Integrative Ethnobotanical and GC–MS Analysis of Valeriana jatamansi Jones: Pharmacological Potential and Conservation Importance

Medicinal plants remain vital to traditional and modern medicine due to their diverse bioactive compounds and deep cultural significance. The present study integrates ethnobotanical knowledge with phytochemical profiling to explore the medicinal potential of Valeriana jatamansi Jones from the Langate Forest Division, Kashmir. Ethnobotanical surveys revealed the plant’s widespread traditional use in the treatment of neurological, gastrointestinal, and inflammatory ailments. Methanolic rhizome extracts were analysed using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS), identifying patchouli alcohol (46.01%), maaliol (26.53%), and calarene (17.39%) as major sesquiterpenes. These oxygenated and hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes underpin the plant’s sedative, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties. The convergence of ethnomedicinal practices and chemical evidence supports the traditional therapeutic applications of V. jatamansi Jones and highlights the Langate population as a distinct high patchouli alcohol chemotype. However, intensive harvesting pressure in the study area poses a significant conservation concern, underscoring the urgency for sustainable utilisation strategies. Overall, the findings emphasise the chemotypic significance of the Langate population and the need for conservation-oriented management and validation of indigenous pharmacological knowledge for future phytopharmaceutical development.