foundational books of Ayurveda that provide extensive knowledge about surgical interventions, medicinal plants, therapeutic practices and treatment options for various ailments. The practical implementation of medicinal knowledge mentioned in ancient textbooks have brought humans closer to plants and established a harmonious relationship between humans and plants, leading to generation of a branch of science, termed as ethnobotany . Both ethnobotany and ethnomedicine aim to comprehend traditional knowledge of plants and associate it with overall well-being and betterment of human civilization. The current study not only unveils the pharmacological attributes of various plants of Jhalawar region; but also highlights the latent heritage of plants in the form of bioactive phytochemicals; which needs to be conserved along with the existing knowledge passed on from past generations and gained by the traditional healers over years of their practice. The ancient knowledge needs to be preserved, documented and validated with scientific experimentation in order to enable its utilization for integration with modern day medicinal approaches. newline