Quantitative Ethnobotanical Study Research Articles

Quantitative ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by native people of selected areas of Chhota Bhangal, Himachal Pradesh

Quantitative ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by native people of selected areas of Chhota Bhangal, Himachal Pradesh

Quantitative ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by local communities in Chamla Valley, Buner District, Pakistan

Quantitative ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by local communities in Chamla Valley, Buner District, Pakistan

Quantitative ethnobotanical study in Gafargaon Sub-district and unveiling drug candidates through molecular docking and dynamics simulation approaches

An ethnobotanical investigation was carried out in Gafargaon sub-district (upazila) under Mymensingh district, Bangladesh that unveiled a total of 79 medicinal plant species under 74 genera and 46 families which were used to treat various ailments through 106 formularies. In addition, molecular docking and dynamics simulation studies were performed based on ethnobotanical outcome for the first time in Bangladesh to unveil potential drug candidates. The study revealed that most of the species used for primary healthcare were herbs (44.3%) followed by trees (36.7%), shrubs (10.2%) and climbers (8.8%). Leaves were found to be the most frequently used part (34%) compared to other plant parts. Factor of informant consensus values ranged from 0.975 to 0.984 and the highest value was recorded for respiratory tract disorders (0.984). Maximum number of taxa was unraveled to treat digestive and gastrointestinal disorders. Fidelity level varied from 41.2 to 100%, where 11 species showed 100% fidelity, and the citation frequency was found above 70% for 15 different ailments. Molecular docking study exposed 60% Stephania japonica phytocompounds scoring higher than the control drug Ibuprofen (-7.0 kcal/mol) targeting rheumatoid arthritis. The phytocompounds Oxostephanine, Trilobine and Epistephanine were identified as lead drug candidates with binding affinity of -9.7, -8.7 and -8.6 kcal/mol, respectively. Molecular interactions of these compounds were found significant to identify potential drug surface hotspots. Molecular dynamics simulation shed light on regional flexibility profiles and unraveled notable structural stability of the top three phytocompounds. The present study would offer foundational data for identifying potential bioactive compounds that could be utilized in novel drug discovery efforts. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 30(1): 53-76, 2023 (June)

Quantitative ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the indigenous communities of Shawal Valley, District North Waziristan, Pakistan

Background: The current survey aimed to assess the traditional knowledge and use of therapeutic plants to treat various respiratory disorders by traditional healers. The local communities of District North Waziristan are reliant on therapeutic plant species for their primary health care needs. Methods: Ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews. A sum of 130 informants (107 male and 23 female) selected randomly. Ethnobotanical data was quantitatively analyzed by using Use Value (UV), Relative Citation of Frequency (RFC), and Fidelity Level (FL). Results: A total of 56 plants related to 32 plant families were recorded which were used to cure 24 various respiratory disorders. Lamiaceae (7 species) was the most prevalent plant family, followed by Asteraceae (5 species), Moraceae and solanaceae (4 species) each, 8 families have (2 species each), while the remaining 20 families has only (1 species each).The dominant growth form was herbs (53.57%), while leaves (28.57%) were the leading plant part used in remedies preparation for respiratory disorders. The dominant method of medications preparation was decoctions (42.86%), which were all administered orally. The plant species with highest use values were Ephedra procera (0.87), followed by Morus nigra (0.86), while the highest RFC values were recorded for Ephedra procera (0.36), followed Cydonia oblonga (0.35), Morus nigra (0.34). The therapeutic plant species with maximum use values reported in the survey may indicate the possible presence of important bioactive compounds which need a search for potential new drugs to treat various respiratory disorders. Conclusions: The study accomplishes that indigenous communities yet prefer therapeutic plants species over allopathic drug for curing different disorders. However this valuable traditional information is limited to elder people. So, attention is required to conserve this traditional knowledge.

A Quantitative Ethnobotanical Study of Plants Used by the Locals in Camiguin Island, Calayan, Cagayan, Philippines

Traditional knowledge concerning plant utilization in the Philippines is common but is largely underappreciated. Assessment of plant resources by groups of people helps promote valorization of cultural heritage. However, particularly in the Camiguin Island of the North, Cagayan (not to be confused with the island province of Camiguin in Mindanao), the use of terrestrial plants remains unknown. As a response, this study aims to identify terrestrial plants in the island which have ethnobotanical importance through survey interview. The data collected were then analyzed using quantitative ethnobotanical methods. A total of 70 species belonging to 44 plant families were surveyed from the 33 informants. The statistical analysis showed a significant difference between male and female informants in terms of ethnobotanical knowledge. Lamiaceae was the most represented plant family with five species recorded. Leaves were the most used plant part (51%), congruent to previous ethnobotanical studies in the Philippines. Most medicinal preparations were done through decoctions (41.03%). Much of the medicinal plants surveyed were administered through topical medication (54.90%), and this is because the occupation of the people of Camiguin island mostly involves heavy physical activities. Thus, the probability of being wounded in the area is very high. It was found that Vitex negundo was the most used plant in Camiguin island with the used value of 0.15. Furthermore, five ailment/disease categories obtained a 100% fidelity level. This result indicates that the plants used for that disease category are considered the most preferred species. Respiratory diseases obtained the highest FIC value of 0.40, indicating species within that category are the best candidates to search for bioactive compounds. This documentation provides the first checklist of useful plants in Camiguin island and will serve as a basis for future ethnobotanical studies in the Philippines.

Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Trees and Shrubs from the Rashad District of Southern Kordofan, Sudan

This is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study conducted in the Rashad District, in Southern Kordofan, Sudan. The objective was to collect and identify trees and shrubs used by local people for medicinal purposes and to summarize local knowledge about traditional herbal medicine. Ethnobotanical data were obtained by conducting several ethnobotanical surveys, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, field observations, inquiries, and group gatherings from September 2018 to January 2019. Quantitatively, the data were analysed in terms of use-value (UV) and the relative frequency of citation (RFC). A total of 56 trees and shrubs used in medicine and belonging to 22 families were listed in this Research. The most common families were Fabaceae (14%), Combretaceae (8%) and Malvaceae (5%). In terms of growth form, 35 species (61%) were trees, and 21 (39%) were shrubs. Fruits were the most common structures used to prepare herbal medicine (23%), and they were usually administered as a powder (13%). The most commonly used species in terms of Use Values (UV) by the local community in the Rashad area were: Adansonia digitata L. for dysentery diseases, followed by Tamarindus indica L. for the treatment of malaria & fever, Balanites aegyptiacus (L.) Delile for the treatment of enteric worms, Vangueria madagascariensis J. F. Gmel (for kidney problems), Ximenia americana L (for toothache) Guiera senegalensis J. F. Gmel for treatment of kidney problems. This study reveals significant local ethnobotanical knowledge and intense human-plant interactions. It is critical to record indigenous uses of woody plants to identify potential species for future domestication.

Traditional Use of Medicinal Plants in Baturraden, Central Java

An ethnopharmacological study is an initial step for the development of jamu, which has been simultaneously conducted throughout Indonesia. This study aimed to explore the utilization of medicinal plants in Baturraden, a region with relatively rich plant biodiversity in Java. Our research is a quantitative ethnobotanical study reporting the utilization of medicinal plants as a single plant botanical preparation in the studied area. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 36 informants on the local names, indications, parts used, method of preparation, and application of the plants. The species use-value (SUV), relative frequency citation (RFC), and the fidelity level (FL) of each species were calculated accordingly. The study recorded the utilization of 47 species of medicinal plants, which were employed to treat 32 ailments. Leaves, decoctions, and oral were recorded as the most commonly used plant part, herbal preparation, and application. There were 24 botanical preparations with the FL value of 100%, which were indicated for the treatment of fourteen diseases/symptoms. Curcuma longa, Zingiber officinale, Piper betle, Cymbopogon citratus, Andrographis paniculata, Syzygium polyanthum, Citrus aurantiaca, and Zingiber montanum were considered as the most important and valuable plants by the local community. Hence, those plants should be evaluated further for their pharmacological activity and developed into standardized botanical preparations.

Quantitative ethnobotanical study of medicinal flora used by local inhabitants in selected Barangay of Malinao, Albay, Philippines

Abstract. Belgica THR, Suba MD, Alejandro CJD. 2021. Quantitative ethnobotanical study of medicinal flora used by local inhabitants in selected Barangay of Malinao, Albay, Philippines. Biodiversitas 22: 2711-2721. study identified and documented herbal medicines used in traditional therapies of local inhabitants in Malinao Albay. Ethnobotanical documentation in this study was through field observation, unstructured interviews, group discussions, and guided field walks. Preference ranking, use-value, informant consensus factor, and fidelity level were quantified. Based on the survey, 74 medicinal plants from 38 families and 72 genera were identified by 350 local inhabitants with therapeutic purposes using quantitative ethnobotanical indices. The plant species belonging to Lamiaceae were best represented with eight species, followed by Compositae with six species and Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae, and Moraceae with four species each. While the plant species, i.e., Senna alata (L.) Roxb and Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth, were recorded with the highest Fidelity level (FL). In terms of Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Justicia gendarussa Burm.f, Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers and Centella abbreviata (A. Rich.) Nannf were recorded with the highest values. Moreover, the plant with the highest Use Value (UV) was Moringa oleifera Lam, and the leaves were the most used part as a decoction to cure different illnesses. This study provides baseline data of plant diversity in Malinao Albay and their medicinal uses, which could be used as a basis for drug discovery to improve the utilization of herbal plants from global perspectives.

Ethnomedicinal and folklore inventory of wild plants used by rural communities of valley Samahni, District Bhimber Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan.

The current study describes ethnobotanical (EB) and traditional ethnomedicinal (TEMs) uses of medicinal plants (MPs) of Tehsil Samahni area of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. Indigenous inhabitants of the area mostly reside in remote mountainous areas and depend on wild plants for life necessities and treatment of different diseases. This paper presents first quantitative ethnobotanical study describing the popularity level of MPs in indigenous communities by using relative popularity level (RPL) and rank order of priority (ROP) indices. The data of TEMs and EB uses were collected from 200 interviewees consisting of traditional herbal practioners (110) and farmers (90) from study area using structured and semi-structured interview methodology during year 2019. It was found that illiterate peasants have more knowledge and practice of TEMs than other people. A total of 150 plant species belonging to 58 families with botanical and local names, parts used, mode of recipes preparation, administration mechanism and TEMs uses were documented in systematic manner. It was explored that highest number (7.69%) of plants of Moraceae were used in TEMs and followed by species of Asteraceae (6.29%). The ethnobotanical data was analyzed by using quantitative ethnobotanical tools viz: informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), relative frequency of citation (RFC), use value index (UVI), relative importance of plants (RIP), relative populatiry level (RPL) and rank order of popularity (ROP). The leaf ranked first (36.49%) and fruit 2nd (12.07%) being used in TEMs while prevalent use-form was decoction (29.28%), followed by tea (23.05%) and preferably taken as oral (46.66%). ICF analysis proved that diabetes, hypertension, rabies, snake sting and joint pains were the most prevalent occurring infirmities. The highest RFC (0.95) was found for Acacia modesta, followed by Boerhavia procumbens (RFC:0.87) and Berberis lycium (RFC:0.85). The relative importance of MPs was calculated by using UVI and Moringa oleifera showed highest (1.38), followed by Zanthoxylum armatum (1.25) and Withania somnifera (1.24) use-values. High UVI of plants depicts that these species are predominantly used in local health care system. The plants Phyllanthus emblica, Morus macruora, Justicia adhatoda and Melia azedarach depicted high values (1.00) of FL and RPL proving that these taxa are commonly used in indigenous medicines by local inhabitants and have better potential for drug discovery by ethnopharmacological analysis. Out of total, 26 species had more than 50% ROP index and Phyllanthus emblica and Flacourtia indica (ROP = 100) followed by Morus macruora (ROP: 97) were used to cure ‘hypertension and hyperlipidemia’ and ‘cough, chest infection’, respectively. It was found that 30% of total species were previously reported as medicinal while 70% plants were first time reported to be used in TEMs and authenticated by using of quantitative ethnobotanical tools. Ethnopharmacological potential of indigenous plants was confirmed by RIP and RPL indices which had been used to cure one or more body systems and were promulgated in the local herbal medicine system. The research provides clues to screen these plant species by using latest phytochemical and pharmacological analysis for novel drug discovery. This study will also be useful for conservation of bioculture traditional knowledge of indigenous communities and the most important is to conserve medicinal plants of the study area for future generations.

Quantitative Ethnobotanical Study of Indigenous Knowledge on Medicinal Plants Used by the Tribal Communities of Gokand Valley, District Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

The current study on the traditional use of medicinal plants was carried out from February 2018 to March 2020, in Gokand Valley, District Buner, Pakistan. The goal was to collect, interpret, and evaluate data on the application of medicinal plants. Along with comprehensive notes on individual plants species, we calculated Use Value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Use Report (UR), Fidelity Level (FL), Informant Consensus Factor (FCI), as well as Family Importance Value (FIV). During the current study, a total of 109 species belonging to 64 families were reported to be used in the treatment of various ailments. It included three families (four species) of Pteridophytes, 58 families (99 species) of angiosperm, one family (three species) of Gymnosperms, and two families (three species) of fungi. The article highlights the significance of domestic consumption of plant resources to treat human ailments. The UV varied from 0.2 (Acorus calamus L.) to 0.89 (Acacia modesta Wall.). The RFC ranged from 0.059 (Acorus calamus L. and Convolvulus arvensis L.) to 0.285 (Acacia modesta Wall.). The species with 100% FL were Acacia modesta Wall. and the fungus Morchella esculenta Fr., while the FCI was documented from 0 to 0.45 for gastro-intestinal disorders. The conservation ranks of the medicinal plant species revealed that 28 plant species were vulnerable, followed by rare (25 spp.), infrequent (17 spp.), dominant (16 spp.), and 10 species endangered. The traditional use of plants needs conservation strategies and further investigation for better utilization of natural resources.

Sustainable utilization of medicinal plants and conservation strategies practiced by the aboriginals of Purulia district, India: a case study on therapeutics used against some tropical otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic disorders

Purulia, the land of distinctive geological and archaeological features, abundant natural resources and a home to a number of aboriginals, has been studied widely to apprehend the role of ethnic remedies against myriad of diseases. Availability of natural remedies and practice of traditional knowledge have popularized the use of medicinal plants among local communities. The objective of the study is to elucidate the use of folk medicine against common otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic medical conditions, by various ethnic groups of Purulia district, West Bengal, India. A completely randomized ethnobotanical approach was carried out during a number of field visits conducted to interview 55 traditional healers (THs) residing across the 20 blocks of district Purulia via semi-structured open-ended questionnaire. The similarity of usage of plants for different diseases was calculated by the informant consensus factor (Fic), whereas fidelity level indicated the plants mostly cited by the informants. The correlative importance of the usage of the plants was measured by the use value (UV). A total number of 28 plant species belonging to 27 genera and 20 families are reported in this present study in the treatment of a number of otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic ailments such as cough and cold, eye diseases (sore eye, red eye, eye inflammation and conjunctivitis), ear diseases (earache and pus in ears), nosebleed and throat infection. The highest value for informant’s consensus factor (Fic) was observed in cough and cold (0.87) that indicates most of the plants possess analgesic and antipyretic potential, whereas the lowest value (0.33) was shown by sore eye that denotes least number of plants have been applied for eye cure. Mostly, leaf part (41.4%) is utilized to cure selected otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic disorders where most of the herbal formulations were applied as leaf juices (60.7%). Most significant plant species were Piper nigrum L., Ocimum sanctum L. and Zingiber officinale Roscoe according to their highest UV (1.80), followed by Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall. ex Nees (1.79) and Justicia adhatoda L. (1.66). The present work represents first quantitative ethnobotanical study against some tropical otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic disorders in remote areas of Purulia district where acute poverty, underprivileged livelihood, illiteracy, unavailability of conventional health care as well as age-old trust on THs have popularized the use of natural resources (i.e. medicinal plants). Many of the reported ethnomedicinal properties of some plants have been backed up by clinical data also. Aboriginal people also showed keen interest and knowledge regarding conservation of endangered medicinal plants and on sustainable utilization of botanical resources. Proper documentation of traditional knowledge and potential preclinical and clinical studies based on the ethnobotanical data procured may be suggested for safe and efficacious use of herbal medicine against otorhinolaryngologic and ophthalmic disorders.

Quantitative ethnobotanical study of toxic plants used in the traditional pharmacopoeia of the central Middle Atlas -Morocco-

Background: This is the first quantitative study of poisonous medicinal plants in which the practitioners of traditional medicine in the Moroccan central Middle Atlas region were interviewed to document and analyze their traditional ethnobotanical knowledge used to prepare plant-based drugs.Methods: To collect ethnobotanical data on poisonous medicinal plants, 58 practitioners of traditional medicine were interviewed. The quantitative measurement of the obtained data was accomplished by quantitative indices such as the use value (UV), family use value (FUV), relative frequency of citation (RFC), fidelity level (FL), relative importance (RI), informant consensus factor (ICF), and cultural importance index (CI).Results: Among the 83 poisonous medicinal plants recorded, Ruta montana L. had the highest rate of UV (2.293). Furthermore, Anacyclus pyrethrum L. demonstrated the highest RFC (0.810), while Carum carvi L. had both the highest RI (95) and CI (0.155). Five species were distinguished for their high-fidelity levels, among which Aristolochia paucinervis Pomel had the highest FL values for the treatment of dermatological and digestive disorders. The other four species were Ruta montana L. for treating respiratory, oral, and neurological diseases, Urtica urens L. for treating osteoarticular and urogenital diseases, Verbascum sinuatum L. for treating ophthalmic diseases, and Ammi visnaga, (L.) Lam. for treating cardiovascular disorders. Ophthalmic disorders had the highest value of ICF (0.743), and a very significant positive correlation was observed between RFC and UV (R² = 0.5968) and between RI and CI (R² = 0.9999) was observed.Conclusions: The present study reveals that traditional medicine practitioners in the central Middle Atlas region utilize many poisonous medicinal plants in traditional herbal medicine. Although these plants have therapeutic virtues, their toxic potency necessitates vigilance in use.Key words: Poisonous medicinal plants, Quantitative ethnobotany, Taditional phytotherapy, Central Middle Atlas region

Ethnobotanical research in Cava de\u2019 Tirreni area, Southern Italy

BackgroundTo best of our knowledge, this is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study with the aim of documenting the local knowledge and practices of using plants for curing diseases in the Cava de’ Tirreni area, Salerno Province, Campania Region, Italy. The present ethnobotanical field study, carried out during 2016–2017, documents the local uses of 119 plant species for medicinal, food and domestic purposes.MethodsEthnobotanical data were documented from 70 informants: field data were collected and information on the uses of plants was gathered through semi-structured and structured interviews with persons who still retain traditional ethnobotanical knowledge. Documented data were evaluated using the quantitative ethnobotanical index of use value (UV).ResultsOverall, the informants native of the area were interviewed and 277 use-reports have been recorded. The scientific names, local names, plant part used, preparation and administration processes are reported and compared with practices in other Southern Italian regions. In total, 101 species are documented as medicinal, 36 as food or food aromatizer, 29 for domestic and handicraft uses, 10 in veterinary medicine. More or less 64% of all species have more uses and over half of the food plants (23 species) are also used for medicinal purposes.ConclusionsThe comparison of the documented species and their uses with ethnobotanical literature of other Italian regions reveals that the traditional plant knowledge in this area shows strong similarities with adjacent Southern Italian areas. Some of the recorded species and administration processes however seem to be unique for the zone.

An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used to treat skin diseases in northern Pakistan

BackgroundSkin diseases are a major health concern especially in association with human immune deficiency syndrome and acquired an immune deficiency. The aim of this study was to document the ethnomedicinal information of plants used to treat skin diseases in Northern Pakistan. This is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study of therapeutic herbs utilized by the indigenous people of Northern Pakistan for skin diseases.MethodsInterviews were taken to obtain information from 180 participants. Quantitative methods including fidelity level (FL), Frequency of citation (FC), Use-value (UV), Jaccard indices (JI), Family importance value (FIV), Relative frequency of citation (RFC) and Chi-square test were applied. Medicinal plants uses are also compared with 50 national and international publications.ResultsIn this study, we recorded 106 plant species belonged to 56 floral families for treatment of skin ailments. The dominant life form reported was herb while the preferred method of utilization was powder, along with leaf as the most used plant part. RFC ranges from 0.07 to 0.25% whereas the highest FIV was recorded for family Pteridaceae. FL values range from 36.8 to 100%. The study reported 88% of new plant reports for the treatment of skin diseases.ConclusionThe present study revealed the importance of several plants used to treat skin diseases by the local communities of Northern Pakistan. The available literature supported the evidence of plant dermatological properties. Plants having high UV and RFC can be considered for further scientific analysis. There is dire need to create awareness among local, government and scientific communities for the preservation of medicinal species and ethnomedicinal knowledge in Northern Pakistan.

Quantitative Ethnobotanical Study of some Medicinal Plants used by Herbalists in Bahrain

Medicinal plants have long been used by Bahrainis to combat a wide spectrum of diseases. To the best of the authors knowledge, this is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study of the country, aimed to quantify the ethnobotanical knowledge of ten native medicinal plants commonly used by herbalists for treating various common ailments in Bahrain. Ten species of native wild medicinal plants were selected based on their prevalence, frequency of use and medicinal properties. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, in combination with a checklist/inventory method, were conducted with 40 well-known traditional herbalists. A quantitative analysis approach resulting in different indexes including the informant consensus factor and use value was performed to evaluate the ethnobotanical knowledge and medicinal plant’s use. Herbal remedies were prepared using either fresh plant material (72%) or dried material (8%) and mostly administered orally or topically. The most important species according to use-diversity values are Suaeda aegyptiaca (Hasselq.) Zohary for gastrointestinal problems, Anastatica heirochuntica L. for facilitating labor and Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. as a shampoo/cleansing agent. On average, the level of informant consensus was relativity high (0.87) while total consensus (1.0) was noted for jaundice, fever, diarrhea, back pain, lactation and respiratory problems. The documented information provides basic data on indigenous medicinal plants from Bahrain which potentially appear promising in the treatment of various health problems. Thus, it is advisable that the safety and efficacy of these medicinal plants be confirmed through experimental and phytochemical studies, ultimately leading to the development of standardized herbal medicines.

An Ethnobotanical Survey and Quantitative Study of Indigenous Medicinal Plants Used in the Algerian Semi-arid Region

This paper presents the first quantitative ethnobotanical study of the flora in the semi-arid region in the southwest part of Algeria. The aim of this ethnobotanical survey in the region of El Bayadh situated in the semi-arid part of Algeria was to identify the main medicinal plants used by the local inhabitants to treat different diseases and to collect all the data on their therapeutic characteristics. One hundred informants of different ages were interviewed for this study (69 women and 31 men). Both quantitative and qualitative information were collected through open semi-structured face-to-face interviews with the local people. Data were organized and analyzed by descriptive statistics. The ethnobotanical data were analyzed using various important quantitative indices calculated for each of the recorded medicinal plant species like use value (UV), relative frequency of citation (RFC), relative importance index (RII), informants’ agreement ratio (IAR), informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), and family importance value index (FIV). In addition, a correlation analysis was performed to check the level of association between RFC and both UV and RII. It was reported that 44 useful plant species, belonging to 26 botanical families were used in the treatment of various diseases. The Asteraceae family was the most common family (6 species, 13.64%, FIV = 0.94) of all the medicinal plants recorded in this study. Leaves were the most commonly used plant part, accounting for 50.77% of the plants reported. Eighty-three diseases were identified and grouped into eleven categories, dominated by diseases of the nervous system and sensory organs (ICF = 0.94), which were treated with local medicinal plants. There is a clear dominance of Artemisia herba alba Asso. (Chih) in the three important ethnobotanical indices (UV, RFC, and RII).We found in this study five plant species having maximum fidelity level (100%) where they were used to treat only one disease. The Pearson correlation coefficient between RFC and UV (0.986**), and between RFC and RII (0.713**) showed highly positive significant association between RFC and both UV and RI of plant use in the study area. We deduce that herbal medicine is used in selfmedication of the local population; however, we also draw attention to the fact that the incoherent and limitless use of the medicinal flora constitutes a potential risk contributing to the degradation of the plant biodiversity of the area of study. These results may complement the database of the national medicinal flora and support research in phytochemistry and pharmacology to discover new drugs and approve ethnomedicinal knowledge.

Qualitative and quantitative ethnobotanical study of the Pangkhua community in Bilaichari Upazilla, Rangamati District, Bangladesh

BackgroundThe present study documents the ethnomedicinal knowledge among the traditional healers of the Pangkhua indigenous community of Bangladesh. The documented data from this area was quantitatively analyzed for the first time. We aimed to record ethnomedicinal information from both the traditional healers and also the elderly men and women of the community, in order to compile and document all available information concerning plant use and preserve it for the coming generations. We aimed to compare how already known species are used compared to elsewhere and particularly to highlight new ethnomedicinal plant species alongside their therapeutic use(s).MethodsAll ethnomedicinal information was collected following established techniques. Open-ended and semi-structured techniques were primarily utilized. Data was analyzed using different quantitative indices. The level of homogeneity between information provided by different informants was calculated using the Informant Consensus Factor. All recorded plant species are presented in tabular format, alongside corresponding ethnomedicinal usage information.ResultsThis investigation revealed the traditional use of 117 plant species, distributed among 104 genera and belonging to 54 families. There was strong agreement among the informants regarding ethnomedicinal uses of plants, with Factor of Informant Consensus (FIC) values ranging from 0.50 to 0.66, with the highest number of species (49) being used for the treatment of digestive system disorders (FIC 0.66). In contrast, the least agreement (FIC = 0.50) between informants regarding therapeutic uses was observed for plants used to treat urinary disorders. The present study was compared with 43 prior ethnomedicinal studies, conducted both nationally and in neighboring countries, and the results revealed that the Jaccard index (JI) ranged from 1.65 to 33.00. The highest degree of similarity (33.00) was found with another study conducted in Bangladesh, while the lowest degree of similarity (1.65) was found with a study conducted in Pakistan. This study recorded 12 new ethnomedicinal plant species, of which 6 have never been studied pharmacologically to date.ConclusionsThis study showed that the Pangkhua community still depends substantially on ethnomedicinal plants for the treatment of various ailments and diseases and that several of these plants are used in novel ways or represented their first instances of use for medicinal applications.

Quantitative medicinal ethnobotany of Kannaland (western Little Karoo, South Africa): Non-homogeneity amongst villages

A detailed quantitative ethnobotanical study of the western part of the Little Karoo of South Africa (known as Kannaland), revealed a wealth of traditional medicinal plants and their uses that have hitherto remained unrecorded. The Matrix Method was used as experimental approach and for quantification and analysis of the data. The results showed a total of 196 medicinal plant species, 5300 medicinal anecdotes and 664 vernacular names, of which 53 species, 3323 anecdotes and 136 vernacular names have been recorded for the first for the Little Karoo. A summary of 120 ailments, together with the most popular remedy (or remedies) for each, is provided. Comparisons of the four study sites (villages) namely Barrydale, Zoar, Calitzdorp and Vanwyksdorp, revealed noteworthy differences, especially in the vernacular names that are used and in the total number of species and medicinal anecdotes. Vanwyksdorp (the most isolated village, without easy access to formal health care) provided the richest data, with a total of 290 vernacular names (of which 48 were newly recorded) and 2105 anecdotes (of which 1328 were newly recorded). A new quantitative index, the Homogeneity Index (HI) is proposed in order to evaluate the uniformity of data collected in different villages of a study area (or to compare different study areas). The HI values for Kannaland (for shared species, shared vernacular names and shared uses) were consistently below 0.5, thus supporting the notion that indigenous knowledge is not uniformly distributed. The study provides quantitative medicinal ethnobotanical data of high quality that will not only preserve indigenous knowledge for future generations but that can also be used in future comparative studies. It provides new insights into Cape Herbal Medicine, a medicinal system that had its origins in the poorly recorded Khoi-San and Cape Dutch medicinal traditions.

Ethnobotany of wild medicinal plants used by the Müün ethnic people: A quantitative survey in southern Chin state, Myanmar

As Myanmar begins to carry out reforms for socio-economic development, the pressure to discover and utilize potential resources which could help improve its peoples' condition also increases. This research, the first quantitative ethnobotanical study conducted in the country, aimed to document the wild medicinal plants and their uses in traditional herbal therapies among the Müün ethnic group in southern Chin State. The survey was carried out by interviewing 90 informants using semi-structured questionnaires where plant use-reports (UR) from each informant were recorded. Relative importance of each plant was computed using quantitative ethnobotanical indices Use Value (UV) and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). Reported plants were also collected, identified and prepared as voucher specimens. A total of 58 wild medicinal plant taxa in 35 families across 15 disease/use categories were recorded. Prunus cerasoides, Pinus kesiya and Rhododendron arboreum were shown to be the most useful plants as supported by their relatively high URs and UVs. Notable disease/use categories based on ICF scores included respiratory disorders, malarial symptoms and injuries caused by external factors which have been generally attributed to geographical and sociocultural environments. This study has documented novel ethnobotanical information which can be significantly important for future research work in Myanmar traditional medicine and pharmacology and for the development of the country's herbal medicine industry. It can also serve to show the Müün people as owners of their traditional medicinal knowledge, which is equally valuable to their future generations and for benefits sharing that may arise from their contribution.

An ethnobotanical survey of indigenous medicinal plants in Hafizabad district, Punjab-Pakistan.

Present paper offers considerable information on traditional uses of medicinal plants by the inhabitants of Hafizabad district, Punjab-Pakistan. This is the first quantitative ethnobotanical study from the area comprising popularity level of medicinal plant species intendedby using relative popularity level (RPL) and rank order priority (ROP) indices.Ethnobotanical data were collected by interviewing 166 local informants and 35 traditional health practioners (THPs) from different localities of Hafizabad district. Demographic features of informants; life form, part used, methods of preparation, modes of application and ethnomedicinal uses were documented. Ethnobotanical data were analyzed using quantitative tools, i.e. Relative frequency citation (RFC), use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF) fidelity level (FL), RPL and ROP indices. A total of 85 species belonging to 71 genera and 34 families were documented along with ethnomedicinal uses. Solanum surattense, Withania somnifera, Cyperus rotundus, Solanum nigrum and Melia azedarach were the most utilized medicinal plant species with highest used value. The reported ailments were classified into 11 disease categories based on ICF values and highest number of plant species was reported to treat dermatological and gastrointestinal disorders. Withania somnifera and Ranunculus sceleratus with maximum FL (100%), were used against gastrointestinal and urinary disorders, respectively. The RPL and ROP values were calculated to recognize the folk medicinal plant wealth; six out of 32 plant species (19%) were found popular, based on citation by more than half of the maximum number of informant viz. 26. Consequently, the ROP value for these species was more than 75. The comparative assessment with reported literature revealed 15% resemblance and 6% variation to previous data;however79% uses of the reported species were recorded for the first time. The diversity of medicinal plant species and associated traditional knowledge is significant in primary health care system. Medicinal plant species with high RPL values should be screened for comprehensive phytochemical and pharmacological studies. This could be useful in novel drug discovery and to validate the ethomendicinal knowledge.