Psychomedicinal plnts of District Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Abstract

People of Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir have been traditionally using many medicinal plants for the treatment of different psychological disorders and mental illnesses. These plants are also used in different religious practices like sorcery, rituals and ceremonies since time immemorial. Extensive and intensive field survey carried out during the period of 2017-2021 and found that there are 27 plant species are being used by local inhabitants for the purpose of psycho-medicinal uses. The information gathered from local inhabitants of the study area like old folk, tribal people, shepherds, Vaidyas or medicinal practitioners etc. The collected plant species are properly identified with the help of local floras and authenticated from regional herbaria like Botanical Survey of India, Northern Circle (BSD), Dehradun and Forest Research Institute (DD), Dehradun. The study enlists 27 plant species from 27 different genera belonging to 25 different families. The botanical name alongwith the local name, plant parts used and their uses is included for each plant species. The different psychological disorders or mental illnesses treated through the mentioned psychomedicinal plants are epilepsy, headache and migraine problems, hydrophobia, insomnia, weak memory, sychoneurosis and insanity. Religious ceremonies, rituals and sorcery practices, like exorcism, are performed using these plants to treat insanity, snake bite and to keep away negative energy.