Medicinal plants used as therapeutic medicine in the Himalayan region of Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Abstract

• Medicinal plants have been playing an important role in traditional healing systems. • A total of 125 plant species used in herbal medicine were identified. • The herbaceous used life form is dominantly in herbal preparation. • The maximum ICF index value is calculated for liver and digestive problems. • Berberis lyceum and Thymus sarphylum (100% FL) are used for treating jaundice and joint pain respectively. The current research is the first quantitative ethno-botanical assessment of district Haveli in the Himalayan region, a remote and undiscovered territory of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK). The people of the Himalayan region have a wealth of traditional knowledge that can be used to cure a variety of diseases. However, ethno-medicinal data must be recorded as soon as possible in order to preserve them and prevent extinction due to oral transmission, as well as to determine which remedies are still in use. Data was gathered from 70 informants (25 female and 45 male) through semi-structured interviews and group discussions. Informants were chosen at random or, in certain cases, using the snow-ball approach. To evaluate the gathered information, different ethnobotanical indices including UV, RFC, FL%, and ICF were used. Moreover, the information gathered in the current research work was contrasted with 22 different studies of aligned areas, including Pakistan. A total of 125 plant species used in herbal medicine were identified, which were distributed among 56 families and employed in 16 illness categories. Asteraceae (16 spp.) was the most used family in the area. The herbaceous life form was dominantly (66 spp., 53.65%) used in herbal preparation. The most commonly used part in herbal medicine was leaves (29.55%), and the most generally used method for preparing herbal recipes was extract (26.53%). The maximum ICF index value (0.92) was calculated for liver and digestive problems. The highest UV (0.92) was calculated for Berginia virgata. Olea ferruginea had the highest relative importance (100). Two plant species, Berberis lycium and Thymus surphylum, had 100% fidelity value. A high similarity was found with the study conducted on Devi Gali and Neelum valley with JI of 16.75 and 14.58. The plants with the highest levels of UV, RFC, RI, and FL would be examined for future pharmacological study in order to validate the findings and produce novel medications. Local residents have remained closer to nature due to their lack of communication with modern civilization. Despite the fact that they continued to employ medicinal plants in different herbal recipes, this tradition is on the verge of extinction since it is mostly retained by hakims, midwives, or the elderly people. The new generation is much less interested in traditional health practices due to advanced healthcare facilities and modern lifestyles.