Ethnomedicinal plants used to cure epilepsy and insomnia in the Jaunpur region of Garhwal Himalaya, India

Abstract

Epilepsy and insomnia are abnormal conditions of the brain that causes recurring seizures and sleep problems in developing nations, worldwide and neighboring countries. Epilepsy is ranked fifth among all neurological disorders and it causes an estimated 1,25,000 deaths each year around the world. Many rural residents in India continue to rely on medicinal plants for the treatment of insomnia and epilepsy. The current investigation aims to record and document the use of ethnomedicinal plants, various herbal preparations and treatments for curing epilepsy and insomnia in unexplored areas in the Jaunpur region of Garhwal Himalaya. Informant's consensus factor (ICF) are commonly involved in the examination of use value (UV) and fidelity index (FI%). The present study pertains to 31 plant species (28 genera and 22 families) for treating epilepsy and insomnia. The treatment of a particular disease estimated was 73.3% for epilepsy and 46.6% for insomnia. Different plant parts are used by the locals for ethnomedical purposes: roots (20% spp.), rhizomes (3%), seeds (10%), leaves (40%), whole plants (14%), barks (3%), bulbs (3%) and fruits (7%). Decoction (40 spp.), powder (20%), infusion (20%), juice (3%), paste (7%) and other (10%) are the herbal preparations used. This study offers insightful information about how ethnomedicinal plants are utilized by indigenous people to treat insomnia and epilepsy and used forthcoming studies to conserve the traditional knowledge.