Ethnomedicinal knowledge of the most commonly used plants from Deosai Plateau, Western Himalayas, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The current survey was aimed to identify the prime important medicinal plants in terms of medicines and further pharmacological screening of such plants. As far as, we know, no reported data from Deosai Plateau have been published and this is the first documented information of the study area.

Material and methods: Ethnomedicinal information of plants was collected through semi-structured interviews through a participatory rural appraisal (PRA) method.

Results and discussion: This study provided information of 50 medicinal plant species used to treat 29 different ailments. A total of 42 species (84%) were herbs while shrubs and subshrubs were represented by 8 species (16%). Leaves (37%) were the predominant plant parts followed by, roots (27%), aerial parts (13%), flowers (12%), fruit (7%), seeds (3%), and tuber (1%). Method of preparation fall into five categories including infusion (31%), paste (23%), decoction (20%), powder (18%), and juice (8%).

Conclusion: The study area is rich in medicinal plant diversity growing in wild. Our efforts in this regard are only a little contribution to the ethnobotanical study of this area focusing on medicinal plants while more clinical studies are required in future to prove such claims of local inhabitants.

Keywords: Alpine Zone; Deosai Plateau; Ethnomedicine; Indigenous plants; Pakistan; Western Himalayas.