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Abstract

Background: This ethnobotanical study is an initial detailed assessment of the therapeutic plants used by the riparian communities of salt mine area of District Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan's native inhabitants and folk healers, offering fresh perspectives on their deeply ingrained therapeutic expertise. The study area is situated in Pakistan's northern Himalayan Ranges. Despite the extensive medicinal plants, deeply ingrained cultural legacy, and significant dependence on herbal remedies among local communities, this region has not been thoroughly examined in ethnobotanical studies, as ethnobotany still continues to develop as an academic field throughout Pakistan. Methods: Details on medicinal plants and demographics have been collected from September 2024 and September 2025 by using open ended interviews with 450 informants (280 males & 170 females). A detailed quantitative evaluation of ethnomedicinal significance was carried out using recognized indices, including UV (use value), RFC (relative frequency citation), ICF (informant consensus factor), FUV (family use value) and jacquard index (JI) were used. Results: The present study documented customary therapeutic implementation of 146 different species of plants from 55 distinct families among various ethnic groups. The majority (50%) of herbal treatments were utilized as decoctions. Cardio-vascular issues were ranked first (0.14), followed by liver complaints (0.13), according to ICF values. It is recommended that additional studies be done on species such as Nannorohops ritcheana, Asphodelus tenuifolius, Tecomella undulata, Eruca sativa, Cyanotoxis axillaris, Mentha selvestris, Grewia tenax, Bacopa monneri, Rumex dentatus, solanum elaegnifolium, Tamarix apylla, and Viola cinerea. Conclusion: The findings of the study demonstrate that the indigenous people relied extensively on plants to maintain their well-being. The aforementioned pattern of usage highlights the fact that traditionally used plant species constitute a fundamental part of a repository of traditional medical knowledge that is deeply ingrained in culture and has been passed down through time.

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