ABSTRACT
Western Himalaya has a very rich heritage of medicinal and aromatic plants. Nardostachys grandiflora is among the highly renowned medicinal and aromatic plants of this region. It is harvested for its rhizome, which is used to treat diseases such as heart palpitation, convulsions, epilepsy, and insomnia and also used as a source of aromatic oil that is used as incense, as a flavoring agent, and in quality perfumes. This species is on the verge of extinction due to overexploitation and habitat destruction. Due to its remote location as well as sparse population, scientific investigations on this species are sporadic and fragmentary. Trade-related information on this species is also scanty and fragmented. However, such studies are important because they provide insight into the scientific information available, even if meager, with a view to determining the gaps that need to be addressed in the future. This article tries to consolidate all the available information into a single compilation. A previous article along similar lines (G. Amatya and V. M. Sthapit, J. Herbs Spices Med. Plants 20:39–47, 1994) is now about two decades old and needs to be updated in the light of research conducted in the last two decades.