Preprint / Version 1

Exploration of ethnomedicinal plants and their practices in human and livestock healthcare in Haripur District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Authors

  • Zeeshan Siddique Department of Biosciences, University of Wah, Wah Cantt, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Idrees Department of Biosciences, University of Wah, Wah Cantt, Pakistan
  • Muhammad Sajid Department of Agriculture, Hazara University, Mansehra, 21300 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan
  • Arshad Mahmood Soil Science and Plant nutrient Unit, Brunei Agricultural Research Center, Kilanas, BG 1121 Brunei Darussalam
  • Muhammad Hasnain State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, School of Environment, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130117 People’s Republic of China
  • Liu Yali Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 818 Meiling Road, Nanchang, 330006 People’s Republic of China
  • Abid Naeem Key Laboratory of Modern Preparation of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ministry of Education, State Key Lab of Innovation Drug and Efficient Energy-Saving Pharmaceutical Equipment, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, 330004 Jiangxi People’s Republic of China
  • Ghulam Shah Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra, 21300 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan
  • Nasir Shad Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Collaborative Innovation Center of Jiangxi Typical Trees Cultivation and Utilization, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045 People’s Republic of China
  • Ilyas Khan Department of Mathematics, College of Science Al-Zulfi, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah, 11952 Saudi Arabia

Keywords:

Ethnobotany, Ethnoveterinary, Human healthcare, Medicinal plants, Livestock, Traditional knowledge, Haripur District, Pakistan

Abstract

The utilization of plants and plant resources for various ethnobotanical purposes is a common practice in local towns and villages of developing countries, especially in regard to human and veterinary healthcare. For this reason, it is important to unveil and document ethnomedicinal plants and their traditional/folk usage for human and livestock healthcare from unexplored areas. Here we advance our findings on ethnomedicinal plants from Haripur District, Pakistan, not only for conservation purposes, but also for further pharmacological screenings and applied research. Methodology Information of ethnomedicinal plants was obtained using a carefully planned questionnaire and interviews from 80 local people and traditional healers (Hakims) in Haripur District, Pakistan, from 2015 to 2017. Informed consent was obtained from each participant before conducting the interview process. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, such as relative frequency of citation (RFC), use value (UV) and Jaccard index (JI), were calculated for each recorded species. Correlation analysis between the RFC and UV was tested by Pearson’s correlation, SPSS (ver. 16). Results A total of 80 plant species (33 herbs, 24 trees, 21 shrubs and 2 climbers) belonging to 50 families were being used in the study area to treat livestock and human diseases. Lamiaceae was the most dominant family with 7 species (8.7%), followed by Fabaceae with 6 species (7.5%), and Moraceae with 5 species (6.2%). Local people used different methods of preparation for different plant parts; among them, decoction/tea (22 species) was the popular method, followed by powder/grained (20 species) and paste/poultice (14 species). It was observed that most of the species (~ 12 to 16 species) were utilized to treat human and livestock digestive system-related problems, respectively. The Jaccard index found that plant usage in two studies (District Abbottabad and Sulaiman Range) was more comparable. Local people mainly relied on folk medicines due to their rich accessibility, low cost and higher efficacy against diseases. Unfortunately, this important traditional knowledge is vanishing fast, and many medicinal plants are under severe threat. The most threats associated to species observed in the study area include Dehri, Garmthun, Baghpur, Najafpur and Pharala. Conclusion The study has indicated that local people have higher confidence in the usage of ethnomedicinal plants and are still using them for the treatment of various ailments. Comparative analysis with other studies may strongly reflected the novel use of these plants, which may be due to the deep-rooted and unique socio-cultural setup of the study area. However, awareness campaigns, conservation efforts and pharmacological and applied research are required for further exploration and may be a step in the right direction to unveil prospective pharmaceuticals. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13002-021-00480-x. Keywords: Ethnobotany, Ethnoveterinary, Human healthcare, Medicinal plants, Livestock, Traditional knowledge, Haripur District, Pakistan

Author Biographies

Liu Yali, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 818 Meiling Road, Nanchang, 330006 People’s Republic of China

Science and Technology College, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 818 Meiling Road, Nanchang, 330006 People’s Republic of China

Nasir Shad, Key Laboratory of Silviculture, Collaborative Innovation Center of Jiangxi Typical Trees Cultivation and Utilization, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, 330045 People’s Republic of China

Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra, 21300 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Downloads