Indigenous knowledge of the use of medicinal plants in Bheri, Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan

Abstract

IntroductionIndigenous knowledge of medicinal plants can provide information on phytotherapeutic activity for the treatment of disease. The aim of this study was to document and quantify traditional knowledge on the ethnic use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various human diseases by the communities living in Bheri, Muzaffarabad (Pakistan). MethodsEthno botanical data were collected from ethnic communities using semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed using the informant consensus factor (ICF), the fidelity level (FL) and the medicinal use value (MUV). Moreover, indigenous plant uses were compared with reported phytochemical constituents and their pharmacological properties. ResultsDuring the survey 80 medicinal plant species used to treat various human ailments were documented. These belonged to 43 families and 69 genera. The plant species identified suggested phytotherapeutic activities for 19 diseases; such as ear pain with the highest ICF (1.00), followed by liver inflammation, cancer, internal injury (0.99), impotency and nervous debility (0.98). A high level of fidelity for Lavatera cashemiriana, Morus nigra, Rheum australe, R. webbianum, Bergenia ciliata, Melia azedarach (99%), Jurinea dolomiaea, Solanum nigrum, (95%) and Trillium govanianum, (90%) was also recorded. ConclusionsThis study confirmed the traditional uses of plants being used in the indigenous health care system in the study area. A gradual decline of indigenous knowledge in the younger generation was due to socioeconomic changes. There it is a need to promote awareness in local communities on sustainable use and manage in-situ and ex-situ conservation of flora.