Ethnobotanical Studies of Hunza Valley, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

Plants are the 'VISHNOs' of our ecosystem. Hindus believe that the Vishnu (god) sustains the universe. Several traditional communities around the world and cultures today have profound imprints of people-plant interaction. Plants have been the only source and inspiration for treatment and healing of ailments. Modern scientific scholarship realizes that ethnobotany is one of the potential basis for the discovery of new, alternate and safe drugs for most pressing diseases like CANCER etc. This book brings folk wisdom of traditional communities from Shinaki area of famous HUNZA Valley. Research area falls within the laps of inaccessible mighty Karakorum Mountains which is considered to be taxonomically complex and rich for biodiversity. Modern ignorance has led to extinction of several species and lot of ethnobotanical knowledge. Book will be useful for ethnobotanists, conservationists, pharmacists, phytochemists, taxonomists, zoopharmacologists, botanists and students of biology etc.