Role of Medicinal Plants Used in Different Disease in Hilly Region

Abstract

Background: In our country modern health service are yet to reach the mass of rural people. As more people live in rural areas, they could not access the modern health service due to lack of transportation facility, poverty and lack of manpower in the health service providing center. The rural people mostly depend upon agriculture. Most of the time they have to spend on farm and had no time to seek health center. So, in such context medicinal plants which are locally available could be the good alternatives. This study therefore aims to know the role of medicinal plants used as medicine in various diseases. Methods: A total of 100 samples household were selected including traditional healers. The respondents were selected randomly dividing ten from each VDC. The study was carried out in 10 different village of Baglung district having different geographical altitude and multi ethnic group. Results: It was found that medicinal plants are the first level of health care providers to majority of the population of the study area. Modern health service utilization rate was found to be low. The traditional system of treatment consists of two main components which were usually followed by dhami jhakri rather than local vaidya. First part is the spiritual treatment where varieties of events take place after the diagnosis. Second part of the treatment is popular than first part in the study area which consists of providing herbal preparation with or without selective diet or food. Conclusions: Medicinal plants are well within the rural economy and traditionally accepted by people. They felt easier to use local herbs than to buy medicine they need not to buy medicinal plants. There is a need to develop medicinal plant system as an integral part of health service.