Ethnomedicinal plant use value in the Lakki Marwat District of Pakistan

Abstract

Aim of the study

Medicinal plants are regional treasures for the treatment of many ailments. The present research investigated and documented knowledge of indigenous commonly used medicinal plants, including traditional names, preparations and uses, in the Lakki Marwat District of Pakistan. The information gathered was statistically analyzed using the ICF method to establish baseline data for more comprehensive investigations of bioactive compounds of indigenous medicinal plants.

Materials and Methods

Direct interviews of 78 informants were conducted during 2013–2014 to identify the preparations and uses of indigenous medicinal plants. Data were analyzed using various quantitative tools, such as use value, factor informant consensus and fidelity level.

Results

A total of 62 species of flowering plants belonging to 34 families and 57 genera were reportedly used as ethnomedicines in the study area. Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Apocynaceae, Solanaceae, Apiaceae, Poaceae, Zygophyllaceae, Asteraceae and Euphorbiaceae were the main plant families that comprised ethnobotanically important plant species. Traditional healers most frequently used aerial parts of plants. The following medicinal species were the most important in the present study with the highest use values (UV): Plantago ovata Forsk.(F. Plantaginaceae), Lawsonia inermis L.(F. Lythraceae), Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand.(F. Apocynaceae), Peganum harmala L.(F. Zygophyllaceae), Fagonia indica Burm.f. (F. Zygophyllaceae), Carthamus oxyacantha M.Bieb. (F. Asteraceae), Datura metel L. (F. Solanaceae) and Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav. (F. Brassicaceae). Respiratory, otic, gastrointestinal and neurological ailments were the main categories that were classified as per factor informant consensus (Fic). The greatest number of species was used to cure gastrointestinal and andrological/gynecological problems. The highest fidelity level (Fl=100%) was achieved by Plantago ovata Forsk. (F. Plantaginaceae) to cure cardiovascular disorders.

Conclusion

The results of present study reveal that this enormous wealth of medicinal plants played an important role in the health care of the villagers in the study area. In addition, species with high use values (UV) might provide valuable leads for further pharmacological investigations.

Introduction

Plants are an integral part of life in many communities (Sidigia et al., 1990). Plants are a source of food, fodder, fuel, etc., and the use of plants as herbal medicines to cure various ailments parallels human civilization (Dubey et al., 2004). Ethnopharmacology involves the investigation of plants use in traditional communities to further enhance our understanding of the pharmacological basis of these culturally important medicinal plants (Bhatia et al., 2014).

Traditional medicine based on herbal remedies has always played a key role in the health care systems of many countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that approximately 80% of the world׳s population in developing countries depends on traditional medicines for primary healthcare because these plants are regarded as safe, cost-effective and easily affordable. In addition, modern treatment facilities do not reach aborigines or people who live far away from towns (WHO, 2002). In developed countries, 25% of medical drugs are based on plants and their derivatives (Principe, 2005).

Presently, ethnomedicinal information of indigenous plants has attained significant consideration in scientific sectors (Heinrich, 2000). Medicinal plants and plant-derived medicines are widely used in traditional recipes worldwide, and the medicinal use of plants is becoming increasingly popular in modern society as natural alternatives to synthetic drugs (Johns et al., 1990, Hamayun et al., 2003). Medicinal plants gained attention because of increasing costs of allopathic medicines for the maintenance of personal health, wellbeing (Hoareau and DaSilva, 1999), biomedical benefits and accessibility (Morvin Yabesh et al., 2014). In addition, antibiotic resistance is complicating the picture. Therefore, a switch towards traditional medicines is needed (Shah et al., 2014a).

Indigenous medicinal knowledge is a part of the Pakistani culture, and plant-based medicines are traditionally used by the majority of the Pakistani population (Qureshi et al., 2009). Most Pakistanis (>80%) utilize medicinal flora in their local healthcare system. Rural patients are more dependent on folk medicine for the treatment of various ailments because of the efficacy, ease of use, affordable cost and minimal side effects. This type of traditional medicinal knowledge is regularly practiced in homes, and it is transferred from generation to generation (Mahmood et al., 2011a). However, this tradition and associated knowledge is dwindling rapidly because the younger generation is either reluctant or less inclined to inherit this legacy of ethnomedicinal wealth from their forefathers. A fascination towards western lifestyles, industrialization, migration from rural to urban areas for jobs and education, allopathic medicine, and deforestation may underlie this change in behavior. Therefore, the need to collect and systematically document this valuable traditional knowledge is urgent for the interest of humanity before it is lost forever (Bhatia et al., 2014).

Zahoor et al. (2009) and Khan et al. (2013) studied the ethnobotany of the Lakki Marwat District, but these studies were restricted to just one village. Traditional recipes that were practiced for years in this area were also missing. Moreover, the data were not statistically explored. There are gaps in ethnobotanical knowledge in this region. Therefore, there was a need to explore the remaining territory in this district using an advanced statistical approach. The present study was conducted for the following reasons: (i) to investigate and document plant species that are used for the treatment and prevention of various health problems; ii) to document traditional recipes from medicinal plants, including methods of preparation, dosage, and modes of administration; (iii) to select candidate medicinal plant species of high priority for phytochemical and pharmacological analyses in our subsequent studies; and (iv) to inform the community about the diversity and conservation of medicinal plants.