Utilization of medicinal phytodiversity to treat gastrointestinal disorders in Saharanpur district of western Uttar Pradesh, India
Yogendra Kumar
Abstract: The gastrointestinal tract constitutes major part of the human body and is susceptible to several diseases. The disorders associated with gastrointestinal tract such as indigestion, diarrhoea, dysentery, constipation, acidity, jaundice, stomach ulcer, piles etc. are considered as gastrointestinal disorders. An ethnobotanical survey of Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh was carried out to document traditional knowledge prevailing with indigenous people using different plants for treating such disorders. In the present study, it is observed that 35 medicinal plant species belonging to 22 angiospermic families traditionally used by the local inhabitants and herbal practitioners. The information gathered from the indigenous community is expected to be helpful for the development of new herbal medicines.
Key Words: Gastrointestinal disorder, medicinal plants, traditional knowledge.
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