title: Medicinal plant diversity and traditional healing practices in eastern Nepal.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The rich floral and ethnic composition of eastern Nepal and the widespread utilization of locally available medicinal plants offer remarkable opportunity for ethnomedicinal research. The present paper aims to explore medicinal plant diversity and use in the remote villages of eastern Nepal. It also aims to evaluate ethnopharmacological significance of the documented use reports and identify species of high indigenous priority.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was undertaken in four villages located in the Sankhuwasabha district in eastern Nepal. Ethnomedicinal information was collected through structured interviews. The homogeneity of informant's knowledge and the relative importance of documented medicinal plants were validated by informant consensus factor and use value, respectively. Species preference for treatment of particular diseases was evaluated through fidelity level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We reported medicinal properties of 48 species belonging to 33 families and 40 genera, for the treatment of 37 human ailments. The uses of 10 medicinal plants were previously undocumented. The informant consensus factor (FIC) ranged between 0.38 and 1 with about 50% of values greater than 0.80 and over 75% of values greater than 0.70, indicating moderate to high consensus among the informants on the use of medicinal plants in the region. Swertia chirayita was the most preferred species with significantly high use values, followed by Paris polyphylla and Neopicrorhiza scrophulariiflora.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The remote villages in eastern Nepal possess rich floral and cultural diversity with strong consensus among informants on utilization of plants for local healthcare. The direct pharmacological evidence for medicinal properties of most species indicates high reliability of documented information. Careful and systematic screening of compounds isolated from these plants could possibly provide good opportunity for the discovery of novel medicines to treat life-threatening human diseases. We recommend prioritization of medicinal plants and reinforcement of existing cultivation practices for sustainable management of high-priority species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. Electronic address: nawalshrestha@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nawal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Dhankuta Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan Univeristy, Dhankuta, Nepal.
authors.forename: Saugat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Laxmi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Koju
authors.affiliation: Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal (ESON), Guchha Marg, New Road, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Krishna Kumar
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
authors.forename: Zhiheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D032921:Consensus; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D019448:Ethnobotany; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Ethnomedicine; Fidelity level; Himalayan medicine; Informant consensus factor; Sankhuwasabha; Tinjure-Milke-Jaljale