Ethnomedicinal Evaluation of Medicinal Plants Used against Gastrointestinal Complaints.

E. F. Abd_Allah,Akash Tariq,Sakina Mussarat,Muhammad Adnan,Abeer Hashem,Abdulaziz Abdullah Alqarawi,Riaz Ullah

doi:10.1155/2015/892947

Abstract

Aim of the present study was to document ethnomedicinal plants used against gastrointestinal complaints in five selected remote regions of Pakistan and to select potential medicinal plants for further in vitro and in vivo investigation. Data on ethnomedicinal plants and ethnographic profile of respondents was documented using semistructured questionnaires. The present study revealed utilization of 52 medicinal plants for the treatment of different gastrointestinal infections in studied regions. Apiaceae was the most dominant family reported to be used for the treatment of these infections (4 plants). Among all the plant parts fruit (24%), whole plants and leaves (23% each) were the most preferred plant parts used by the healers. Dosage of recipe was found to be related with the age of the patient. Highest degree of informant consensus was reported for vomiting, nausea (0.92 each), abdominal pain (0.9), and diarrhea (0.89). Withania coagulans scored highest FL value (86%) followed by Mentha longifolia and Melia azadirachta ranked second with FL value (75% each). Young generation was found to possess little traditional knowledge about utilizing plant recipes against these infections. Plants with high Fic and FL values should be subjected for further phytochemical and pharmacological investigation for scientific validation.

Highlights

Plants are an important resource of conventional medicines used against different ailments
The present study revealed high number of plant used against gastrointestinal infection in selected regions of Pakistan that might be due to the highest prevalence of these infections in studied regions
Locals of the region are heavily dependent on these medicinal plants causing serious threats to the abundance of these plants

Summary

Introduction

Plants are an important resource of conventional medicines used against different ailments. More than 80% of population in Pakistan is dependent on traditional medicines for health practices [2], but it is restricted to rural areas [3], due to divergence of people toward modern health facilities in urban areas and due to changing life styles with the passage of time. This centuries old traditional knowledge is facing severe threat due to modernization in rural societies. It is imperative to increase ethnomedicinal studies in order to preserve this precious knowledge before its extinction [5]

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Discussion

Conclusion