Ethnobotanical Study on the Medicinal Plants in Khosh Yeilagh Rangeland, Golestan Province, Iran

Ethnobotanical study on the medicinal plants in khosh Yeilagh rangeland, Golestan province, Iran

Yasaman Kiasi Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Mohammad Rahim Forouzeh (  [email protected] ) University of natural resources and watershed management https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3347-5526 Seyede Zohreh Mirdeilami Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Hamid Niknahad-Gharmakher Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

Research

Keywords: Ethnobotany, Medicinal Plants, Participatory Interviews, Snowball Method, Khosh Yeylagh Rangeland

Posted Date: November 13th, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-103978/v1

License:   This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Read Full License Ethnobotanical study on the medicinal plants in khosh Yeilagh rangeland, Golestan province, Iran

Yasaman Kiasi1, Mohamad Rahim Forouzeh2 *, Seyede Zohreh Mirdeilami3 and Hamid Niknahad-Gharmakher 4

Abstract Background: Iran is of the species-rich areas in diversity of plants, especially medicinal plants being renowned worldwide as crucial for people’s health. Ethnobotany is the information retrieval science of unwritten experiences and is one of the valuable ways to develop the science of medicinal plants and herbal medicine. Objective: This present study aims to identify medicinal plants used widely by local people in Azad Shahr (Golestan province), collect information about diseases treated by using these plants, and boost indigenous knowledge concerning medicinal plants used by local people. Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted to document indigenous knowledge on medicinal plants uses among local people in Khosh Yeilagh rangelands within 2 years (2018- 2020). The data were collected by using field observation, participatory and semi-structured interviews with 41 people (11 male, 30 female). A snowball sampling technique was used to selecte the interviewees. The collected information were categorized based on local names, parts consumed, medicinal properties, consumption habits, and other uses of wild edible plants, WEPs. Result: Eighty-four plant species belonging to 27 families were identified in the study area. Most plant species in the region were respectively Lamiaceae (20 species), Compositae (12 species) and Legominaceae (6 species). The results showed that the most frequent medicinal plants were used for gastrointestinal problems (34%), cough and colds (18%), and respiratory disease (13%). Conclusion: The presence of various species of medicinal plants and vast indigenous knowledge in Khoshyilagh rangelands indicate the richness of this area. Research on these plants can pave the way for discovering new medicine in the field of treatment and for preserving these valuable reserves as well as preventing the disappearance and destruction of herbs. Key words: Ethnobotany, Medicinal Plants, Participatory Interviews, Snowball Method, Khosh Yeylagh Rangeland

1 MSc Student. Dept. Rangeland Management, Gorgan University of Agricultural sciences & Natural Resources. 2*Correspondence author, Assis. Prof. Dept. Rangeland Management, Gorgan University of Agricultural sciences & Natural Resources. E-mail: [email protected] 3Graduate of Rangeland Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural sciences & Natural Resources 4Assis. Prof. Dept. Rangeland Management, Gorgan University of Agricultural sciences & Natural Resources 1

Background Indigenous knowledge of the medicinal species of plants have medicinal, fragrant, plants consumption has gained significance spice and cosmetic properties [4]. In addition because of its considerable importance in to conservation, rangelands are important for human societies, especially in urban recreational, environmental, genetic factors, communities in both developing and and so on; there are special places in the industrialized countries. The widespread use production of medicinal and industrial plants. of plant-based drugs as well as the negative In natural rangelands, many species are found effects of chemical medicines due to their with medicinal properties being rich in side effects, have led to more consideration secondary metabolites. In fact, medicinal of traditional knowledge of local people plants are of plant species whose type, about medicinal plants. Traditional number and variety vary according to the knowledge, if written, can provide geographical location of each region [5]. information on medicinal plants and their Identifying various plants existing in nature, healing properties to traditional medicine as well as studying their properties, opens up professionals, researchers, pharmaceutical a new world for scientists and researchers in companies, and others. The popularity of various disciplines and provides the basis for traditional medicine to maintain health and the treatment of many diseases. In many areas cure diseases requires comprehensive there are still unknown species that have been information and understanding the properties used for many years as a remedy for diseases of medicinal plants. One way to introduce [6]. All communities interact with their and further understand medicinal plants is to surrounding plants in different ways, but use the empirical knowledge and traditions of local communities are interested in using the elders in each ethnicity and region [1]. plants because this is what sometimes According to the World Health Organization guarantees their survival [7]. Indigenous (WHO), traditional medicine is a set of knowledge, the knowledge of a group of local knowledge, skills, and practices based on people about life, livelihood, is in relation to theories, beliefs, and experiences of the social, natural environment through trial indigenous cultures, whether it is described, and error over time and is mostly oral and can be used in health as well as in prevention, unwritten [8]. In the scientific literature, diagnosis, recovery and treatment of physical various terms and expressions such as and mental illnesses. The world is turning to "traditional knowledge", "lay beliefs" and traditional medicine and natural remedies [2]. "common sense beliefs" have been Nowadays, in industrialized societies, many mentioned for indigenous knowledge. All developed and developing countries, the use these words and phrases seek to explain the of traditional medicine and plants is very knowledge that is formed in the social significant to maintain health due to the context and its main purpose is to solve the increase people's trust in these plants [3]. Iran problems of everyday life of human societies. is a high-ranking country in terms of Regarding the fact that ethnobotany vegetation richness and diversity where there interprets the traditional knowledge as sorts are 11 climates out of 13 known global of logical use of nature, gathering climates. According to geologists and information of local people can play an researchers, the number of Iranian plant important role in plant production. Therefore, species is about 8,000, which is at least twice the study, identification, preservation and as diverse as the European continent. maintenance of plant species, especially Research has shown that more than 2,300 useful and rare medicinal species by local

2 people is of particular importance. These information about medicinal species has studies can provide valuable achievements grown remarkably, such information is about for finding new medicinal plants and herbal a limited number of species. Therefore, the medicines [9]. Local people’s indigenous aim of this study is to identify important knowledge, having been collected for medicinal plants widely used by local people hundreds of years, is rapidly being forgotten of Khoshyilagh rangeland to treat diseases. and disappearing. Although today scientific

Methods Introducing the area Khosh Yeylagh rangeland, an area of 2705 cold semi-arid in climate patterns of hectares and 55 km southeast of Azadshahr Embereger and De Martonne Methods city, is located in Golestan province. The (Figure 2). Ecologically, it is considered a geographical position is "14, '18 ° 55 to" 17, summer pasture, the plants are most in forms '28 ° 55 east longitude and "59, '48 ° 36 to" of grass, shrubs, and trees with a relatively 20, '54 ° 36 north latitude (Figure 1). In different distribution; overall, it is a plain and general, Khosh Yeylagh rangeland can be mountainous region. According to the divided into two parts: plain and surveys, the dominant plant species were in mountainous, which has a cool and temperate Type 1 (Poa bulbosa + Artemisia aucheri), climate and the average minimum and Type 2 (Artemisia aucheri + Stachys inflata) maximum annual rainfall is 208 and 367 mm, and Type 3 (Artemisia aucheri + Bromus respectively, which occurs in November to tomentellus). The language of the people is May. The wind direction is from southwest to Turkish belonging to Ghezelbash clan. The northeast and blows mostly in autumn and total population of the region is 400 people winter. The altitude is between 1600 and (150 households). The family livelihood is 2700 meters above sea level and the average provided through animal husbandry and annual temperature varies from 10.7 to 17.9 agriculture [10]. degrees Celsius. The region is classified as

Figure 1: Location of the study area in Iran and Golestan province

Figure 2: Amperometric curve of the study area

Research Methodology In order to investigate ethnobotany or medicinal plants included the local name of indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants, the plant, the vegetative form, the time of free interviews and participatory observation collection, the method of harvesting, the were applied. Data collection was done in healing properties, the useful medicinal four stages of field operations with several organs and other uses of the plant. An field visits of the study area. First, local indigenous knowledge research will be experts and elders were asked to complete a successful when a friendly and cordial questionnaire and an interview concerning relationship is established with the local local lists of plant species. Accordingly, local people. Therefore, in order to build trust, an names of the plant species were identified by ethnobotanical researcher must be similar in collaborative observations. Secondly, with appearance, behavior and morality to the the help of natural resource staff, local natives’ in order to establish a greater sense experts were selected from among the of intimacy and friendship with the residents, and then information was collected interviewees. It should be noted that the via snowball method. In the last stage, four researcher's interviews continued to the experienced people were selected from extent that the repetitive answers provided among the interviewees being familiar with the researcher with the stability and accuracy most of the medicinal species in the region. of the interview. Fourty-one people were Required information for each plant was then interviewed in this study (11 males; 30 elicited from at least 4 people. Of course, it females). Thirty-five individual interviews should be noted that the qualification of these and four group-interviews (3-6 person selected participants must be approved by the interviews within one to three sessions) were people of the region. In this study, the conducted. The age range of interviewees selected participants were traditional was from 25 to 85. In this regard, individuals shepherds, elderly people and shepherds. In were divided into 6 classes (Figure 3). general, the information collected from

Figure 3: Age categories of interviewees

Results Categorizing the number of people and their and after initial preparations, using reliable level of education indicates that elderlies botanical resources [11], identified by were more than the younger generation and professional masters of botany and medicinal these people were often illiterate (Table 1). plants in Gorgan University of Agricultural Finally, plant samples were collected during Sciences and Natural Resources. the spring and summer seasons of 2018-19

Table 1: Specifications of the respondents in the area

Level of illiterate The third guide Diploma AA BA Education man 12 3 0 12 2 woman 14 8 1 14 1

The list of medicinal plants is shown in table Legominaceae with 6 species, Brassicaceae 3. In general, 84 species of medicinal plants with 5 species, Rosaceae and Apiaceae, with belonging to 27 plant families were identified 4 species, had respectively the highest range in the study area, including Lamiaceae with of rangeland species in the study area (Figure 20 species, Compositae with 12 species, 4).

Figure 4: The abundance of plant genus in the study area

In addition to medicinal, some species have clinopodioides, and Glycyrrhiza glabra are edible properties, like Rumex elbursensis, also used as herbal tea to treat colds, cough, Lepidium latifolium, Allium ursinum, sore throats, and as a condiment. Regarding Satureja mutica, Camphorosma the use of medicinal plants in this study, the monspeliaca, Tragopogon collinus are often most common uses were related to eaten as fresh vegetable with food. A group gastrointestinal problems (34%), cough and of plants such as Bunium cylindricum and cold (18%) and respiratory tract disorders Glycyrrhiza glabra are dried and powdered, (13%). The lowest uses were related to and then the plant powder is used differently antiseptic (4%) and treatment of skin depending on the application. Plant species inflammations (5%) (Figure 5). such as Thymus kotschyanus, Ziziphora

Figure 5: Frequency of use of medicinal plants in the region for all kinds of diseases in terms of percentage

Local people used various organs of medicinal plants (e.g. he leaves 28%, the flowers 16% and the roots 14%( (Figure 6).

Figure 6: Frequency of use of medicinal plants in the pleasant region for a variety of diseases by percentage The biological forms of the most medicinal shrubs (14%) and, wheat with the lowest plants in the region belong to the group of percentage. Also, regarding biological Hemicryptophytes, Trophy, Geophyte, and period, most of them are perennial (67%) Comfit, respectively. In terms of vegetative (Table 2). form, forbs (73%) ranked first followed by

Table 2: Percentage of biological form, vegetative form and biodiversity of plant species in the region

Variable Number Percentage Biological form Therophytes 25 30 Geophyte 12 14 Comfit 12 15

Hemicryptophyte 26 31 Cryptophyte 2 2 Phanerophytes 7 8 Vegetative form Forb 61 73 Bush 12 14 Wheat 2 2 Trees and shrubs 9 11 Biological period one year 26 31 Biennial 2 2 Perennial 56 67 Total in each variable 84 100

Table 3: Ethnobotany of medicinal plants in the study area

organ Family Scientific name Medicinal properties How to use used

Heracleum powder, herbal tea, poultice, persicum Desf. ex Anti-flatulence, stomach Fruit food flavoring and use in Fisch., C.A. Mey. tonic, memory booster pickling (edible, medicinal) & Avé-Lall.

Diuretic, urea repellent and Eryngium Roots and shortness of breath, relieve pharmaceutical billardieri Delile fruits Apiaceae facial acne and diabetes

Bunium Anti-flatulence, flavor, herbal tea, cylindricum Fruit regularizer, sedative and pharmaceutical (Boiss. & Hohen.) anti-nausea (edible, medicinal) Drude

Stomach tonic, astringent, Falcaria vulgaris topical application (powder), Plant limbs and treatment of skin Bernh. edible (brewed diseases (

Caccinia Leaves macranthera branched, Anti-cough, sedative and poultice, herbal tea Brand(.Banks & flowers analgesic )medicinal( Sol) and roots Boraginaceae Anti-inflammatory and antiseptic of wound and Onosma Leaves, burns, Anti cough and herbal tea dichroanthum stems and shortness of breath, anti- (medicinal, edible) Boiss. flowers depression and insomnia treatment Leaves, Berberidaceae Berberis fruits, Anti-inflammatory, lower barberry juice, syrup, jam integerrima roots and blood pressure and blood (medicinal, edible) Bunge bark fat

Diuretic, febrifuge, wound Descurainia Sophia healing, treating kidney Brassicaceae Seeds Juice Webb ex prantl) L.( inflammation, treating acne

Table 3: Ethnobotany of medicinal plants in the study area organ Family Scientific name Medicinal properties How to use used

Diuretic, febrifuge, wound healing, Sisymbrium treating kidney inflammation, Seeds Juice officinale (L.) Scop. treating acne, relieve sore throat and laxative

Lepidium Treatment of constipation and food Leaves food (soup and rice) latifolium L. digestion Brassicaceae Roots, Lepidium sativum Relieving bloody diarrhea, leaves raw vegetables L. indigestion, asthma and cough and seeds Thlaspi Flower, Anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and stenocarpum branches decoction and raw diuretic (Boiss.) Hedge. and seeds

Plant extract, chewing Improving stomach operation, anti- Juniperus Fruit and fruit and the crushed Cupressaceae flatulence, diuretic and antiseptic commonis L. wood fruit in water and treatment of rheumatism (Medicine)

Ipomoea purpurea Anti-inflammatory, anti-cough and poultice, syrup, juice Flower Roth (L.) wart removal (pharmaceutical) Convolvulaceae Ipomoea purpurea Anti-colds, sore throats, relieving dried flowers in a glass Flower Roth (L.) measles of water (medicine)

Dianthus Relieving toothache and headache, Caryophyllus seeds strengthens the liver and kidneys, boiled L. appetizer, and helping break fever Caryophyllaceae Acantophyllum Hard and root of the plant reduces sneezing squarrosum bony washing clothes and hiccups Boiss. roots

Alyssum minutum kidney stones removal, treating dry Cruciferae seeds decoction Schltdl. ex DC coughs

Table 3: Ethnobotany of medicinal plants in the study area

Family Scientific name organ used Medicinal properties How to use

Treatment of respiratory Camphorosma Flowering disease, anti-asthma and spice, fragrant and flavoring monspeliaca L. branches phlegmatic Chenopodiaceae Relieving shortness of breath, Chenopodium All aerial parts lower blood sugar and boiled and decoction botrys L. appetizer Stomach, liver and kidney root herbal tea, jam from its Taraxacum tonic, urinary excretion, Flowers, roots flowers, leaves in a montanum (C.A. kidney stones removal, and leaves combination of salad and Mey.) DC. cleansing the liver, and food (edible and medicinal) purifying the blood

Achillea Leaves, Antidiarrheal, digestive and Herbal tea millefolium L flowers stomach pain treatment (edible)

Anthemis sedative, improving digestion, rhodocentra stomach ulcers and gastritis herbal tea and in food flowers Iranshahr. treatment, diuretic and (medicinal) regularizing

Artemisia aucheri Treatment of stomach pain, Leaves dried and raw (medicinal) Boiss. relieves toothache Compositae Roots, leaves, Artemisia sieberi Treatment of diabetes, relieves dried, raw and boiled flowers and Besser toothache (medicinal) stems

Treatment of bruising, Carthamus decoction, food coloring flowers treatment of gastritis, blood oxyacantha M.Bieb (medicinal and edible) purifier

Lowering blood sugar and Cichorium intybus Plant extract, cooked Leaves, roots blood lipids, treating jaundice L. (edible and pharmaceutical) disease, strengthening the liver

Leaves, Cough relief, treatment of Echinops orientalis powder flowering frequent urination and Trautv. (medicinal) branches reducing fever

Table 3: Ethnobotany of medicinal plants in the study area

Family Scientific name organ used Medicinal properties How to use

Treatment of infections Centaurea iberica Decoction flowers and swollen eyes, Trevir. ex Spreng. (medicinal) removing pimples

Cirsium echinus (M. Decoction Stem diuretic Bieb.) Hand.-Mzt. (medicinal)

Compositae Lower blood sugar, Prepare pickles, decoctions, Stems, leaves, treating coughs and colds, Arctium lappa L. brew and powder roots and fruits and lowering blood (edible and pharmaceutical) pressure Treatment of gastric ulcer, Tragopogon Raw and cooked vegetables The whole plant eliminate warts, and collinus DC. (edible) treating infections Aerial parts, Appetizing, removing Fumaria parvi flora Decoction Fumariaceae flowers and facial pimples, and L. (medicinal) leaves purifying the blood

Hypericum scabrum Flowering sedative, disinfectant, Brew, boiled Guttiferoe L. branches intestinal worm removal (edible)

Eliminating fever, Hordeum vulgare Graminaceae seeds reducing anemia, diarrhea, Decoction, barley sprouts L. blood sugar and fat

Iris drepanophylla Flowers and Anti-cough, diuretic, Lily flower tea Aitch. & Baker roots expectorant, liver stimulant Iridaceae Iris kopetdaghensis Flowers and Anti-cough, diuretic, (Vved.) B. Mathew Lily flower tea & Wendelbo roots expectorant Water-soluble gum, Astragalus verus Flowers, gums treating toothache decoction (pharmaceutical, Olivier. industrial)

Astragalus The leachate Respiratory disorders and Raw (pharmaceutical) gossypinus Fisch. inside the stem animal paralysis Legominaceae Industrial, used in the Acantholimon flower and bush - preparation of honey bodeanum Bunge. (pharmaceutical)

Flowering Wound healing, fattening, Medicago lupulina Plant extract, alfalfa soup leaves and anti-inflammatory blood L. (edible, medicinal) branches purification

Table 3: Ethnobotany of medicinal plants in the study area organ Family Scientific name Medicinal properties How to use used

Drink, powder, use in Treatment of stomachache, sore Glycyrrhiza glabra L. Root curd and cranberry throat, cold (medicinal, edible) Legominaceae Onobrychis Cornuta Nectar - Preparation of honey - (L.)Desv. pollen (medicinal)

Leaves, Abdominal laxative and shortness Allium ursinum L. bread, cutlet onions of breath treatment Liliaceae Eat as a vegetable Alium helicophyllum Leaves, Treatment of rheumatism, bile (edible and Vved. onions cleanser pharmaceutical)

Anti-rheumatic, anti-spasm, anti- Flowering Decoction Hymenocrater calycinus cold, anti-flatulence and skin branches (Edible) (Boiss.) Benth diseases including pimples

Marrubium Flowering Eliminating gallstones, regulates Plant extract, dried astracanicum Jacq. branches gastric function, blood purifier (medicinal)

Marrubium parviflorum Flowering Eliminating gallstones, regulates Plant extract, dried Fisch. & C. A. Mey branches gastric function, purifies the blood (medicinal) Flowering Eliminating gallstones, regulates Sweat, dried Marrubium Vulgare L. branches gastric function, blood purifier (medicinal) Lamiaceae Leaves, Drink, plant extract, Thymus Kotschyanus Relieving bloating, inflammation of flowering powder Bioss. & Hohen the airways and gastric diseases branches (Edible, medicinal) Sleeping, sedative, lowering blood Flowering pressure, wound healing, stopping Drink, plant extract Stachys byzantina leaves and bleeding, increasing bile secretions, (medicinal) C. koch. branches antitussives and sore throats, kidney infections

Flowering Relieving colds, sore throats, skin Decoction, dried and Stachys inflata Benth. leaves and injuries, sedatives, and lowering fresh leaves branches blood pressure (medicinal)

Table 3: Ethnobotany of medicinal plants in the study area

Family Scientific name organ used Medicinal properties How to use

Eliminating toothache and phlomis Flowering leaves Raw, boiled head lice, anti-nausea, treats cansellata Bunge and branches (medicinal) diabetes Nepeta Drink, dried and eating Anti-flatulence, nausea and menthoides Leaves and flowers vegetables (edible, menstrual cramps Boiss.& Buhse medicinal) Onopordum Decoction, dried, Fruits, roots, leaves Treatment of fever, warts, heteracanthum poultice and stems stomach ache and liver disease C.A.Mey. (medicinal) Tanacetum Anti-infective, antibacterial, Dried Polycephalum Flowering branches antitussive, anti-inflammatory (medicinal) schultz- Bip. and bile cleanser

Flowering Herbal tea, plant extract, Teucrium polium Colds, heartburn and diarrhea, branches, aerial making honey L. diabetes treatment Lamiaceae parts (edible, pharmaceutical)

Leaves, flowering Soothing and calming, treating Drink, eating vegetables Melissa officinalis branches and headaches and treating stress (edible, pharmaceutical) L. essential oils

Reducing blood sugar, Savia officinalis Roots, stems, leaves Decoction, dried sedatives, colds and liver L. and flowers (medicinal) disorders

Stachys acerosa Flower nectar - Making honey (edible) Boiss.

Dried, boiled Stachys annua (L) Leaves and flowers Relieving colds, sleep relax (medicinal)

Stachys Relieving fatigue, sedative, lavandulifolia Aerial parts treating colds, and eliminating Dry, drink (medicinal) Vahl diarrhea

Table 3: Ethnobotany of medicinal plants in the study area Scientific Family organ used Medicinal properties How to use name

Antitussive, anti-inflammatory, Herbal tea, food flavoring, Ziziphora Aerial parts treatment of diarrhea and heartburn, spice, dried and eaten clinopodioides (leaves and prevention of nosebleeds, leaves in dough Lam. flowers) gastrointestinal treatment (medicinal)

Lamiaceae Herbal tea, food flavoring, Flowering Febrifuge, regulating, lowering Salvia Sclarea used in the perfume leaves and blood pressure and blood sugar and L. industry (pharmaceutical, branches nerve comforting edible, industrial)

Satureja Treatment of diabetes, heart Eating vegetables, dried leaves mutica Fisch. disease, Alzheimer's and cancer (edible) Relieving respiratory and Althaea gastrointestinal problems, relieving root Decoction (edible) inflammation of the mouth and officinalis L. throat, anti-cough Relieving respiratory and Malvaceae gastrointestinal problems, relieving Decoction Alcea rosea L. flowers inflammation of the mouth and (edible) throat, anti-cough

Malva Raw and boiled microcarpa Leaves, fruit Eliminating infections and colds (edible and Pers. pharmaceutical) Boiled, used in bread and Rumex Leaves and Appetizing, blood-purifying, food, eating vegetables Polygonaceae elbursensis stems digestive and diuretic properties (edible and Boiss. pharmaceutical)

Plant extract, leaf oil, Alhagi Treatment of rheumatism, treatment white leachate, flavoring Papilionaceae camelorum Roots, leaves of kidney stones and sweetener in food Fisch. (medicinal)

Antipyretic, antitussive, Plantago Roots, leaves antihypertensive, anti- Drink, syrup and drops Plantaginaceae major L. and seeds inflammatory, anti-fever and anti- (edible and medicinal) rheumatic

Table 3: Ethnobotany of medicinal plants in the study area

Family Scientific name organ used Medicinal properties How to use

Treatment of Decoction and poultice Rhamnus pallasii Fruit, wood, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, Rhamnaceae (edible and Fisch. & Mey bark prostatitis and kidney pharmaceutical) stones Cotoneaster nummularioides Fruit, manna laxative manna Poark Cotoneaster Fruit, gum or Eliminating neonatal discolor manna secreted jaundice, relieve fever, dry Soluble in water Pojark from the plant cough Rosaceae Leaves, seeds, Mespilus Treatment of sore throat, Decoction, raw fruit, fresh stems and germanica L. dental plaque and fever syrup and paste roots Leaves, Treatment of eye flowers, fruits, Rosa canina L. inflammation, gout, The oil and raw fruit roots and seed bloating, cough and cold oils Verbascum Leaves and Eliminating infection, Boiled and crushed speciosum flowers treatment of wounds (medicated) Sachrid

Scorphulariaceae Verbascum Leaves, flowers Eliminating infection, Boiled and crushed blattari L. and stems treatment of wounds (medicated) Eliminating infection, Making honey, herbal Verbascum Leaves, flowers treatment of wounds, tea (edible, Thapsus L. and stems disinfects pharmaceutical) Anti-diabetic, chest pain, Leaves, flowers In food preparation, gynecological disorders, Urticaceae Urtica dioica L. and flowering dried and boiled skin disorders and branches (edible, medicinal) hemorrhoids Syrup, jam and Laxative, expectorant, anti- Flowers, leaves ointment Violaceae Viola odorata L. inflammatory and anti- and seeds (edible and cough pharmaceutical) Zygophyllum Treatment of rheumatism, atriplicoides Plant extract Leaves, seeds treatment of asthma, Fisch. & C.A. (medicinal) ointment for skin diseases Zygophyllaceae Mey.

Flowering Treatment of stomach pain Peganum harmala Smoking leaves and and gastric acidity, L. (medicinal) branches, seeds disinfectant

Discussion Iran has a long history of traditional medicine The results of the interview attributed the and the use of medicinal plants in the highest use of medicinal plants to treatment of diseases. The richness of the gastrointestinal, antitussive and cold flora in Iran and the high knowledge of problems, respiratory tract, painkillers and Iranians in the use of medicinal plants, the sedatives, respectively. Also, it was found existence of reputable scientific centers in the that the most widely used organs of plants cities of Isfahan, Shiraz, Rey, and also included leaves, flowers, roots and flowering sources and famous scientists such as Abu branches. [14] also attributed the most widely Ali Sina and Razi who practiced medicine used organs of the medicinal plants being with medicinal plants, have doubled the need mostly used to eliminate gastrointestinal for attention to this science [12]. Khosh disorders. Khorasan is consistent. The use of Yilagh village, with a history of 400 years, medicinal plants in different places depends has a valuable treasure of indigenous on different customs, traditions, and knowledge. In the present study, 84 regional methods. Also, the methods and uses of these plant species belonging to 27 families were medicinal plants are different in different identified. According to Figure (4), the most regions, so that women are more frequent plant species include Lamiaceae (20 knowledgeable than men in cases such as species), Compositae (12 species) and how to dry and maintain plants and to make Legominaceae (6 species), respectively. [13] use of them. It should be noted that, not only in the results of their research included the are most of them used for medicinal reasons collection and identification of selected but also for other ones. For instance, barberry traditional uses of plants in Babol, and (Berberis integerrima) is used in cooking, reported that the largest consumption of making syrups, and jams. It is also used as an medicinal plants used by local communities anti-inflammatory, lowering blood pressure belonged to Lamiaceae, Compositae and and lowering blood lipids, which is consistent Legominaceaee. The studies of [14] in with the results of [16]. According to locals, Ardestan located in Isfahan province, [15] in Juniperus commonis is chewed and pounded Zabarkhan rangelands in Neishabour, [16] in with water to improve the stomach operation, Shazand, Markazi province, [17] in acts as an anti-flatulence, diuretic, Behbahan, Khuzestan province, [18] in disinfectant, and treats rheumatism. Echium forest-rangelands of Tuskistan, Golestan amoenum is used as an antitussive, sedative province and [19] in Azad Jammu and and analgesic. In local community, thyme Kashmir, Pakistan, also, supported this (Thymus Kotschyanus) acts as a remedy for statement. According to the research of [14] flatulence, inflammation of the airways, and 120 species belong to 41 families, [15] 70 diseases of the intestines and stomach; it is, species belong to 29 families, [16] 56 species also, used as a flavoring agent in foods, belong to 23 families, [20] 61 plant species buttermilk, and other dairy products. Phlomis belong to 29 families and [21] 119 species cansellata is used to relieve dandruff and belong to 43 families. head lice. Decoction of Achillea millefolium

acts as an anti-nausea and helps treat diabetes, supported by [15], [22] and [23].

Conclusion According to the findings of this study, history are recently seen as a kind of indigenous knowledge about medicinal biological innovation in medicine and can be plants is very extensive. The results of this a good alternative to chemical medicines. study indicate the diverse use of medicinal One of the main reasons for this is that herbal plants in the summer village. People compared to chemical medicines have fewer experience contributes largely to collecting side effects. information. Medicinal plants with a long

Acknowledgments The authors are very grateful to the local Availability of data and material: inhabitants of khosh Yeilagh rangeland, Golestan All data generated or analyzed during this study province for sharing knowledge. We are also are included in this published article. grateful to Dr. Barani and Dr. yeganeh, faculty of Gorgan university of agricultural sciences and natural resources for judging the thesis. Ethics approval and consent to participate The authors asked for permission from the local Author’s contribution: people interviewed to carry out the study. All authors listed on the title page have contributed significantly to the work. Competing interest: Conceptualization, designing the study and involving in data collection: MRF. Data There is not competing interest to declare collection and writing: YK. Helping in data analysis: SZM and HNG. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Consent for publication: We confirm that all authors have read the manuscript, attest to the validity and legitimacy Funding: of the data and its interpretation, and agree to its The project was funded by GUASNR (Gorgan submission. University of Agricultural sciences & Natural Resources)

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Figures

Figure 1

Location of the study area in Iran and Golestan province Figure 1

Location of the study area in Iran and Golestan province

Figure 2 Amperometric curve of the study area

Figure 2

Amperometric curve of the study area

Figure 3

Age categories of interviewees Figure 3

Age categories of interviewees

Figure 4

The abundance of plant genus in the study area Figure 4

The abundance of plant genus in the study area

Figure 5

Frequency of use of medicinal plants in the region for all kinds of diseases in terms of percentage Figure 5

Frequency of use of medicinal plants in the region for all kinds of diseases in terms of percentage

Figure 6

Frequency of use of medicinal plants in the pleasant region for a variety of diseases by percentage Figure 6

Frequency of use of medicinal plants in the pleasant region for a variety of diseases by percentage