Search

Background: Chyangthapu-Phalaicha located in the northeastern Panchthar District, is a biodiversity hotspot in the Eastern Himalaya. The area is dominated by the Kirat indigenous community. The present study was conducted to document the knowledge of the ethnomedicinal uses and practices that exist in the area before the associated socio-cultural knowledge on biological diversity is lost. Methods: Ethnomedicinal data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires. Stakeholders meetings were organized for assessing the conservation issues in the sub-corridor. The importance of medicinal plant species was assessed using quantitative indices such as informant consensus factor, relative frequency of citation, relative importance, fidelity level and Rahman’s similarity index. Results: Altogether, 140 medicinal plant species from 68 families and 127 genera were reported, which were used to treat 12 health disorders categories. The dominant families were Asteraceae and Fabaceae which contributed eight species each. Fifty-five percent of the total medicinal plant species comprised of herbs. The most frequently used plant parts were underground parts (33%) and leaf (15%). The most common remedies preparation method was extract. Oral administration was the most common therapeutic mode (60%). Maximum informant consensus factor (0.96) was calculated for gastrointestinal disorders. The highest relative frequency of citation and fidelity level was observed for Swertia chirayita (0.83 and 100% respectively). Artemisia dubia depicted the highest relative importance (91.67). A thorough review of previous literature and analysis of field data revealed new therapeutic use reports for 41 ailments associated with 52 plant species. The Rahman similarity index was high with the studies in neighbouring areas, while it was low with the geographically distant studies. Conclusions: The ethnomedicinal study of the Chyangthapu-Phalaicha biological sub-corridor in the Kangchenjunga Landscape indicates that the area supports significant medicinal plants and associated traditional knowledge. The varied use of reported medicinal plants in the area indicates the need for their domestication, processing and phytochemical investigation, especially for those with high ethnobotanical indices.

Background Paha hunting is a commonplace recreational activity in the mountainous regions of Nepal. The collection is primarily for food use and secondarily preferred as medicinal forms, and utilized by many ethnic groups: Magar, Rai, Gurung, Jirel, etc. in different parts of the country. In this study, we documented the ethnoherpetological relationship of the local community with paha frogs in Manaslu Conservation Area, Gorkha District, Nepal. We confirmed the use of three species of paha, namely Nanorana liebigii, known locally as Man paha, Ombrana sikimensis, and Amolops formosus by the local community and recorded information on paha hunting strategy, meat preparation and storage techniques, zootherapeutic benefits, quantities harvested, and population status perception. Methods We conducted our fieldwork in the period between April 2016 and March 2017 in major settlements of Sirdibas, Chumchet, Bihi, and Prok villages. We interviewed 50 people (39 males and 11 females) using a semi-structured questionnaire format and recorded open interviews with potential informants. Our survey focused mainly over Sirdibas village inhabited by Gurungs. Results People usually hunted paha in Spring (March to May) and Summer (June to August) season either by flashing torchlight at night time (45.7%) or flipping big rocks under the water (29.6%). Nanorana liebigii (50%) is highly preferred for its dual purpose of delicacy and medicine, while Ombrana sikimensis (33.33%) solely considered for food and Amolops formosus (16.67%) for medicine. Majority of the people (43.90%) collected 51–100 individuals of paha at one hunting season and sold locally in the price range between NPR 50–250 (USD 0.45–2.26). People opined paha numbers have diminished over the last decade (76%), suggested strict regulation of hunting (58.5%), and educational campaigns (29.2%) as measures of protection. Conclusion Our results demonstrated the difference in ethnoherpetological relationship among the Gurung community in lower Sirdibas village and the Tibetan Lama community in Manaslu. Since frogs around the world are in rapid decline, it is imperative that recreational killings of paha need to be checked with regulatory mechanisms across Nepal. There is an urgent need to shelter paha frogs under wildlife protection regulation and prioritize for conservation.