Abstract
The aim of this study was to know the commonly available medicinal plants and to document their usages. Study was carried out around periphery of 'Gyaneswor Community Forest' of Bharatpur-16 of Chitwan district of Nepal. Altogether, forty household were selected by random sampling, and key informant interview was carried out with community forest personnel's and leading farmers. Most of the respondents of Bharatpur-16 were found to be dependent on medicinal plants for their primary health care. Because of no side effect, easy availability and cost effectiveness of medicinal plants, most people were found satisfied using it. However, the use of and preference for medicinal plant was found limited to minor diseases only. The findings of this study revealed that there are many medicinal plants in our periphery that can be used as an alternative for allopathic medicines, but they need to be systematically managed and conserved.
 SAARC J. Agri., 16(2): 129-141 (2018
Highlights
IntroductionIt is ranked as 31st richest country in the world, in terms of biodiversity and 10th richest country in the Asia region (MoAD, 2017)
About 85% of the population was found to grow medicinal plants in their kitchen garden and 87.5% population was involved in collection and marketing of medicinal plants from the community forest (Field Survey, 2018)
Our finding revealed that the majority of the people preferred allopathic medicines for the treatment of major diseases
Summary
It is ranked as 31st richest country in the world, in terms of biodiversity and 10th richest country in the Asia region (MoAD, 2017). Despite of its small coverage area in world map, the unique and rich geography, ecology and climatic condition is attributed due to the wide altitudinal range that measures from about 60 m in plains to 8848 m to the top of the world. MoAD (2017) reported that Nepal is blessed with 12 of 867 global terrestrial ecoregions, eight climatic zones (ranging from tropical to nival) and a total of 118 ecosystems. About 700 of the total plant species reported constitutes medicinal properties, of which 238 plants species have been chemically tested for their medicinal importance
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