Medicinal, nutritional, and spiritual significance of plants in Bhutan: their biodiscovery potential and conservation status
Book Chapter ResearchOnline@JCUAbstract
Bhutan is home to 5603 species of vascular plants under 220 families and 1415 genera. About 105 are endemic to the country. In this chapter, we will highlight the medicinal, nutritional, and spiritual uses of plants in Bhutan. One hundred three multi-ingredient essential traditional medicines and 15 commercial products use more than 229 plant species as ingredients, out of which 80–85% of them are available within the country. While more than 100 medicinal plants are vegetables and fruits, 17 species are known to produce essential oil, and 22 species are associated with various spiritual purposes. Many plants consumed as food or medicines are rich in vitamins, minerals, and natural antioxidants, yet most of them remain unexplored for their phytochemicals and pharmacological activities. Thus, considering Bhutan’s rich ethnobotanical knowledge and biological diversity, there are immense opportunities for initiating bio-discovery and value addition on medicinal and edible plants of Bhutan. However, the preparation and implementation of strategic management plans on sustainable collections of these plants in collaboration with communities are essential.
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Ethnobiology of Mountain Communities in Asia
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ISBN/ISSN
2365-7553
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Pages Count
25
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Publisher
Springer Nature
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Publisher Location
Cham, Switzerland
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DOI
10.1007/978-3-030-55494-1_1