Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants traded in herbal markets of Kahramanmaraş

Abstract

Most people in the world still use medicinal plants to treat and prevent disease. In Anatolia, studies have shown that people have used plants for centuries to treat many diseases. Herbal markets play an important role in the supply of medicinal plants and the transmission of cultural heritage. In this study, we investigated the traditional uses of medicinal plants traded in Kahramanmaraş herbal markets. We also analyzed the threats that may arise from the use of medicinal plants and the measures that can be taken to protect these plants. For these purposes, ethnomedicinal data were collected using semi-structured and open-ended questionnaires of herbalists and local people. Ethnobotanical indices (e.g., Relative Frequency of Citation, Use Value, Relative Importance, and Informant Consensus Factor) were used to quantify the use and cultural importance of medicinal plants sold at Kahramanmaraş herbal markets. We identified 62 taxa (11 imported) of plants that are used in traditional folk medicines. The top three plant taxa sold per year by herbalists at Kahramanmaraş herbal markets are Licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra ; 140 kg), Thyme ( Thymus sp.; 109 kg), and Carob ( Ceratonia siliqua ; 106.5 kg). The plant parts and mode of utilization used most are leaves (28 reports) and infusion (36 reports), respectively. The highest ICF value was detected for endocrine system ailments (0.78), and the next highest two values were lymphatic system (0.75) and respiratory system ailments (0.72). We determined that Urtica dioica , G. glabra , Thymus sp., Mentha x piperita have widely traditional uses, with high ethnobotanical index values and use reports. In addition, according to IUCN criteria, 26 of 62 taxa identified in the research are under threat to various degrees on a global scale.

Inventorization of traditional ethnobotanical uses of wild plants of Dawarian and Ratti Gali areas of District Neelum, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Pakistan

“…local people of the area primarily are dependent on wild resources for life necessities and it is coincided with past works cited in the literature, where it is proved that rural people majorly use wild plants for coping daily life needs [55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68].…”

Ethnobotany of the Himalayas: Safeguarding Medical Practices and Traditional Uses of Kashmir Regions

“…The rhizomes of B. ciliata employed in herbal preparations for gastrointestinal ailments, skin diseases, renal, urinary disorders, oral infections and worm infections [ 238 ]. The recorded ICF was also good for respiratory diseases (ICF = 0.88, 29 taxa), and this finding is supported by similar research reported in other studies, which mentioned high ICF for respiratory ailments [ 207 , 239 ]. The results can be attributed to certain factors, such as drastic weather change and a high proportion of moisture, cold, germs and spores, which may lead to abnormalities in the respiratory tract [ 181 , 240 , 241 , 242 ].…”

The diversity of edible plants traded in Ir. Soekarno Market, a traditional market in Sukoharjo District, Indonesia

“…Likewise, two studies abroad also reported that Fabaceae was the most frequently sold family in the herbal market in Pakistan (Zahoor et al 2021) and in the local market in Tanzania (Hilonga et al 2019). Both studies showed the most popular usage of Fabaceae was to treat human ailments including rheumatism and urinary problems (Uzun and Koca 2020). In Ir Soekarno Market, Fabaceae was mostly sold as vegetables and the rest as herbs, 12 species, and spices, 1 species.…”