Fruit is a ripened ovary, it may either fleshy or nut and divided into cultivated as well as wild categories. Wild fruits are worldwide distributed and mostly found in the part of earth where anthropogenic activities are no or negligible. The use of Himalayan plant species for food and medicine has been known for a long time. Uttarakhand is one of these places which is suitable for wild edible fruiting plants because of their difficult geography and climatic conditions and awesome taste of fruits which are attracted by their people as a rich source of their nutrition. Wild edible plants are very important for the well being of rural populations in the region, not only as sources of supplemental food, nutritionally balanced diets, medicines, fodder and fuel, but also for their income generating potential. Large numbers of wild fruits along with their edible values also used in medicine and many other wild fruits viz. Rubus ellipticus, Fragaria × ananassa, Prunus persica, Myrica esculenta etc. have high nutritive quality and used by the local peoples for the different edible products. Such wild plants might be explore for their nutritional and medicinal properties and need to conserve for biodiversity maintenance.

Keywords: Wild fruit; Medicine; Ethnobotany; Uttarakhand; Nutrition

Fruit is a ripened ovary of flower and may either fleshy or nut. Fruits are generally cultivated as well as wild, cultivated fruits are grown by farmers for economical benefits while wild fruits are occurring only in their natural environment. As population increases the areas of plantation and forest used for human welfare, number of plants decreases so wild plants lost their identity and decrease in their number. Wild fruiting plants are major in numbers in that place which are not affected by human interaction due to their difficult geography and climatic conditions which is not suitable for human survival [1]. Surveyed the ethnobotanical exploration, identification, concerns and future potentialities of the wild edible plants of Srinagar and Alaknanda valley of Garhwal Himalaya and recorded total 55 plant species belonging to 35 families. The ethnobotanical survey of wild edible fruits from Kolhapur district was carried out by [2]. [3] Examined the status and distribution pattern of medicinal plants in Wildlife Institute of Dehradun, Uttarakhand and recorded 605 plants belonging to 94 families. The use of plant species of the Himalaya as food and medicine has been known for a long time and about 1748 economically important plants have been reported from Indian Himalaya [4]. The unique diversity of such important plants in the region is manifested by the presence of a number of native (31%), endemic (13.5%) and threatened (14%) of total red data book species of Indian Himalayan region [5].

Uttarakhand is one of these places which is suitable for wild edible fruiting plants because of their difficult geography and climatic conditions and awesome taste of fruits which is attracted by their people as a rich source of their nutrition [6]. Western Himalayan region is rich in diversity of wild edible plant species. Consumption of wild edible fruits meets the protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamin and mineral requirement of poor rural populace in the region. Wild edible plants are very important for the well being of rural populations in the region, not only as sources of supplemental food, nutritionally balanced diets, medicines, fodder and fuel, but also for their income generating potential [7]. Uttarakhand is a part of the North-Western Himalayas and is located between 28o 43'-31o 27' N latitudes and 77o 34'-81o 02' E longitudes. The river Tons separates the state from Himachal Pradesh in the north-west, whereas the river Kali separates it from Nepal in the east. The greater Himalaya is the northern boundary of the state and is also the international border with China. Most of the people of this state are dependent on their natural environment and is characterized by a rich diversity of ethno-botanic plant as well as rich heritage of wild edible plants system [8] recorded a total 102 species belonging to 48 families of ethno-medicinal plants from four selected districts of Uttarakhand (Almora, Champawat, Bageshwar and Pithoragarh). On the basis of this information current article focused on the nutritional and medicinal values of wild fruits which are located in Uttarakhand, which can be explore for their great nutritional and medicinal properties.

All botanical information regarding these plants which are included in this review article is taken from The Plant List website.

Hisalu

Botanical name: Rubus ellipticus Sm
Local name: Yellow Himalayan raspberry, Hisalu, Ashilo
Family: Rosaceae

Ethnobotanical uses: It plays a major role to providing free energy packets for the people who are travelling mountains and they can be finding them everywhere [9,10].

Strawberry

Botanical name: Fragaria × ananassa(Duchesne ex Weston) Duchesne ex Rozier
Local name: Strawberry
Family: Rosaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: Used in prepared foods, flavored used in to dairy products, pigment extract used as a natural acid/base indicator due to the different color of the conjugate acid and conjugate base of the pigment. This fruit is a great source of iron [11-13].

Plum

Botanical name: Prunus persica (L.) Batsch
Local name: Plum
Family: Rosaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: Plums are used widely in the preparation of jellies, jams and desserts. People even use dry plums as dry fruit. Medicinally it is use in wound healing [14].

Kafal

Botanical name: Myrica esculenta Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don
Local name: Kafal or Kaphal
Family: Myricaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: Besides being useful in a wide range of ailments specified decoctions of fruits, the stone and also its bark are claimed to be beneficial in cardiac debility, edema and haemoptysis. A wax covering on the fruit is extracted by scalding the fruit with boiling water. Among the local inhabitants it is said to be used as an application for ulcer healing [15-18].

1. Bedu

Botanical name: Ficus palmata Forssk.
Local name: Khemri (Hindi); Pheru (Jaunsar); Bedu (Kumaun), Indian Fig (English); Bendu (Nepali); Anjir.
Family: Moraceae
Ethnobotanical uses: The Bedu fruit is very juicy and contain 45 percent of juice. The fruit is beneficial in the disease of lungs and the bladder. It is a source of minerals, phosphorus and a small amount of Vit. C [19].

Darim

Botanical name: Punica granatum L.
Local name: Darim
Family: Lythraceae
Ethnobotanical uses: It having a good amount of minerals, phosphorous, calcium and magnesium. Pomegranate fruit juice is known as a delicacy and is made into excellent sherbet which has diuretic and cooling effect and having glucose, fructose, tannins, oxalic acid, and reduces thirst in cases of fevers, supplies the required minerals and helps the liver to preserve vit- A. The rind of the fruit and the bark are used as a traditional remedy against diarrhea, dysentery and intestinal parasites [20].

Berbrise

Botanical name: Berberis asiatica Roxb. ex DC.
Local name: Chutro, Marpyashi, Daruharidra, Darbi.
Family -Berberidaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: In Ayurvedic medicinal system it is named as ‘Daruharidra” or Wood Turmeric due to similar properties as of turmeric [21] which is used in antimicrobial, wound healing, hepatoprotective and cytotoxicity etc. [22-24]. The plant yields fairly large quantity of alkaloids in which isoquinoline type alkaloids like berberine, palmatine, jetrorrhizine, and columbamine are the most studied phytoconstituents [25].

Makoi

Botanical name: Solanum nigrum L.
Local name: Black Nightshade
Family: Solanaceae
Ehanobotanical uses- It has expectorant, analgesic, sedative, diaphoretic properties. Its external application cures skin diseases and gives relief in burns, itching, pain etc. As per Ayurveda, this plant is hot is potency and balances tridosha. The juice of leaves is used as ear drop to get relief from pain in ears. It also contains polyphenolic compounds such as gallic acid, catechin, protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid, epicatechin, rutin, and naringenin [26-30].

Ghigharu

Botanical name: Pyracantha crenulata (Roxb. ex D.Don) M.Roem.
Local name: Ghigharu
Family: Rosaceae
Local name: Chhota seb, Nepal firethorn
Ehanobotanical uses: Fruits can be made into a preservative. Medicinally it has cardio-tonic, coronary vasodilator and hypertensive properties. It has been used for cardiac failure, myocardial weakness, paroxysmal tachycardia, hypertension, arteriosclerosis and Burgor’s disease. The anti-oxidants present in fruits are helpful in reducing the ill-effects of free-radicals in our body, maintain blood-pressure and reduce cholesterol. Apart from this the fruits are helpful for rejuvenation in aged people, reduce joint pains and act as appetizer. The leaves are used in the preparation of herbal tea, sun burn creams and many facial creams. The bark of the shrub is used in heavy bleeding during menstrual cycles. A combination of Ginkgo and Pyracantha leaves are a tonic to mind. The stem bark is useful in fevers especially malaria. It is rich is beta-carotene, iron, potassium, and anti-oxidants and therefore a healthy choice [31,32].

Apricot

Botanical name: Prunus armeniaca L.
Local name: Khubani
Family: Rosaceae
Ehanobotanical uses: The fruit having high in carotene and vitamin C, provides a valuable source of food eaten fresh, as jams, dried or cooked in meat dishes. The kernels can also be eaten, pressed to make almond oil or used medicinally. Recent studies suggest that the amygdalin extracted from apricot kernels can be used as an alternative treatment for cancer [33].

Dog rose

Botanical name: Rosa canina L.
Local name: Dog Rose
Family: Rosaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: The plant has high antioxidants and vit-C level, used to make syrup, tea and marmalade. Wildly it grows for the production of vit-C, The fruits have been used internally as tea for treatment of viral infections and disorders of the kidneys and urinary tract [34,35].

Mulberries

Botanical name: Morus alba L.        
Local name- Mulberries, White Mulberry
Family: Moraceae
Ethnobotanical uses: It is used from make jams or jellies add some lemon juice to perk up the flavor. The ripe fruit is edible and is widely used in pies, tarts, wines, cordials and tea. Unripe fruit and green parts of the plant have a white sap that may be toxic, stimulating, or mildly hallucinogenic. Mulberry leaves, particularly those of the white mulberry, are ecologically important as the sole food source of the silkworm (Bombyx mori), Anthocyanins are responsible for the attractive colors of fresh plant foods, including orange, red, purple, black, and blue. These colors are water-soluble and easily extractable, yielding natural food colorants [36-40].

Black raspberry

Botanical name: Rubus occidentalis L.
Local name: Black raspberry, wild black raspberry, black caps, black cap raspberry, thimbleberry.
Family: Rosaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: It has high amount of anthocyanins which is very useful for natural dyes and also beneficial for cancer treatment [41]. The leaves can be used fresh or dried in herbal teas. It has astringent flavor and use in herbal medicine.

Timil

Botanical name: Ficus auriculata Lour.
Local name -Timul, Timil
Family: Moraceae
Ehanobotanical uses: Gastrointestinal problems can be treated by using 50-100 ml fresh juice of leaves with water for about 10 days [42]. Bark and root show hypoglycaemic and anthelmintic activity [43,44]. The extracts also reported to inhibit insulinase activity from liver and kidney. Fruit extracts exhibits anti-tumour activity [45]. Leaves exhibit hypotensive activity [46].

Juneberries

Botanical name: Amelanchier spicata (Lam.) K.Koch
Local name: Serviceberry, Saskatoon.
Family: Rosaceae
Ethnobotanical name- It can be eaten fresh or used for jam, jelly, and sauce, and also makes a fine beverage. Fruits have nutritional value because of high level of protein, fat, fiber, calcium, magnesium, manganese, barium, and aluminum [47,48].

Beal

Botanical name: Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa
Local name: Bael, Indian bael, Golden apple, Elephant apple, Baelputri, Sirphal, Siriphal
Family: Rutaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: The fruit is eaten fresh or dried. If fresh, the juice is strained and sweetened to make a drink and use for sharbat. The dried fruit is usually used for slice and sun-dried than hard leathery slices are immersed in water. The fruit pulp has detergent action. Quisumbing says that bael fruit is employed to eliminate scum in vinegar-making [49].

Ber

Botanical name: Ziziphus jujube Mill.
Local name: Ber
Family: Ramanaceae
Ehanobotanical uses: Delicious fruits used as an effective herbal remedy. It increases the weight, stamina and improves muscular strength. In Chinese medicine, it is prescribed as a tonic to strengthen liver function. It functions as antidote, diuretic, emollient and expectorant. Also, said to promote hair growth. The dried fruits are anodyne, anticancer, pectoral, refrigerant, sedative, stomachache, styptic and tonic. Help in purify the blood and aid digestion. They are used internally in the treatment of chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhea, anemia, irritability and hysteria. The seed is hypnotic, narcotic, sedative, stomachache and tonic. It is used internally in the treatment of palpitations, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, night sweats and excessive perspiration. The root is used in the treatment of dyspepsia. A decoction of the root has been used in the treatment of fevers. The root is made into a powder and applied to old wounds and ulcers. The leaves are applied as poultices and are helpful in liver troubles, asthma and fever. The fruit is very nutritious with potassium, phosphorus, calcium and manganese and also is rich source of Vit- C and Vit- B complex and anti-oxidant content of fresh fruits is higher than most of fruits [50-53].

Wild grapes

Botanical name: Vitis vulpina L.
Local name: River bank or forest grape
Family: Vitaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: The fruits are used in Juice, Wine and Jelly. Unripe grapes were used for treating sore throats, and raisins were given as treatments for consumption (tuberculosis), constipation and thirst. Ripe grapes were used for the treatment of cancer, cholera, smallpox, nausea, skin and eye infections as well as kidney and liver diseases [54-56].

Red berries

Botanical name: Viburnum opulus L.
Local name: Guelder rose, water elder, cramp bark, snowball tree
Family- Adoxaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: It is used as an ornamental plant. In cooking, it is used as a cranberry substitute when making preserves and jellies. It can be eaten either raw or cooked, but use caution when using the berries of this plant in foods, as it can cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting if eaten in large quantities or when unripe. Generally, if ripe and cooked, the fruit has very low toxicity. The fruit also contains a red dye which was used by early Native Americans to make ink. A decoction of the bark was also used as a beverage for both social drinking and medicinal purposes [57,58].

Blackcurrant

Botanical name: Ribes nigrum L.
Local name: Blackcurrant, European black currant
Family: Grossulariaceae
Ehanobotanical uses: The extracted oil and juice useful as an antioxidant source and in treating rheumatoid arthritis and night and fatigue-related visual impairment, antimicrobial and anticancer properties [59]. The Vit- C content is considered to be the major contributor to the antioxidant capacity of black currant. In vitro inhibition of cancer cell proliferation was observed with antioxidant capacity [60].

Wild himalayan pear

Botanical name: Pyrus pashia Buch.-Ham. ex D.Don
Local name: Wild Himalayan Pear, Mahal
Family: Rosaceae
Ehanobotanical uses: The juice of the ripe fruit is used in the treatment of diarrhea. The plant is well-known for its nutritional and therapeutic importance [61,62].

Indian fig

Botanical name: Ficus carica L.
Family: Moraceae
Local name: Indian fig, Edible Fig
Ehanobotanical uses: All parts used in the native system of medicine in different disorders such as colic, indigestion, diarrhea, sore throats, coughs, bronchial problems, inflammatory, cardiovascular disorders, ulcerative diseases, and cancers [63]. The latex from the sap can be used to coagulate plant milks.

Hill raspberry

Botanical name: Rubus niveus Thunb.
Local name: Hill Raspberry, Kala Hinsalu
Family: Rosaceae
Ehanobotanical uses: The fruits are enjoyed fresh, alone or served with sugar and cream or ice cream. They are excellent for making pie, tarts, jam and jelly. The fresh fruit can be quick-frozen for future use. [64,65].

Bhambti

Botanical name: Parthenocissus semicordata (Wall.) Planch.
Local name: Bhambti, Phlankur, Chappar Tang, Bara Churcheri
Family: Vitaceae
Ehanobotanical uses: The fruits have multiple uses mostly edible [66].

Wild pear

Botanical name: Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm.f.) Nakai
Local name: Wild Pear, Bada Kainth, Shiara, Zarenth
Family: Rosaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: The fruits are juicy and edible and a good preservative for jam [67,68].

Indian wild pear

Botanical Name: Amelanchier canadensis (L.) Medik.
Local Name: Indian Wild Pear
Family: Rosaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: The fruit contains about 6.8% sugars, 3.7% protein, 1% ash, 0.4% pectin. Vit- C is very low, about 1.2mg per 100g [69]. The juice of the ripe fruit is used in the treatment of diarrhea [70]. Wood is used for small implements, walking sticks [71].

Amla    

Botanical Name: Phyllanthus emblica L.
Local Name: Amla
Family -Phyllanthaceae
Ethnobotanical uses- The entire plant is economically important. The dried fruit, the nut or seed, leaves, root, bark and flowers are frequently employed. The ripe fruits are generally used fresh but dried fruit are also used [72]. It is rich in polyphenols, minerals and is regarded as one of the richest source of vitamin C [73]. Therapeutic uses as an energy refiller, Aperient, Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral [72], in Gonorrhoea, Analgesic and Skin Fareness [74], to stop nausea and vomiting, Antitumour activity, Hepatoprotective activity [72].

Karunda

Botanical Name: Carissa spinarum L.
Local name: Karondhu, Garna, Kharnu, Karunda
Famiy: Apocynaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: It is used in combination with roots of some other medicinal plants to treat rheumatism by the mundas, a tribe of Chhota Nagpur. It is a strong purgative and is used as one of the ingredients in some purgative preparations. A large dose of the roots useful for the fatal owing to profuse purging [75].

Jamun

Botanical Name: Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels
Local Name: Jamun, Java Plum, Black Plum, Jambul and Indian blackberry
Family: Myrtaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: Fruit syrup is very useful for curing diarrhea. It is stomachache, carminative and diuretic, apart from having cooling and digestive properties [76]. Vit- C is able to regenerate other antioxidants such as vit- E [77,78]. Fruits are used in making jam, jellies, squash, vinegar and ice cream for its beautiful and attractive purple colour.

Imli

Botanical Name: Tamarindus indica L.
Local Name: Madeira Mahogany, Indian Date, Tamarind Tree, Tentul, Chinta, Anbli, Tamrul, Amli, Imli
Family: Leguminosae
Ethnobotanical uses: The fruit pulp is used for seasoning, as a food component to flavour confections, curries and sauces, and is a main component in juices and certain beverages. Fruit pulp is eaten fresh and often made into a juice, infusion or brine [79,80].

Quince

Botanical Name: Cydonia oblonga Mill.
Local Name: Bihi
Family: Rosaceae
Ethnobotanical uses: It has antioxidants activity and contains phenolic compounds, vit- E, carotenoids, L-ascorbic acid and other organic acids [81,82]. The leaves are used in folk medicine for their sedative, antipyretic, anti-diarrheic and antitussive properties and for the treatment of various skin diseases [83,84]. Dried fruits are used for making jelly and marmalade [85]. Seeds have been used traditionally in diarrhea, dysentery, cough, sore throat and bronchitis [86], intestinal colic and constipation [87] and also are one of the popular complementary therapies used for allergic rhinitis and asthma [88].

Wild fruits are worldwide distributed but in very low quantity. Wild fruiting plants are generally in majority in that place which is not affected by human interaction due to their difficult geography and climatic conditions which is not suitable for human survival. Uttarakhand is one of these places which is suitable for wild edible fruiting plants because of their difficult geography and climatic conditions and awesome taste of fruits which is attracted by their people as a rich source of their nutrition. The unique diversity of such important plants in the region is manifested by the presence of a number of native, endemic and threatened of total red data book species of Indian Himalayan region. Uttarakhand is characterized by a rich diversity of ethnobotanic plant as well as rich heritage of wild edible plants system. These important floras are preserved by the local population of Kumaun and Garhwal region. The traditional knowledge about the use of indigenous medicinal plants has been explore, therefore, the ethnological knowledge of people and listing of plants of particular region are important tools that may help in understanding human environment interactions. Consumption of wild edible fruits meets the protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamin and mineral requirement of poor rural populace in the region. Wild edible plants are very important for the well being of rural populations in the region, not only as sources of supplemental food, nutritionally balanced diets, medicines, fodder and fuel, but also for their income generating potential. Many wild fruits such as Rubus ellipticus, Fragaria × ananassa, Prunus persica, Myrica esculenta etc. have high nutritive quality and used by the local peoples for different edible products. Among these many other wild fruits such as Punica granatum, Bebrise asiatica, Solanum nigram, Ficus auriculata etc. have been reported for the good medicinal properties.

Authors are greatly thankful to Dr. K K Joshi (Principal, SAPKM Kichha) and Mr. S N Sharma (Chairman, SAPKM Kichha) to supporting and encouraging to this work.

There is no conflict of interest.