Ethnomedicinal Plants used by the Tamang communities of Shankharapur, Kathmandu

Abstract

Ethnobotany explores the intricate relationship between human societies and plants, including their traditional uses for food, medicine, and cultural practices. Ethnomedicine, a branch of ethnobotany, delves into local healing practices, often transmitted orally across generations, and investigates how cultural beliefs shape healthcare within different communities. Ethnic communities in Nepal's various phytogeographic regions have different indigenous knowledge of using plant resources for health care. This study primarily aims to document traditional knowledge of medicinal plants used by the Tamang community of Shankharapur, Kathmandu. The Tamang people, an indigenous ethnic group with a rich cultural heritage, have developed a profound knowledge of medicinal plants and healing practices over centuries. Ethnobotanical data were collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, personal interviews and transect walks by applying semistructured

questionnaire. Quantitative parameters like Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Frequency Index (FI), Used Values (UV) and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) were used during ethnobotanical analysis to find out the important plant species used in the study area. Of the total informant, males were 26 and females were 14. The study documented 68 medicinal plant species used to treat 53 ailments. Herbs (25 species) were most abundant. Leaves (28) were the plant parts most preferred, and the major mode of herbal formulation was paste (29%). The disease category with the highest ICF value was musculoskeletal ailment with a value of 0.375. The study determined three plant species i.e. Ocimum sanctum Linn., Centella asiatica (L.) Urb and Artemisia indica Willd. with FL of 100%. The RFC value was highest for the Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. and Cannabis sativa L. with a value of 0.65. Highest the RFC most frequently the plant is used. There is a positive link between UVs and RFCs (r=0.66). Collaborative efforts between traditional healers and other stakeholders are essential for safeguarding the ethnomedicinal heritage of the Tamang people and ensuring its continued relevance in a rapidly changing world. Keywords: Ethnobotany, Tamang community, Medicinal plants, Traditional knowledge, Biodiversity