Quantitative Ethnobotanical Analysis, Phytochemical Profiling and Conservation Prioritization of Medicinal Plants Used by Indigenous Communities of Amethi District, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

The indigenous communities of Amethi District in Uttar Pradesh, India maintain extensive ethnobotanical knowledge that has been transmitted across generations. The present study documents the medicinal plant species utilized by these communities, evaluates their ethnobotanical significance using quantitative indices such as Use Value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), and conducts preliminary phytochemical screening of selected priority species. Conservation prioritization was also undertaken based on parameters including species rarity, anthropogenic threats, and ecological importance. Ethnobotanical surveys involving structured interviews with 120 informants from 10 villages recorded 132 medicinal plant species representing 54 families, with Fabaceae and Asteraceae being the dominant families. Phytochemical analyses revealed a substantial presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds in the prioritized species. Furthermore, 23 plant species were identified as requiring immediate conservation attention due to declining populations and high medicinal utilization. The findings emphasize the need to safeguard traditional ethnobotanical knowledge and promote sustainable conservation of plant resources in the Amethi District.