Quantitative analysis of ethnomedicinal plants of Tehsil Khuiratta, AJK, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: This study was aimed at documenting quantitative ethnobotanical information of important medicinal plants which are being used by the local communities of Khuiratta, District Kotli, Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan.

Methods: Using semi-structured questionnaires, 80 local residents of the study area were interviewed. The collected data was examined by using quantitative indices of ethnobotany such as Use Value (UV), Frequency of Citation (FC), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Informant Consensus Facto (ICF), and Jaccard Similarity Index (JI).

Results: A total of 65 useful species of plants belonging to 36 families were collected from the study area. Off them, 13 plants were not reported in previous studies; while some plant species showed new uses which were not mentioned in previous investigations. The Asteraceae was the most dominant family that contributed 8 medicinal plants in the research area. Major life form of plants inhabiting in the area was herb (61%); while leaves (35%) were highly used in preparing recipes and most common mode of preparations were decoction and powder form (12% each). RFC was ranged from 0.11 to 0.78; while UV was ranged from 0.10 to 0.82. Higher ICF was recorded for kidney and urinary tract infection (0.86). The JI was ranged from 2.28 to 19.56.

Conclusion.:The primary objective of this research was to provide and conserve useful information about the therapeutic use of the native plant species of Khuiratta, AJK. This research appraisal provides some additional and novel uses along with higher RFCs and UVs which may serve as benchmark for phytochemical analysis and novel therapeutic properties.

Keywords: Khuiratta, Quantitative ethnobotany, Ethnomedicinal plants, Therapeutic properties.