World Applied Sciences Journal 26 (6): 826-833, 2013 ISSN 1818-4952 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wasj.2013.26.06.13485
Ethno-Botanical Studies of Medicinal Plants of Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan
Muhammad Parvaiz, Khizar Hayat Bhatti, Khalid Nawaz, Zubair Hussain, Rana Mohsin Waheed Khan and Aqib Hussain
Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Pakistan
Submitted: Oct 5, 2013; Accepted: Nov 11, 2013; Published: Nov 23, 2013 Abstract: A series of ethno-botanical surveys were carried out in Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. The purpose of surveys was to collect indigenous traditional knowledge about medicinal plants and their uses through questionnaires and personal interviews of different age groups between 45 to 80 years during the field trips of local flora for the benefit of the community. Etnnomedicinal surveys were conducted from March 2013 to April 2013 in the vicinity of University of Gujrat (UOG), Pakistan. A total of 50 plant species belonging to 29 families are identified which are being used by local inhabitants of the study area. These medicinal plants were arranged with their botanical and vernacular names, family, habit, part used and ethnomedicinal uses. There were about 13 herbs, 12 shrubs and 25 trees of plants species documented in the study. Data analysis showed that the medicinal plants used to treat Asthma, cough, joint pain kidney problems, hepatitis, ulcerative colitis, typhoid fever and various other chronic diseases. Due to lack of interest of new age generations and modern life style there is possibility of losing this precious knowledge in the near future. It was the primary struggle to know about the medicinal importance of plants with special reference to their uses. It is hypothesized that such type of studies should be conducted in the future in study area.
Key words: Medicinal plants Ethnobotany Medicinal uses Gujrat Pakistan
INTRODUCTION regions is very rich in medicinal plants [9]. According to general survey of Pakistan about six thousands species of Dinga is situated between the latitudes of 32°.64, flowering plants have been exist, out of six thousands North and longitudes of 73°.72, East and elevation is 218m about four hundred to six hundred are medicinally (715 ft.). It lies between the rivers Jhelum and Chenab. important species [3, 10]. The main highway that runs from Lahore to Rawalpindi is About eighty percent of the local people belonging about 25 km northeast of Dinga. Dinga is about 100 km to the rural areas are still depend upon the local traditional from the border that separates Pakistan and India. herbal medicines [11]. The local communities of various The average rain fall in the Dinga city is 50cm [1]. zones of Pakistan have primitive knowledge about Ethnobotany deals with the dynamic relationship and traditional uses of plants found in their areas. This interactions between human and plant populations precious knowledge of plants has been transferred from through its cultural values. The interaction of plants with generation to generation. These plants are used to cure human society varies due to their uses, varying social, almost any type of disease [12]. Globally about eighty five cultural and ethnic factors, these mixture interactions percent of all medication for health care system is are the focus of ethnobotany [2]. Ethno-botanical studies extracted from plants [13]. Medicinal plants are divided in different regions of Pakistan have also been carried into two broad types. Firstly, those plants which are used out [3-6]. Botanists are also involved in the investigation by local physicians in different crude formulations to of traditional medicines [7] and the ecological provide some relief to the local inhabitants in developing interaction of people and plants [8]. The flora of Pakistan countries. Secondly, those plants which are demand by due to its diverse, highly fascinating climatic, soil pharmaceutical industries for their ingredients [14]. conditions and many ecological zones, topographical Medicinal plants play a vital role in traditional health care
Corresponding Author: Muhammad Parvaiz, Department of Botany, University of Gujrat, Pakistan. Tel: +923338515992 826 World Appl. Sci. J., 26 (6): 826-833, 2013 system for humans and animals. Extracts of medicinal DISCUSSION plants are also used in allopathic drugs [1]. In ethnobotany the all herbal medicines have their MATERIALS AND METHODS roots in domestic remedies and in folk medicines. It has scheduled 20,000 medicinal plants used throughout the Survey: A series of field surveys were conducted in order world. In aboriginal system of traditional medicines, the to collect information about the ethnomedicinal tibb and several hundred species of plants were used for treatment ethnomedicinal uses of plants by the local inhabitants of diseases. The traditional medicines were prepared from during 2013 in Dinga District Gujrat, Punjab-Pakistan. the herbal plants extraction of plants. The extractions are An effort was also made to confirm the ethnomedicinal obtained from whole plants or parts of plants such as uses from local farmers, plan collectors and healers root, stem, leaves and seed etc [17]. The 80 percent of (Hakeems) and herbal dealers (Pansars) in the Dinga people relies on the herbs plants for the manufacturing of Bazaar. Standard methods were followed with regard for medicines that are used for the treatment of various collection and identification of plant materials with the diseases [18]. help of available literature described by [15] and In the study of medicinal plants and their traditional confirmed by local herbaria. use in different parts of the world there has been an ever-increasing attention, during the previous few Interviews and Questionnaires with Locals: We interview decades. The knowledge of medicinal plants by the about 50 individuals through employing questionnaires aboriginal culture are not just helpful for protection of and interviews showing in Table 5. Interviewees were aboriginal. It is also used for treatment of humans and the selected among the local inhabitants who had knowledge development of drug [19]. Investigations show that about the plants or were almost depend on the local Calotropis procera (Ait.) Aid. F. wasused for the resources for survival. We collected information on treatment of piles, snake and insect bite [20, 22, 9]. different aspects of ethno-botanical usage, e.g. common The roots or sometimes whole plant of Achyranthes name; parts used and use categories of individual species. aspera L. commonly called as ‘puth kanda’is used for Asthma, cough, joint pain and kidney problems. Bark of Preservation of Plant Specimens: The voucher Albizzia lebbeck L. commonly called as ‘Siris’ are useful specimens were photographed, collected, preserved kept for abdominal tumors, boils, cough, eye infections, flu, in herbarium department of Botany, University of Gujrat, hernia, lung problems and also used intoothache or to Gujrat, Pakistan. Plants were arranged alphabetically with remove swellings. correct nomenclature, botanical name, vernacular name, Raphanus sativus L. locally called as ‘Mooli’ family name, habit, parts used and ethnomedicinal uses. The identification and nomenclature of the listed belonging to Brassicaceae family; isused in the treatment ethnomedicinal plants were based on the flora of Pakistan of intestinal parasites, asthma and chest pain. The Seeds [16]. of plant show no antifungal or antibacterial activity [21]. Whereas Bauhinia purpurea L. plant is used as RESULTS antibacterial, antidiabetic, antiinflamatory, thyroid hormone regulating activity. The pods of Acacia nilotica A total of 50 species of plants were found to be used L. bark of Ficus religiosa L. and Adventitious roots of as a medicine in the area of Dinga and these were Ficus benghalensis L. are used to cure gonorrhea. arranged with botanical and vernacular names, family, Cichorium intybus L. and Ficus benjamina L. plants are habit, part used and ethnomedicinal uses. There were used for blood purification. Phoenix dactylifera L. fruit 13 herbs, 12 shrubs and 25 trees species documented and Tamarindus indica L. bark, stem, leaves are used for on the basis of their importance and medicinal uses. general body weakness. Seeds of Syzygium jambos L. They were found to be used to cure various diseases, commonly called as’Jaman’ is used for Diabetes. disorders and ailments. By comparing present Solanum nigrum L. Fruit is used to cure hepatitis and applications of medicinal plants with available literature piles, the one leaf juice is drunk and also used for the reported from different zones of Pakistan and Dinga it extension of liver [22]. The lists of some of the medicinally appears that there are many medicinal uses for the useful plants with their ethnomedicinal uses in Dinga is treatment of different ailments in the study area was rarely provided in Table 1, 2, 3 whereas pictures of plant species reported before this. show as Figure 4, 5 and 6 respectively.
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Table 1: List of medicinal herbs of Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan Sr # Botanical Name Vernacular Name Family Name Habit Parts Used Ethnomedicinal uses 1 Achyranthes aspera L. Puth kanda Amaranthaceae Herb Whole plant Used for Asthma, cough, joint pain Problems 2 Aloe vera L. Kawar gandal Liliaceae Herb Fleshy leaf pulp Fleshy leaf pulp is applied on bleeding wounds twice per day for 1-2 days, digestive, skin problems. 3 Boerhavia procumbens Banks ex Roxb. Itsit Nyctaginaceae Herb Root Used to cure Jaundice 4 Chenopodium album L. Bathu Chenopodiaceae Herb Whole plant Used in hepatic disorder and enlarge spleen 5 Cichorium intybus L. Kasini Asteraceae Herb Whole plant Purify the blood and liver, fever, vomiting, enlargement of spleen, cancer of the breast and face, for tumors. 6 Cannabus sativa L. Bhang Canabinaceae Herb Whole plant It is sedative tonic, narcotic, anodyne refrigerant and antispasmodic. 7 Eruca sativa L. Tera mera Brassicaceae Herb Leaves & seeds Used for Skin diseases and joint's pain. 8 Euphorbia helioscopia L. Dodhi Euphorbiaceae Herb Latex of aerial parts Treatment of eye infection 9 Foeniculum vulgare Mill. Sounf Apiaceae Herb Fruit It is used for chronic dyspepsia, intestinal colic, vomiting and heart burn. 10 Mentha logifolia L. Gangli podina Lamiaceae Herb Whole plant It is useful in headaches & insect bite treatments. 11 Coriander sativum L. Dhania Apiaceae Herb Leaves & seeds Dysentery, hepatitis, ulcerative colitis, typhoid fever. 12 Raphanus sativus L. Mooli Brassicaceae Herb Underground parts Used in the treatment of intestinal parasites, asthma, chest pain. 13 Sonchus asper (L.) Hill. Dodak, Mai buddi Asteraceae Herb Whole plant The plant powder is applied on burns, diuretic, cooling and sedative, cough and asthma.
Table 2: List of medicinal herbs of Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan Sr # Botanical Name Vernacular Name Family Name Habit Parts Used Ethnomedicinal uses 14 Achras zapota L. Chiku Sapotaceae Shrub Bark, fruit & seeds Diuretic and useful in fever. 15 Agave amaricana L. Kantala Agavanceae Shrub Whole plant Used in dropsy and toothache 16 Carissa carandus L. Kronda Apocynaveae Shrub Fruit & roots Burning sensation, stomach disorder and skin infection. 17 Calotropis procera (Ait.) Aid. F. Aak Asclepiadaceae Shrub Leaves & latex Skin diseases, piles, wormicidal and antihelmenthic. 18 Euphorbia mili L. Common Euphorbia Euphorbiaceae Shrub Whole plant It is used as a cure for cancer and skin problems. 19 Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. Shoe flower Malvaceae Shrub Leaves & flowers Antiseptic, aphrodisiac, digestive and diuretic. 20 Murraya koenugii L. Curry pata Leguminosae Shrub Flower, leaves, root Dysentery, leprosy, asthma, blood diseases. 21 Mimosa pudica L. Chui mui Leguminosae Shrub Roots, leaves and flowers. Asthma, inflammation, fatigue, leucoderma and blood diseases. 22 Ocimum basilicum L. Niazbo Lamiaceae Shrub Leaves & seeds It is used in skin infection, cold & cough. 23 Rosa indica L. Gulaab Rosaceae Shrub Flowers Asthma, eye infection, removal of stones from gall bladder & kidney. 24 Solanum nigrum L. Makow Solanaceae Shrub Leaves & fruits Gastric troubles, ulcer, hepatitis and piles.
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Table 3: List of medicinal treesof Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan Sr # Botanical Name Vernacular Name Family Name Habit Parts Used Ethnomedicinal uses 25 Withania somnifera L. Ashghand Solanaceae Shrub Whole plant Asthma, rheumatic disorders, ulcer and eye diseases. 26 Acacia nilotica (L.) Delile. Keekar Mimosaceae Tree Pod Gonorrhea 27 Acacia modesta Wall. Phulai Leguminosae Tree Bark, stem Cleaning teeth, dental disorders & dental problems, gas trouble. 28 Albizzia lebbeck Siris Mimosaceae Tree Bark Abdominal tumors, boils, cough, eye infections, flu, hernia, lung problems, secondary infertility, tonic. 29 Azadirachta indica A. juss. Neem Meliaceae Tree Bark, flower & leaf Used for blood purification, cough, diabetes, detoxifies, fever, jaundice, malaria, obesity, thirst, tumors and vomiting. 30 Alstonia scholaris L. Alstonia Apocynaceae Tree Bark, leaves Fever, malaria, skin infection, ulcers, wounds & cough. 31 Bauhinia purpurea L Kachnar Fabaceae Small Tree Whole plant Plant is antibacterial, antidiabetic, antiinflamatory, thyroid hormone regulating activity. 32 Bombax ceiba L. Sumble Malvaceae Bark, flower Anti-malarial, anti-cancer, anti-mutagenic, anti-arthritic. 33 Cassia fistula L. Amaltas Fabaceae Small Tree Bark, fruit, leaves roots. The roots are useful in skin infection, leprosy, tuberculosis, burning sensation, ulcer and cure ringworms. 34 Carica papaya L. Papeeta Caricaceae Small Tree Fruit, latex It is used for digestive problems, abortion, rashes and burns. 35 Citrus limon (L.) Burm. Nimboo Rultaceae Small Tree Fruit Toothpowder for teeth diseases and infections. 36 Dalbergia sisoo Roxb. Ex DC. Tali Mimosaceae Tree Bark Nose bleed
Table 3: List of medicinal treesof Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. Continue...... Sr # Botanical Name Vernacular Name Family Name Habit Parts Used Ethnomedicinal uses 37 Eucalyptus globules L. Sufaida Myrtaceae Tree Leaves Leaves are used as an antiseptic, febrifuge and antihelmenthic. 38 Ficus benjamina L. Weeping fig Moraceae Tree Whole plant Blood purification 39 Ficus benghalensis L. Boher Moraceae Tree Adventitious roots & latex Chronic flu & influenza, gonorrhea 40 Ficus religiosa L. Pipal Moraceae Tree Bark Gonorrhea 41 Mangifera indica L. Aam Anacardiaceae Tree Leaf, seed Ear pain, vomiting 42 Melia azedarach L. Dherak Malvaceae Tree Fruit & leaf Skin infections and diseases 43 Morus niger L. Kala toot Moraceae Tree Root, leaf, fruit Bad thorax, stomach worms. 44 Psidium guajava L Amrood Myrtaceae Tree Fruit Appetite and stomach problems, for old cough and chronic whooping cough. 45 Punica granatum L. Anar Punicaceae Tree Exocarp of fruit Dysentery & menstrual irregularities. 6 Phoenix dactylifera L. Khajur Arecaceae Tree Fruit For body weakness. 47 Pongamia glabra Vent. Sukvhain Fabaceae Tree Twigs Twigs used for diseases and infections of teeth. 48 Syzygium jambos L. Jaman Myrtaceae Tree Seeds Diabetes 49 Tamarindus indica L. Imli Fabaceae Tree Bark, stem, leaves General body pain, jaundice, stomach disorders, yellow fever. 50 Zizphus jujuba Mill. Bear Rhamnaceae Tree Leaf & fruit Skin infection and iron deficiency.
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Table 4: Division of plant species according to families of Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan Sr No. Name of FamiliesPlant species 1 Agavaceae 1 2 Amaranthaceae 1 3 Anacardiaceae 1 4 Apiaceae 2 5 Arecaceae 1 6 Asclepiadaceae 1 7 Apocynaceae 2 8 Asteraceae 2 9 Brassicaceae 2 10 Canabinaceae 1 11 Caricaceae 1 12 Chenopodiaceae 1 Fig. 1: Map of Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. 13 Euphorbiaceae 2 14 Fabaceae 4 (Source of sitemap:aymanaz.brinkster.net) 15 Lamiaceae 2 16 Leguminosae 3 17 Liliaceae 1 18 Malvaceae 3 19 Meliaceae 1 20 Mimosaceae 3 21 Moraceae 4 22 Myrtaceae 3 23 Nyctaginaceae 1 24 Punicaceae 1 25 Rhamnaceae 1 26 Rosaceae 1 27 Rutaceae 1 28 Sapotaceae 1 29 Solanaceae 2 Fig. 2: Percentage of plants according to habit Table 5: Interviews of local inhabitants of Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan Age groups (year) Numbers of interviewees 40-55 10 58-63 10 65 18 75-80 12 Total 50
CONCLUSION
The survey indicated that all plants have medicinal importance but there is a need to explore their important properties and develop awareness among the local community who are unaware of importance of these plants. In order to the conservation of medicinal plants there is a need to actively involve acquiescence of local inhabitants in evaluation, implementation and monitoring process. Due to lack of interest of new age generations and modern life style there is possibility of losing this precious knowledge in the near future. Thus it is very Fig. 3: Percentage parts of plant species to treat different important to document and preserve this wealth of diseases knowledge for future generations.
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Fig. 4: Pictures of herbs of Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. 1 to 9(1: Achyranthes aspera L. 2: Aloe vera L. 3: Chenopodium album L. 4: Cichorium intybus L. 5: Cannabus sativa L. 6: Euphorbia helioscopia L. 7: Coriander sativum L. 8: Raphanus sativus L. 9: Sonchus asper L.)
Fig. 5: Pictures of shrubs of Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. 10 to 18 (10: Achras zapota L. 11: Carissa carandus L. 12: Calotropis procera (Ait.) 13: Euphorbia mili L. 14: Hibiscus rosa sinensis L. 15: Ocimum basilicum L. 16: Rosa indica L. 17: Solanum nigrum L. 18: Withania somnifera L.)
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Fig. 6: Pictures of trees of Dinga, District Gujrat, Punjab, Pakistan. 19 to 38 (19: Acacia nilotica L. 20: Acacia modesta Wall. 21: Albizzia lebbeck L. 22: Azadirachta indica A.juss. 23: Alstonia scholaris L. 24: Bombax ceiba L. 25: Carica papaya L. 26: Citrus limon 27: Dalbergia sisoo Roxb. 28: Eucalyptus globules L. 29: Ficus benjamina L. 30: Ficus benghalensis L. 31: Ficus religiosa L. 32: Mangifera indica L. 33: Melia azedarach L. 34: Morus niger L. 35: Psidium guajava L. 36: Punica granatum L. 37: Phoenix dactylifera L. 38: Zizphus jujuba Mill.)
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