Ethnobotanical Documentation and Traditional Knowledge of Medicinal Plants in Shakar Chiktan Block of Kargil District, UT Ladakh, India
TL;DR
Traditional plant-based knowledge from the Shakar Chiktan Block of Kargil district in the north-western Himalaya is explored, with special emphasis on the Amchi (Sowa-Rigpa) system of medicine practiced for generations, with important medicinal properties.
Abstract
This study explores traditional plant-based knowledge from the Shakar Chiktan Block of Kargil district in the north-western Himalaya, with special emphasis on the Amchi (Sowa-Rigpa) system of medicine practiced for generations. Ethnobotanical data were collected through field surveys and interviews with local informants from different socio-economic backgrounds. A total of 60 plant species belonging to 26 families were documented, including 48 herbs, 9 shrubs, and 3 trees, with Asteraceae as the dominant family. Different plant parts such as leaves, roots, flowers, fruits, bark, and seeds were traditionally used for medicine, food, livestock care, incense, and religious practices. The recorded species showed important medicinal properties, including anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibiotic, and nutritional values, and were commonly used to treat fever, cold, digestive disorders, joint pain, and liver or kidney ailments. The study highlights the continued dependence of local communities on medicinal plants and stresses the need for conservation of indigenous knowledge and Himalayan plant resources.