Plants used in female reproductive healthcare by the Gujjar tribe of the sub-Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

BackgroundAbout half of India's female population suffers from gynaecological disorders due to lliteracy, poverty, a lack of healthcare resources, and social stigma. Medicinal plants play a vital role in the basic healthcare services of tribal communities in India due to their ease of availability and cost, and their use is also a vital part of the cultural heritage. The study aimed to identify and document the medicinal plants used in female reproductive healthcare by the Gujjar tribe in the sub-Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India. MethodsOne hundred twelve informants between 21 and 80 years of age were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire and open-ended interviews. The documented data was quantitatively analysed by applying frequency of citation (RFC), informant consensus factor (ICF), family importance value (FIV) and the Jaccard’s index (JI). ResultsThe present study documented 90 plant species from 47 families with Leguminosae as the most cited family. The study identified Asparagus racemosus as the most important species based on RFC value. Menstrual disorder and leucorrhoea were among the primary disease categories based on ICF values. Roots were the most commonly used plant parts (22%) and decoction was the major mode of preparation (52%). ConclusionsAsparagus racemosus was one of the most frequently mentioned plant species in the present study. The findings of this investigation are important for documenting and prioritising plant species such as A. racemosus, Abrus precatorius, Bombax ceiba, Moringa oleifera, Curculigo orchioides, Cocculus hirsutus, and Centella asiatica for additional investig,ations.