Pharmacological, ethnopharmacological, and botanical evaluation of subtropical medicinal plants of Lower Kheng region in Bhutan
Background: The Bhutanese Sowa Rigpa medicine (BSM) uses medicinal plants as the bulk ingredients. Our study was to botanically identify subtropical medicinal plants from the Lower Kheng region in Bhutan, transcribe ethnopharmacological uses, and highlight reported pharmacological activities of each...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2017-12-01
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| Series: | Integrative Medicine Research |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422017300732 |
| _version_ | 1818479897712001024 |
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| author | Phurpa Wangchuk Karma Yeshi Kinga Jamphel |
| author_facet | Phurpa Wangchuk Karma Yeshi Kinga Jamphel |
| author_sort | Phurpa Wangchuk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: The Bhutanese Sowa Rigpa medicine (BSM) uses medicinal plants as the bulk ingredients. Our study was to botanically identify subtropical medicinal plants from the Lower Kheng region in Bhutan, transcribe ethnopharmacological uses, and highlight reported pharmacological activities of each plant. Methods: We freely listed the medicinal plants used in the BSM literature, current formulations, and the medicinal plants inventory documents. This was followed by a survey and the identification of medicinal plants in the Lower Kheng region. The botanical identification of each medicinal plant was confirmed using The Plant List, eFloras, and TROPICOS. Data mining for reported pharmacological activities was performed using Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and SciFinder Scholar. Results: We identified 61 subtropical plants as the medicinal plants used in BSM. Of these, 17 plants were cultivated as edible plant species, 30 species grow abundantly, 24 species grow in moderate numbers, and only seven species were scarce to find. All these species grow within the altitude range of 100â1800Â m above sea level. A total of 19 species were trees, and 13 of them were shrubs. Seeds ranked first in the parts usage category. Goshing Gewog (Block) hosted maximum number of medicinal plants. About 52 species have been pharmacologically studied and only nine species remain unstudied. Conclusion: Lower Kheng region is rich in subtropical medicinal plants and 30 species present immediate economic potential that could benefit BSM, Lower Kheng communities and other Sowa Rigpa practicing organizations. Keywords: Bhutanese Sowa Rigpa medicine, ethnobotany, Lower Kheng, medicinal plants, pharmacological activities |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T11:16:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-841e86ab6f4b42c79501fa515c53aed3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2213-4220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T11:16:10Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Integrative Medicine Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-841e86ab6f4b42c79501fa515c53aed32022-12-22T01:51:09ZengElsevierIntegrative Medicine Research2213-42202017-12-0164372387Pharmacological, ethnopharmacological, and botanical evaluation of subtropical medicinal plants of Lower Kheng region in BhutanPhurpa Wangchuk0Karma Yeshi1Kinga Jamphel2Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia; Corresponding author at: Centre for Biodiscovery and Molecular Development of Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns campus, McGregor Rd., Smithfield, Queensland 4878, Australia.Wangbama Central School, Ministry of Education, Thimphu, BhutanNon-communicable Disease Division, Department of Public Health, Ministry of Health, Thimphu, BhutanBackground: The Bhutanese Sowa Rigpa medicine (BSM) uses medicinal plants as the bulk ingredients. Our study was to botanically identify subtropical medicinal plants from the Lower Kheng region in Bhutan, transcribe ethnopharmacological uses, and highlight reported pharmacological activities of each plant. Methods: We freely listed the medicinal plants used in the BSM literature, current formulations, and the medicinal plants inventory documents. This was followed by a survey and the identification of medicinal plants in the Lower Kheng region. The botanical identification of each medicinal plant was confirmed using The Plant List, eFloras, and TROPICOS. Data mining for reported pharmacological activities was performed using Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and SciFinder Scholar. Results: We identified 61 subtropical plants as the medicinal plants used in BSM. Of these, 17 plants were cultivated as edible plant species, 30 species grow abundantly, 24 species grow in moderate numbers, and only seven species were scarce to find. All these species grow within the altitude range of 100â1800Â m above sea level. A total of 19 species were trees, and 13 of them were shrubs. Seeds ranked first in the parts usage category. Goshing Gewog (Block) hosted maximum number of medicinal plants. About 52 species have been pharmacologically studied and only nine species remain unstudied. Conclusion: Lower Kheng region is rich in subtropical medicinal plants and 30 species present immediate economic potential that could benefit BSM, Lower Kheng communities and other Sowa Rigpa practicing organizations. Keywords: Bhutanese Sowa Rigpa medicine, ethnobotany, Lower Kheng, medicinal plants, pharmacological activitieshttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422017300732 |
| spellingShingle | Phurpa Wangchuk Karma Yeshi Kinga Jamphel Pharmacological, ethnopharmacological, and botanical evaluation of subtropical medicinal plants of Lower Kheng region in Bhutan Integrative Medicine Research |
| title | Pharmacological, ethnopharmacological, and botanical evaluation of subtropical medicinal plants of Lower Kheng region in Bhutan |
| title_full | Pharmacological, ethnopharmacological, and botanical evaluation of subtropical medicinal plants of Lower Kheng region in Bhutan |
| title_fullStr | Pharmacological, ethnopharmacological, and botanical evaluation of subtropical medicinal plants of Lower Kheng region in Bhutan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pharmacological, ethnopharmacological, and botanical evaluation of subtropical medicinal plants of Lower Kheng region in Bhutan |
| title_short | Pharmacological, ethnopharmacological, and botanical evaluation of subtropical medicinal plants of Lower Kheng region in Bhutan |
| title_sort | pharmacological ethnopharmacological and botanical evaluation of subtropical medicinal plants of lower kheng region in bhutan |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422017300732 |
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