An Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used for the Treatment of Snakebite and Scorpion Sting Among the People of Namal Valley, Mianwali District, Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Abstract. Snakebite and scorpion sting are the most neglected public problems especially in the poor rural communities of South Asia including Pakistan. The frequency of snakebites and scorpion stings in Pakistan has increased tremendously due to destruction of habitats of snakes and scorpions as a result of deforestation and the consequent migration of these poisonous animals towards human settlements. The management of the frequency of snake bites and scorpion stings has been unsatisfactory in this region. In order to investigate and collect information from the inhabitants on the curative values of plants for treatment of snakebite and scorpion sting, an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants was carried out from September 2015 to July 2016 to document information from 14 villages of Namal Valley of District Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan. The Martin method was followed for collecting information from informants about the medicinal plants used for these poisonous bites. A total of 68 plant species belonging to 37 families and 61 genera was recorded. Information obtained included the common names and their families while photographs of all plants recorded were obtained using the Olympus digital camera. The plants documented were herbs (54%), shrubs (26%) and trees (20%). The family Solanaceae was found to be the most frequently used. The dominant plant part in the recipes obtained is the leaf (22%). The most frequently used mode of preparation in the recipes was the paste. Calotropis procera, Arisaema jacquemontii, Albizia lebbeck and Portulaca oleracea were the major medicinal plants recorded. The present study is the first ethnobotanical survey of the area and the first report of the medicinal plants used in the treatment of poisonous snake bites and scorpion stings among the indigenous communities of Namal Valley of District Mianwali, Punjab, Pakistan.

Antivenin plants used for treatment of snakebites in Uganda: ethnobotanical reports and pharmacological evidences

“…Schltr [42] Asparagaceae Sansevieria dawei Stapf [38] Asparagaceae Sansevieria trifasciata var. trifasciata [10] Asteraceae Bidens pilosa L. [42] Asteraceae Asteraceae, Convolvulaceae, Fabaceae, and Myricaceae were cited in Kenya [17] and Tanzania [77], Meliaceae in Ghana [78], Fabaceae in Rwanda [79], Asparagaceae, Leguminosae, and Menispermaceae in Sudan [80], Acanthaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Capparaceae, Cariaceae, Combretaceae, Convulaceae, Ebenaceae, Eurphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Meliaceae, and Poaceae in Ethiopia [81] and Pakistan [82], Fabaceae, Aristolochiaceae, and Lamiaceae in Djibouti [83] and Nigeria [84], Melastomataceae and Menispermaceae in Cameroon [85]. Acanthaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Moraceae, Rubiaceae, and Rutaceae were cited in India [86,87], Bangladesh [88,89], and Central America [90].…”

Anti-5 ′ -Nucleotidases (5 ′ Aslam1, Fatima2, Khalid3 et al. 2021BioMed Research International2000View full textAdd to dashboardCite

“…In Pakistan, the increased frequency of snakebites is usually attributed to the destruction of snakes' habitats and subsequent migration of these venomous animals to human settlements [44]. Echis carinatus is one of the highly venomous snakes in South Asia including Pakistan that is responsible for more bites and deaths among the human population than any other snake species [45].…”

Implication of light and scanning electron microscopy for pollen morphology of selected taxa of family Asteraceae and Brassicaceae

“…The ethnomedicinal studies on flora of district Mianwali was accomplished previously by many researchers (Batool, Shah, & Bahadur, 2017;Ghani et al, 2012;Qureshi et al, 2007;Shah et al, 2013;Shah et al, 2018;Yousaf, Shinwari, & Ali, 2004), to know about the species traditional knowledge record and varieties of its uses by the folk peoples. Ahmad (2006)) provided the detailed medicinal floral checklist of tehsil Esa khel and Khan et al provided the floral plant diversity in Namal valley which was very helpful for the collection of Palyno-diverse pollen flora of district Mianwali for present research study.…”