Quantitative ethnomedicinal study of the Flora of district Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: The current study was based on ethnomedicinal uses of the plants of district Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Different statistical indices were quantitatively used to evaluate the new knowledge of the inhabitants.

 Methods: Frequent field visits were carried out from 2019 to 2022 in different seasons of the year. A questionnaire was used to collect all the information regarding taxa's traditional uses. The questionnaire was made to identify the knowledge of rural men, women, and their immediate families regarding the collection of medicinal plants along with their use in a community. Women were seldom interviewed, and this was a unique opportunity to investigate their plant knowledge.

 Results: A total of 154 plant taxa with 130 genera distributed in 58 families were used for the treatment of different ailments. Amongst them, the leading family was Poaceae with 14 taxa (9.09%), the second leading family was Fabaceae having 13 taxa (8.44%), followed by Amranthaceae with 11 taxa (7.14%). Habit wise 87 taxa (56.49%) were herbs, 38 taxa (24.67%) were shrubs, and 29 taxa (18.83%) were trees. Habitat wise 90 taxa (58.44%) were mesophytes, 16 taxa (10.38%) were sciophytes, and 48 taxa (31.16%) were xerophytes. Abundance wise 92 taxa were common (59.74%), 62 taxa were rare (40.25%); 142 taxa (92.2%) were wild, and 12 taxa (7.79%) were cultivated. Different parts of the taxa were utilized for the treatment of various ailments viz. leaves of 78 taxa (50.6%), roots of 19 taxa (12.3%), and Fruits of 17 taxa (11%) were used.

Conclusion: The valuable information about the primeval use of medicinal taxa by the residents for the treatment of various disorders. The inhabitants of the area have diverse knowledge about the remedies of medication for effective work against them. 

Keywords: Ethnomedicinal, Flora, Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.