Quantitative assessment and status of ethnomedicinal plants of Sheen Ghar Valley, Dir Lower, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Shariat Ullah,Asghar Ali,Noor Muhammad,Lal Badshah

doi:10.14719/pst.2020.7.1.625

Abstract

This study was conducted from March 2017 to August 2018, to enumerate the quantitative attributes and current status of medicinal plants of Sheen Ghar Valley, District Dir Lower, Pakistan. A total of 51 species were documented for their medicinal uses. These plants belonged to 31 families. Results of this study revealed that leaves were the frequently used part (50%), followed by whole plants (only 30%) in curing different ailments. Many plants were found to be having multiple uses. Based on family importance value (FIV), Lamiaceae was the leading plant family (126.30) followed by Violaceae (55.81), while highest relative frequency of citation (RFC) was noted for Viola canescens (0.558) followed by Olea europaea (0.523). Conservation study revealed that 24 species (47%) were vulnerable, 22 species (43%) were rare and 4 species (8%) were noted as infrequent. Following IUCN standards for conservation, one species i.e. Hypericum perforatum was declared dominant. This study recommends immediate ex-situ and in-situ conservation programme for protecting the plant wealth of the locality.

Highlights

Existing status of the medicinal flora of any locality can be best understood by applying quantitative ethno-botanical techniques.Quantitative studies generate important primary data, which may be used to plan strategies for the conservation of plant resources [1]
In most localities these medicinal plants occur in abundance and their use is of tremendous value in health care but over consumption may lead to a potent threat for medicinal flora [2]
In another study 50 medicinal plants along with methods of formulating crude drugs from them were recognized in Talash Valley Dir Lower, Pakistan [6]

Summary

Introduction

Existing status of the medicinal flora of any locality can be best understood by applying quantitative ethno-botanical techniques.Quantitative studies generate important primary data, which may be used to plan strategies for the conservation of plant resources [1]. From District Tank of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 205 plants along with their medicinal value were reported [8]. A study revealed that 67 medicinally important plants were recorded from Jandool Valley District Lower Dir, which were utilized by inhabitants to cure various ailments [9]. From Mastooj Valley of District Chitral, 82 medicinal plants were documented along with recipes [10]. From Gollen Valley of District Chitral 36 medicinal plants were documented with their local uses [12]. An inclusive study on ethno-medicinal treasure of Chitral Valley recorded medicinal plants, conservation status and their uses [15]. A detailed checklist of some ethno-medicinally important plants along with their traditional uses were prepared from Swat [18]. Some notable ethnobotanical studies from various parts of Pakistan include reports on Chakwal [21], Kohat Pass, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [22,23] and Harichand, Charsada [24]

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Results