Ethnobotanical evaluation and Traditional uses of medicinal flora used to treat various ailments by local inhabitants

Background

The utilization of medicinal plants and their recipes is widespread across global healthcare systems, particularly prevalent in developing nations. This study focused on ethnomedicinal practices concerning wild flora in the Vehari district of Punjab, Pakistan.

Methods

Employing a semi-structured questionnaire and the Rapid Appraisal Approach (RAA) through in-person interviews, data were collected from a diverse sample of 348 informants, including 115 women and 233 men.

Results

The study documented twenty-three wild medicinal plant species spanning seventeen plant families, with Fabaceae representing a significant portion of the collected specimens. Notably, whole plants, predominantly leaves, emerged as the primary ingredients in medicinal recipes, emphasizing the importance of these botanical resources in traditional healing practices. The highest Informant consensus factor (ICF) was 0.985, recorded for dandruff, anti-allergic, and fever. Parthenium hysterophorus, Eclipta prostrata, and Citrullus colocynthsis had the highest Use value (UV) i.e., 0.733. The highest Fidelity level (FL) was calculated for Peganum harmala (100%), Parthenium hysterophorus, Eclipta prostrata, and Citrullus colocynthsis (73.33), against joint pain and liver disease, which corresponds to the abundance of these ailments. The highest Jaccard index (JI) was calculated for district Bahawalnagar (17.8), District Vehari (16.27), District Layyah (16.09), and India (10.6), which corresponds to the similarity index with said areas. The following fifteen species were identified with new traditional recipes: Calotropis procera, Chenopodium murale, Citrullus colcynthesis, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus relegiosa, Fagonia indica, Azadirachta indica, Melia azedarach, Acacia nilotica, Cuscuta reflexa, Eclipta prostrata, Corchorus depressus, Fumaria indica, Parthenium hysterophorus, and Peganum harmala.

Conclusion

The findings reveal a rich diversity of plant species utilized for various ailments, with a notable emphasis on the utilization of whole plants, particularly leaves, in medicinal recipes. Moreover, the identification of new traditional recipes for several plant species suggests potential avenues for the discovery of innovative phytotherapeutic compounds, highlighting the importance of continued research in this field.