Study of Ethnobotanical Flora and Medicinal Plants of District Mandi Bahauddin

Abstract

Medicinal plants serve as a natural source of herbal medicine employed in treating numerous diseases within local communities across various countries. They also constitute the raw ingredient for the pharmaceutical industry. This study was conducted during year 2020-2021 to gather the native indigenous knowledge about therapeutic uses of medicinal plants in Mandi Bahauddin, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. Ethnomedicinal information was collected using surveys and personal interviews with local inhabitants, involving 30 males and 20 females across a wide range of age groups ranging from 25 to 80 years. The participants also included traditional practitioners of herbal medicines, known as 'tabibs' and 'hakims. Household and market surveys were conducted in the rural areas of Mandi Bahauddin, Phalia and Malikwal for collection of socioeconomic and ethnic information of different plant species. Plant specimens underwent pressing, drying, and mounting onto herbarium sheets. The identification process was conducted for all gathered samples. In this research study, documentation was carried out for 50 plant species distributed across 27 families. These species arranged with scientific names, common names, family names, plant part used and ethnopharmacological applications. There were 20-herbs, 13-shrubs and 18 tree species documented on the basis of their importance and medicinal uses. Frequently utilized plant components included were fruits, leaves, roots, barks, seeds, and sometimes whole plant. There was a total of 50 plants out of which 20 plants were used through the preparation of decoction, 17 plants in the powder form and 10 plants used through infusion. 80% plants used to cure cough, asthma, fever, influenza, diabetes and liver diseases. 60% plants used to cure digestive diseases, diarrhea, cancer, inflammation, stomachache and dysentery. About 30% plants used to cure cardiovascular diseases and ulcers. The purpose of this study is to recognize wild plants gathered for medicinal purposes by the local residents of Mandi Bahauddin and to document the common names and therapeutic uses associated with these plants.