PJB-2023-428
ETHNOBOTANICAL APPRAISAL AND MEDICINAL POTENTIAL OF WILD HERBACEOUS FLORA OF SANGHAR MOUNTAINS OF DISTRICT BHIMBER (AJK) PAKISTAN
Humaira Khanum
Abstract
Abstract: The current research was planned to explore ethnobotanical and traditional ethnomedicines (TEMs) uses of wild flora of Sanghar mountains of District Bhimber (AJK) Pakistan and expedite for novelty and drug discovery. The research work was carried out in year 2018-19 from indigenous communities and informants’ age ranged from 40-100 years by using open-ended and closed ended interview protocols. The research generated data of 173 herbal plants belonging to 51 families, with Poaceae being the most dominant family (27 species). Of the herbal species, 30% were used as fodder, 24% as fuel sources, and smaller percentages for ethno veterinary medicines, home construction, cosmetics, honeybee plants, and fibre sources. Traditionally, the plants have been used to treat various ailments, such as fever, cough, jaundice, skin diseases, diabetes, snake bites, and tooth problems. Various plant parts such as foliage, latex, flowers, seeds, and gums were employed to treat different ailments. The study classified major ailments into 12 categories, with cancer, cough, skin diseases, eye diseases, and fever having the most of plant species associated with them. The reliability of herbal drugs was assessed using the fidelity level (FL), and the use value index (UVI) determined the importance of different herb species. Alternanthera pungens L. had the highest UVI. The relative frequency of citation (RFC) measured the popularity of individual species, with Alternanthera pungens L. and Achyranthes aspera L. having the highest RFC values. The study emphasized to explore traditional ethnomedicines to discover new drugs from wild indigenous plants.
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