Medicinal plants are integral to healthcare systems in remote tribal communities in Pakistan. Treatment often occurs within families; however, medical or ritual specialists should be consulted if necessary.
Totkay medicine ranges from practical solutions (treating styes with garlic; spreading salt around to repel lizards) to bizarre remedies (eating asafoetida for flatulence). Rural areas boast high rates of illiteracy yet still are proficient practitioners of herbal medicine.
Medicinal Plants of Pakistan
Pakistan's medicinal plants provide vital healthcare resources for mountain residents. From treating common illnesses like the common cold to complex disorders such as cancer, these medicinal plants contain secondary metabolites that trigger specific physiological responses and are rich in antioxidants.
An investigation was undertaken to gather information on the medicinal uses of plants by inhabitants in old historical villages of southern Punjab in Pakistan. 200 informants were interviewed individually and collectively, and their plant identification, vernacular names, and medicinal values were thoroughly recorded.
Numerous individuals in Pakistan's northern parts make a modest income from gathering and selling herbal medicines. Still, many must fully grasp how their collection affects local wild populations or understand the importance of protecting and conserving these plants.
Medicinal Plants of Gilgit
Medicinal plants play an integral part in health care systems in high-altitude areas of Gilgit-Baltistan; however, they are under threat due to unsustainable harvesting methods and climate change impacts. This study demonstrated that locals depend on medicinal plant species to treat inflammation-associated ailments. Survey participants in various regions of Pakistan, including Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu, and Kashmir Sindh and Balochistan, reported 371 plant species belonging to 263 genera and 99 families, which were categorized according to their use value, frequency citation frequency, use value, and Jaccard index values.
Participants reported that most Pakistan herbal medicines used in their region come from local market centers in Skardu, Ghizer, and Gilgit, and then these plants are distributed to larger markets in Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Medicinal Plants of Kashmir
Kashmir's biodiversity includes over 266 medicinal plant species, which are traditionally used to combat various illnesses, as well as being food sources and sources of income for local communities.
Ethnomedicinal knowledge of medicinal plant use has been passed down through generations in ethnic communities across various locations, so ethnobiologists have begun conducting cross-cultural research studies to preserve it for future use.
Kashmir's mountainous region boasts an array of wild medicinal plants and traditional knowledge essential for primary healthcare. Still, indigenous populations in these areas face numerous challenges, including poverty and lack of education. Furthermore, they rely heavily on natural resources for livelihood purposes, which often leads to overexploitation of natural environments, resulting in overexploitation of medicinal plant species that could become extinct altogether.
Medicinal Plants of Punjab
Medicinal plants are vital sources of therapeutic agents used to treat various diseases. When combined with vegetable oils such as mustard or apricot oil and nutrients such as milk, herbal medicine is an increasingly popular practice across Pakistan. It is particularly beneficial in remote areas that don't have access to modern healthcare centers.
This study gathered indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants through questionnaires and intensive personal discussions with native residents living in historically old villages of Tehsil Kabirwala in District Gujranwala in Punjab Pakistan. An exhaustive master list was then compiled containing the vernacular names of each plant and the family name, part used, mode of preparation method, skin condition targeted, and any alternative uses cited.
Natives' knowledge of medicinal plant life is typically passed down orally and well-versed despite high illiteracy rates. This knowledge could be harnessed in various ways, such as creating herbal industries, incentivizing quality research projects, or encouraging entrepreneurs.
Medicinal Plants of Sindh
Pakistan boasts a vast variety of medicinal plants. Each district boasts unique species used to treat various ailments. Due to allopathic drugs being more expensive or unavailable in rural areas, herbal medicines have become more widely used than ever. This study was undertaken to gather fundamental data regarding these medicinal plants' therapeutic properties and ethnopharmacological uses for treating various neurological diseases.
To gather data, articles published about medicinal plants native to specific districts were searched using article search engines such as Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Science Direct. Traditional healers and folk medicine users also provided local names and methods of application of each plant they had observed.
This plant's resin can treat asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, arteriosclerosis, and cardiovascular issues. Studies have revealed its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties; however, it remains threatened by fringe groups due to overexploitation.
Medicinal Plants of Balochistan
Pakistan boasts an abundance of medicinal plants. These plants are widely used across its regions to treat various illnesses. Due to their low cost and easy availability, medicinal plants often serve as viable replacements for modern medicine and herbal treatments; leaves, whole plants, and roots are critical elements in ethnomedicinal preparations against conditions like epilepsy, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and Alzheimer's.
Conclusion
This study's purpose was to document medicinal plant diversity and usage in District Mastung of Balochistan Province of Pakistan using open-ended questionnaires, a rapid appraisal approach, personal observations, and quantitative indicators such as Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Fidelity Level, Use Value, and Frequency Citations indices. Results demonstrated that some endemic medicinal species in this region have become endangered.
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