Ethnopharmacological survey on bone healing plants with special reference to Pholidota articulata and Coelogyne cristata (Orchidaceae) used in folk tradition of Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

Aim: This study was aimed to conduct an ethnopharmacological survey and document the medicinal plant used for healing fractures in folk tradition of Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India. Materials and methods: The Ethnopharmacological survey study was conducted during March 2011 to November 20-12 by interviewing 60 informants including common villagers (VG) and herbal practitioners (HP) of Almora, Nainital, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh districts of Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India. Recorded information was further cross checked and verified through published literature Results and Discussion: The study provides a list of 15 genera belonging to 13 families used for the treatment of fractured bone in folk tradition of Kumaon, Uttarakhand, India, pertaining with detail ethnopharmacological data of Pholidota articulata Lindley and Coelogyne cristata Lindley (Orchdaceae), the most popular plants for healing fractures. Conclusion: Ethnobotany has led to identification of novel pharmacological agents and highlights the potential uses of indigenous knowledge as a research tool for identification of bioactive molecules. Finding of this study highlighted the medicinal plants used in folk medicine during the treatment of fractures in Kumaon region, Uttarakhand, India. could be useful for rapid screening of folklore medicinal plants for determining their medicinal uses and further pharmacological examination for long term studies.