CHECK LIST OF MEDICINAL FLORA OF TEHSIL ISAKHEL, DISTRICT MIANWALI-PAKISTAN
MUSHTAQ AHMAD, MIR AJAB KHAN, SHABANA MANZOOR, MUHAMMAD ZAFAR AND SHAZIA SULTANA
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, QUAID-I-AZAM UNIVERSITY ISLAMABAD-PAKISTAN
ABSTRACT
The research work was conducted in the selected areas of Isakhel, Mianwali. The study was focused for documentation of traditional knowledge of local people about use of native medicinal plants as ethnomedicines. The method followed for documentation of indigenous knowledge was based on questionnaire. The interviews were held in local community, to investigate local people and knowledgeable persons, who are the main user of medicinal plants. The ethnomedicinal data on 55 plant species belonging to 52 genera of 30 families were recorded during field trips from six remote villages of the area. The check list and ethnomedicinal inventory was developed alphabetically by botanical name, followed by local name, family, part used and ethnomedicinal uses. Plant specimens were collected, identified, preserved, mounted and voucher was deposited in the Department of Botany, University of Arid Agriculture Rawalpindi, for future references.
Key words: Checklist, medicinal flora and Mianwali-Pakistan
INTRODUCTION
District Mianwali drives its name from a local Saint, Mian Ali who had a small hamlet in the 16th century which came to be called Mianwali after his name (on the eastern bank of Indus). The area was a part of Bannu district. The district lies between the 32-10 to 33-15, north latitudes and 71-08 to 71-57 east longitudes.
The district is bounded on the north by district of NWFP and Attock district of Punjab, on the east by Kohat districts, on the south by Bhakkar district of Punjab and on the west by Lakki, Karak and Dera Ismail Khan District of NWFP again. The salt range of Kalabagh has a rich flora, peculiar to the ranges east of the Indus. The botanical aspects of the three different parts of the district, the hills the up-lands and the kacha may well be described separately. The hills are rich with comman plant spieces like Rhazya stricta (Verin), Reptonia buxifolia (Ganger), Prosopis juliflora (jand), ziziphus jujuba (Beri). Dalbergia sissoo (Tali) and Acacia nilotica (Kiker) are common trees of the Kacha area. (Anonymous, 1998).
People living in tribal localities and in villages are using indigenous plants as medicines from long ago because this knowledge reaches to them through generation to generation, and is based on experience. Also the tribes and villages are far away from cities and mostly there are no health facilities. Inhabitants are dominantly poor or middle class and the prices of synthetic drugs are rising day by day and they cannot withstand the sharply rising prices of synthetic drugs, so as a consequence, non-availability of expensive synthetic drugs (Shinwari and Khan, 1998).
Keeping in view the importance of flora of Isakhel, the study confined to collect the indigenous knowledge of local people about the medicinal uses of native plants. As the people of the selected areas have empirical observation of the nature and by communicating the other people of their culture; they get indigenous knowledge of local plants. So in this way the ethnomedicinal knowledge of plants is linked to the local culture and history.
As inhabitants of the area are mainly using traditional means to cure diseases and this asset of indigenous knowledge is transferring from generation to generation only through verbal means of communication. So this research was an effort to document and to preserve this folk asset.
The main aims of present research work were:
To explore the ethnomedicinal knowledge of local people of Isakhel, Mianwali.
To enlist the indigenous medicinal plants used by local people for common day ailments.
To create the awareness among the local community about the protection of native medicinal flora.
To collect native medicinal plants of the area for proper identification and future references.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Present study was confined to the identification of useful flora of Isakhel (Mianwali). The study was conducted during September 2005- January 2006 in different villages of the area.
Frequent field trips were arranged in order to collect information about the folk/culinary knowledge of medicinal plants used by the local people of Isakhel, Miamwali to cure them from various diseases. In total of six remote selected villages including Sultan Khel, Makerwal, Metha khattak, Qamar Mushani, Tarag Sharif and Allah Khel of the area were extensively surveyed for research work.
During field trips, the questionnaire (Medicinal Plants Datasheet) was used to interview the local inhabitants, older people including men and women both, who were familiar with traditional uses of indigenous plants. In total of 40 informants including 25 men and 15 women were interviewed during survey. Interviews were conducted with local people in different villages individually following procedure as described by Ahmad et al., (2004). Repeated queries were made to get the data confirmed.
Frequent field trips of the area were arranged to collect the live specimens. Throughout the field trips a general collection of plants were made. The fully dried specimens were poisoned and then mounted on herbarium sheets. Plants were identified with the help of available literature and comparing with the already identified plant specimens of the herbarium, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad and Flora of Pakistan (Nasir and Rafiq, 1995) did confirmation of plants. After correct identification, the plants were deposited in Department of Botany, University of Arid Agriculture Rawalpindi, for future references.
Ethnomedicinal inventory was developed consisting of botanical name followed by their local name, family, part used and ethnomedicinal uses.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
TABLE 1. CHECK LIST OF MEDICINALLY IMPORTANT FLORA OF
ISAKHEL (MIANWALI)
S.No |
Botanical Name |
Vernacular Names |
Family |
Part Used |
Ethnomedicinal Uses |
1
|
Achyranthes aspera (Mill.)
|
Puthkanda
|
Amaranthaceae
|
Whole plant
|
Diuretic, Dropsy, Piles, Skin eruptions |
2
|
Acacia arabica (Lam.) Willd
|
Kikar
|
Mimosaceae |
Leaves and fruits |
Cough, Dysentery |
3 |
Acacia modesta Wall. |
Phulai
|
Mimosaceae |
Bark, wood and Gum |
Tonic use for back and joints pain |
4 |
Abutilon indicum (Linn.) Sweet |
Peeli booti |
Malvaceae |
Leaves and stem |
To treat boils |
5 |
Aloe barbadensis Mill. |
Ghee kunvar |
Liliaceae |
Whole plant |
Boils, Piles and fever |
6 |
Amaranthus viridus (L.) |
Chulai |
Amaranthaceae
|
leaves |
Emollient, snake and scorpion bite
|
7 |
Argyrolobium roseum (Camb.)Jaub. And Spach |
Makhan booti |
Papillonaceae |
Whole plant |
Aphrodisiac and Tonic |
8 |
Azadirachta indica Linn. |
Neem |
Meliaceae |
Leaves |
Skin diseases and blood purification |
9 |
Aerva javanica (Burm. f.) Juss. J.A. Schultes |
Booh |
Amaranthaceae
|
Whole plant |
Skin infection, inflammation and abdominal worms |
10 |
Brassica nigra L. |
Kali sarson |
Brassicaceae |
Whole plant |
Laxative, headache, toothache, cold and rheumatic pains |
11 |
Bryophyllum pinnatum Kurz. |
Zakham-e-hayat |
Crassulaceae |
Leaves and juice |
Hypertension renal calculus and skin diseases |
12 |
Calotropis procera (Wild) R.Br. |
Ak |
Asclepiadaceae |
Whole plant |
Malaria and Cholera |
13 |
Capparis decidua (Forssk.) Edgeuu |
Kirrer |
Capparidaceae |
Whole plant |
Ulcers, asthma and rheumatic pain |
14 |
Capparis aphylla L. |
Kareen |
Capparidaceae |
Whole plant |
Brain tonic, joints and back pain |
15 |
Carum copticum Benth. |
Ajwain desi |
Apiaceae |
Whole plant |
Appetizers, kidney stone, digestion and whooping cough |
16 |
Cassia augustifolia L. |
Sena |
Caesalpiniaceae |
Leaves, branches and fruit |
Headache, brain tonic and intestinal diseases |
17 |
Chenopodium album (L.) |
Bathu |
Chenopodiaceae |
Whole plant |
Laxative and Anthelmintic |
18 |
Cleome brachycarpa Vahl. |
Dhanar khathoori |
Capparidaceae |
Whole plant |
Joints pain and inflammation |
19 |
Cucumis melo var-agrestis Nudin |
Chibber |
Cucurbitaceae |
Fruit |
Digestive and stomach problems |
20 |
Citrullus colocynthus L. |
Tumba |
Cucurbitaceae |
Root and fruit |
Antidiabetic and stomach problems |
21 |
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers |
Khuble ghas |
Poaceae |
Roots |
Diuretic and laxative |
22 |
Cyperus rotundus (L.) |
Dellia ghas |
Cyperaceae |
Tuber |
Anthelmintic, stimulant, diuretic |
23 |
Cymbopogon jauuarancusa (Jones) Schult |
Kattan |
Poaceae |
Whole plant |
Fever and phlegmatic pains |
24 |
Dalbergi sissoo Roxb. |
Tali |
Fabaceae |
Leaves, roots and wood |
Leprosy, boils, eruptions and stop vomiting |
25 |
Datura innoxia (Linn.) Miller |
Datura |
Solanaceae |
Leaves and seeds |
Hydrophobia and earache |
26 |
Digera muriacata (L.) Mart. |
Lulur |
Amaranthaceae
|
Whole plant |
Use as laxative |
27 |
Eruca sativa |
Tara mera |
Brassicaceae |
Leaves and seeds |
Skin diseases and joint's pain |
28 |
Eucalyptus globules |
Safaida |
Myrtaceae |
Seeds and leaves |
Malaria, Antibacterial and Antiseptic |
29 |
Euphorbia thymifolia (L.) |
Dodak |
Euphorbiaceae |
Whole plant |
Bronchial affection, cough and asthma |
30 |
Fagonia indica Brum.f. |
Dhumia |
Zygophyllaceae |
Whole plant |
Antibetic, pimples and ear infection
|
31 |
Ficus religiosa (L.) |
Pipal |
Moraceae |
Seeds and fruits |
Laxative, Cooling and alterative |
32 |
Fumaria parviflora (Haussk.) pugsley |
Shahtra |
Fumariaceae |
Whole plant |
Diuretic, Alterative Anthelmintic and aperient |
33 |
Lathyrus aphaca L. |
Jangli phalli |
Papillonaceae |
Seeds and flowers |
Seeds used as Narcotic and flowers as resolvent |
34 |
Launea procumbens (Roxb.) Ramayya and Raja gopal |
Bhatter |
Asteraceae |
Whole plant |
Painful urination and gonorrhoea |
35 |
Melia azedarach L. |
Dherak |
Meliaceae |
Seed and Leaves |
Diabetes, blood purification and Skin tonic |
36 |
Mentha spicata (L.)Hudson |
Pehari podina |
Lamiaceae |
Whole plant |
Nausea, sickness, Vomiting and stomach diseases. |
37 |
Mimordica dioca |
Jungli karela |
Cucurbitaceae |
Fruit, seeds and root |
Diabetes, sedative, bleeding piles and urinary complaints |
38 |
Morus nigra L. |
Kala shahtoot |
Moraceae |
Fruits |
General tonic for body and cough, throat, and chest infection |
39 |
Ocium sanctum L. |
Niazboo |
Lamiaceae |
Seeds |
Stomach and vomiting. |
40 |
Plantago ovata Forsk. |
Ispaghul |
Plantaginaceae |
Seeds fruit and leaves |
Antidiarrhoeal, Constipation and Inflammation of mucous membrane |
41 |
Peganum harmala L.
|
Hermal
|
Zygophllaceae
|
Whole plant
|
Brain tonic, insecticidal and viral diseases |
42 |
Phoenix sylvestris (L.) Roxb. |
Khajoor |
Palmae |
Fruit, root and juice of tree |
Toothache, Tonic, Cooling and Laxative |
43 |
Rhyncosia minima (L.) Dc. |
Jungli moath |
Fabaceae |
Whole plant |
Used for bath after delivery for body care |
44 |
Ricinus commumis Linn. |
Harnoli |
Euphorbiaceae |
Seeds, leaves, and Bark |
Boils, Swelling, Laxative and to start Labour pain |
45 |
Rhazya stricta Dcne. |
Verian |
Apocynaceae |
Roots, leaves and branches |
Tooth diseases, Diabetes, Constipation and Intestional diseases |
46 |
Spinacea oleracea L. |
Palak |
Chenopodiaceae |
Leaves and stem |
Anemia, Bone's Tonic and produce fresh blood |
47 |
Solanum nigrum Miller. |
Makoo |
Solanaceae |
Whole plant |
Phthisis, Dropsy, and for enlargement of spleen |
48 |
Solanum surretense Burm. |
Mohakri |
Solanaceae |
Fruit |
Cough, Asthma and Rheumatic pain |
49 |
Salvadora oleides Dcne. |
Pilu |
Salvadoraceae |
Whole plant |
Purgative, Cough and Regulate the menstruation periods |
50 |
Tagetes patala L. |
Sudburga |
Asteraceae |
Fruits |
To cure piles |
51 |
Tribulus terrestris Linn. |
Bhakra |
Zygophyllaceae |
Whole plant |
Painful urination and Spermatorrhoea |
52 |
Tephrosia uniflora Pers. |
|
Fabaceae |
Whole plant |
Harmful |
53 |
Trianthema portulacastrum Linn. |
Woho |
Aizoaceae |
Whole plant |
Jaundice, Astma, Cough and for Fever |
54 |
Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. |
Asgand |
Solanaceae |
Whole plant |
Leucoderma, Diuretic and Analgestic |
55 |
Zizyphus nummularia (Burm.f.) Wight |
Jangli beri |
Rhamnaceae |
Fruit, leaves and roots |
Jaundice |
Discussion
Nearly seventy percent of the population of urban and rural areas benefit from the Unani system of medicine in spite of very sophisticated hospitals and allopathic practitioners which work under the Government of Pakistan. In the rural areas, household remedies are being used for generations. Tibb-e-Nabvi` provides base for the traditional Unani system of medicine in Pakistan. Medicinal plants used by the practitioners of this system are easily available in the forest, mountains, valleys, gardens and agricultural fields. This system is relatively cheap and quite near to nature. In Indo-Pak subcontinent, these traditional systems are called as Unani or Ayurvedic system (Haq, 1993).
The present study provides information about some therapeutic uses of 55 plant species belonging to 30 families. The plants are either used singly or in combination with some other plants or plant parts. Some plant species are claimed to be quite effective remedies for cutaneous affection of head, snakebite, diarrhea, malaria, cough and cold, and stomach troubles etc. Since the uses are based on empirical knowledge, the scientific study of all these herbal drugs is highly desirable to establish their efficacy for safe use.
Various areas of Isakhel region are enriched with useful medicinal plants. However, resource based areas are facing severe biotic interference and require be protecting and conserving by community participation. Community participation can be initiated by giving incentives to local people and creating awareness about the useful properties of medicinal plants and their commercial values.
All members of community in the area, use medicinal plants. Some wild medicinal plants like Solanum surretense Burm f. aerial parts are not only used for Digestive problems but fruit and aerial parts are also used to cure Skin diseases. Trianthema portulacastrum L. is used to cure Jaundice and Asthma. Root extract of Withania sominifera (L.) Dunal, is used as tonic for general and sexual debility and juice of aerial parts is used as Diuretic and also for Rheumatism by different communities of the area.
Various parts of the plant are used in curing different ailments. During the research project it was noted that the medicinal plant wealth of Isakhel, district Mianwali are not fully exploited. Some medicinally important plant species are fast dwindling, mainly due to human interference. So, the area needs proper protection for the conservation and survival bio-resources. The medicinal plants can be protected by the conservation programme by help of local people. Regularly chemical screening of medicinal plant and their useful parts collected from the fields in different seasons should be done. The oil bearing medicinal plants should be fenced for chemical and biological investigation, as well as for preventing overgrazing, cutting and use as a fuel wood.
Moreover to prevent the extinction of medicinal species, effects may be made to grow the sensitive species by acclimatizing them and if required them in situ as many species can be considered as an asset for human beings (Hamayun et al., 2003).
Further research works should be formulized on base line of indigenous studies because there are still some diseases like Cancer and AIDS, for which there are no identified cures. So ethnodirected studies can help in these research works (Ahmad & Ali, 1998). It was concluded from this study that a nationwide survey of medicinal flora should be conducted to investigate and update the inventory of existing natural plants resources of the area specially and generally throughout the Pakistan. In view of plentiful occurrence of number of plant species in Isakhel (Mianwali) and its surroundings, it is suggested that industrial Development Corporation of Pakistan may be persuaded to prepare a comprehensive report for the establishment of small scale processing units for the valued drugs.
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