Traditional uses of medicinal plants used by Indigenous communities for veterinary practices at Bajaur Agency, Pakistan

Abstract

BackgroundThe pastoral lifestyle of Indigenous communities of Bajaur Agency is bringing them close to natural remedies for treating their domestic animals. Several studies have been conducted across the globe describing the importance of traditional knowledge in veterinary care. Therefore, this study was planned with the aim to record knowledge on ethnoveterinary practices from the remote areas and share sit with other communities through published literature.MethodsData was gathered from community members through semi-structured interviews and analyzed through informant consensus factor (Fic) to evaluate the consent of current ethnoveterinary practices among the local people.ResultsIn total, 73 medicinal plants were recorded under the ethnoveterinary practices. Most widely used medicinal plants with maximum use reports (URs) were Visnaga daucoides Gaertn., Foeniculum vulgare Mill., Solanum virginianum L., Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, Glycyrrhiza glabra L., and Curcuma longa L. New medicinal values were found with confidential level of citations for species including Heracleum candicans and Glycerhiza glabra. Family Apiaceae was the utmost family with high number (7 species) of medicinal plants. Maximum number of medicinal plants (32) was used for gastric problems. High Fic was recorded for dermatological (0.97) followed by reproductive (0.93) and gastrointestinal disorders (0.92). The main route of remedies administration was oral.ConclusionsCurrent study revealed that the study area has sufficient knowledge on ethnoveterinary medicinal plants. This knowledge is in the custody of nomadic grazers, herders, and aged community members. Plants with new medicinal uses need to be validated phytochemically and pharmacologically for the development of new alternative drugs for veterinary purposes.

Traditional Uses of Medicinal Plants in Their Conservation in Charmang Village, Bajaur, KP, Pakistan

“…This result is like the study reported in Chail valley, Tehsil Kabal District Swat Pakistan [32]. However, the antimicrobial, phytochemical and traditional studies of selected medicinal work have been published in Bajaur agency, Pakistan [25,32,34,35].…”

Quantitative study of medicinal plants used by the communities residing in Koh-e-Safaid Range, northern Pakistani-Afghan borders

“…Three species were contributed by each of Moraceae, Asclepiadaceae, Polygonaceae, Brassicaceae, Solanaceae, Cucurbitaceae, and Liliaceae. Of the remaining eight families, namely, Poaceae, Pinaceae, Zingiberaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Plantaginaceae, Apiaceae, Fabaceae, and Zygophyllaceae, each one contributed two species [ 19 , 20 ]. Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, and Rosaceae were also reported with a high number of plants used for medicinal purposes.…”

Ethno-veterinary practices of Poaceae taxa in Punjab, Pakistan

“…The level of indigenous knowledge on medicinal uses of the plant species of family Poaceae was more prevent in illiterate (around 80%) and less educated people and rest of informations were shared by the educated informants but well educated informants were less conversant on the ethnomedicinal uses of plant species, particularly of Poacease taxa. High level of exposure to modernization and dependence of allopathis medicines could be the reason behind this, which have already been reported [49,50]. Though, previous studies were focused on a single community having one ethic group and same culture [51], but in the last few decades ethnobiologists are more interested in cross cultural variation of traditional knowledge of different communities and ethnic groups [52].…”

“…It has been recorded that neighbouring indigenous communities share more common traditional practice of plants as medicines in order to cure various ailments and this is because of more social trade and sharing of ethnomedicinal knowledge among native groups [132,133]. In contrast, a low similarity index indicates less sharing of medicinal knowledge and low social interaction that could have been happened in the past bringing more difference in ethnobotanical practices [50]. Geological isolation of ethnic groups and plants resulted a significant change in vegetation structure and therapeutic uses of indigenous plants and this may be a reason for loss of ethnobotanical information [44].…”