The ranges of Western ghats extended in Maharashtra represents biodiversity and
abundance of traditional knowledge systems. The uses of medicinal plant species
have a long and varied history in various cultural traditions. Ethnomedicinal plants
play a significant role in traditional healing practices in rural areas of India. The tribal
communities in the Junnar tehsil with diverse plant wealth and repository of
medicinal plants. However, survey show that there is under exploration on
ethnomedicinal plants from the interior areas of Junnar Tehsil. Keeping this in view,
the present investigations were initiated in tribal-dominated areas of Naneghat and
Daryaghat regions in Junnar Tehsil. Documentation of such ethnomedicinal plants
and their utilization of knowledge is vital because knowledge is disappearing daily
in the younger generations. In the present study, a total of 90 medicinally important
plant species belonging to 84 genera and 54 families have been recorded. The local
tribes utilized the medicinal plants listed along with their scientific name, family,
local name, parts used, medicinal properties, and traditional uses. Ethnic
communities utilize these as home remedies to cure various diseases. These
medicinally important plants may need to be explored and used in the
pharmaceutical sector to prepare new medications. Therefore, efforts have been made
to document the traditional applications and customs of ethnomedicinal plants used
in domestic remedies by the local tribes near Naneghat and Daryaghat in Junnar
Tehsil, Pune District.
Keywords: Ethnomedicinal, Traditional uses, Ethnic communities, Botanical
Exploration
