Ethnobotanical Study in the Highland of Alvand and Tuyserkan, Iran

Research Journal of Pharmacognosy (RJP) 3(1), 2016: 7-17 Received: Oct 2015 Accepted: Dec 2015

Original article

Ethnobotanical study in the highland of Alvand and Tuyserkan, Iran

M. Mosaddegh1,2, S. Esmaeili1,3*, A. Hassanpour1, M. Malekmohammadi1, F. Naghibi1,2

1Traditional Medicine and Materia Medica Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 3Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Traditional Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract Background and objectives: Medicinal plants are widely used by people in the treatment of various diseases. These resources are usually regarded as part of cultural traditional knowledge. The aim of this study was to identify the information about the medicinal plants used by indigenous people of some regions of Hamedan province, Iran. Methods: The present ethnobotanical study was conducted in the Alvand mountainous area of Hamedan and Tuyserkan. Interviews were done in 27 villages and totally 53 informants were interviewed. Ethnobotanical indices like relative frequency of citation (RFC) and cultural importance index (CI) were calculated. Results: Our study reports 80 traditionally used plant species, belonging to 31 plant families. Asteraceae with 12 species was the most used family in this area. The most used parts were aerial parts (18.57%), leaves (21.42%), and flowers (17.14%), respectively. The most treated ailments were digestive problems. The highest number of ethnobotanical indices RFC and CI were observed in Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl. and Thymus lancifolius Celak., respectively. Conclusions: Hamedan province possesses considerable knowledge about medicinal plants for treating common health problems.

Keywords: Alvand, ethnobotany, Hamedan, Tuyserkan, traditional medicine Introduction Ethnobotanical studies are significant in treating health problems, because medicinal revealing locally important plant species plants are accessible and inexpensive [2]. especially for the discovery of new drugs [1]. Iran is located in middle-east, Asia which From ancient times, the documentation of contains rich ecosystems and biodiversity due to traditional knowledge especially about the the various climatic conditions and geographical medicinal uses of plants has led to the characteristics [3]. Some researchers have introduction of new medicines. Traditional investigated the traditional pharmacopoeia and medicine still remains the main source for medicinal plants in different areas of the country majority of people in developing countries for [4-9].

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Hamedan province with a long history in to the field and the plants were shown to them. In traditional medicine of Iran has shown to be one cases that were not possible to do so, plants were of the main centers of production and supply of collected from around the villages and were herbal plants in Iran. The province covers 19,493 shown to confirm the plant names. Interviews square kilometers and is located in the west of have been recorded for documentation. Each Iran [10]. Hamedan province lies in a temperate time a plant use was mentioned, it was region in the east of Zagros mountains. It is in considered as a “ c ”. M vicinity of the Alvand Mountains and has a cold, were then divided into use categories following mountainous climate with snowy winters. In fact, Cook [14].Voucher samples were also collected it is one of the coldest cities in Iran. for each plant, identified by using floristic and Kalvandi et al. have collected 6000 herbaceous taxonomic references, especially Flora Iranica species from different regions of Hamedan and were deposited at the Herbarium of the province among them 315 medicinal plants were Traditional Medicine and Materia Medica identified which were related to 71 families and Research Center (TMRC), Shahid Beheshti 209 genus but the ethnobotanical information of University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. the plants had not been investigated [11]. Information on medicinal plants including their We have previously collected the ethnobotanical local names, parts used, methods of preparation information in two villages of Hamedan in first and administration routes, disorders step [12] and in the present survey we treated/medicinal effects, were documented. specifically focused on ethnobotanical knowledge and medicinal plants used by Data analysis indigenous people and performed quantitative Some classical quantitative ethnobotanical survey of the information in region of Alvand indices were calculated: Mountain of Hamedan and Tuyserkan. Relative frequency of citation (RFC) is obtained by dividing the number of informants who Experimental mention the use of the species (FC) by total Study setting number of informants in the survey. This index The present ethnobotanical study was conducted does not consider the use category and varies in the highlands of Alvand in Hamedan and from zero, when nobody refers to the plants as Tuyserkan. These are parts of Zagros mountains useful, to one in case that every informant would of Iran and are located between northern mention it as useful [15]. . The altitude Cultural importance index (CI) was also of most of the studied places were between 1568- calculated. This index is the sum of the 2617 m above the sea level. The study was done proportion of informants that have mentioned during March 2012 to September 2013. each species use. It shows the number of Interviews were conducted in 27 villages. All participants who mentioned each use of the data has been collected from conversations with species divided by total number of informants. In local people who worked and lived close to this case, each taxon referred by an informant plants, to ensure the reliability of the information. within a medical use category was counted as a This model is what anthropologists known as use-report (UR) [16]. semi-structured [13]. Informant consensus factor or informant Collected data during the fieldwork were agreement ratio (IAR) [17] is the ratio between analyzed with Microsoft Access software. Data the number of UR in each use category minus the about the medicinal plant uses were collected number of used taxa and the number of UR from people of tribes who were expert in minus one, that concerns what plants to use for medicinal plants. Informants were asked to come specific use categories. It is a comparison of the

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Ethnobotanical study in the highland of Alvand and Tuyserkan number of mentions in a use category and the medicinal plants from the west Azerbaijan total number of taxa used in the category villages were reported by Miraldi et al. [8]. concerned. The highest value can be one, which Naghibi et al. represented 46 genera and 410 indicates the largest agreement of informants on species and subspecies from Lamiaceae family in the use of one species in one use category [18]. Iran that several members of this family were used in traditional and folk medicine [9]. Results and Discussion Local people use different parts of the plants for In the present study, 80 traditionally used plants variety of purposes. The most used parts in this in Hamedan and Tuyserkan were recorded. The study were leaves (21.42%), aerial plant families, scientific names, local names, parts(18.57%), and flowers (17.14%), parts used, methods of preparation, respectively (figure 2). administration routes, disorders treated/medicinal effects, frequency of citation (FC), number of use reports (UR), number of uses (NU) and voucher numbers are listed in table 1. Totally, 200 interviews with 53 informants were done. Six informants were woman and 47 were men aged from 28 to 84 years. The documented species corresponded to 61 genera, arranged in 31 plant families. As shown in figure 1 Asteraceae with 12 species was the most used family in the area.

Asteraceae Figure 2. Percentage of used plant parts

12% Chenopodiaceae 21% The reason why leaves and aerial parts were Malvaceae mostly used could be that they are easily 17% accessible and are active in photosynthesis and Brassicaceae 3% production of metabolites. The most method of Apiaceae preparation was infusion and decoction. In the Lamiaceae region of Turkmen Sahra, north of Iran, 4% 16% decoction [22] and in Hezar mountains decoction Plantaginaceae 5% and infusion were repeated to be the most used 3% 9% Urticaceae method of preparation [20]. Most dosage forms 10% Fabaceae were syrup and tea which means the most administration rout was oral. Rosaceae Fifty eight use records were classified in 21

Figure 1. Usage of plant families (%) medicinal use categories. The most treated use categories by plants presented in this study In other studies conducted in Iran like in include digestive problems (23.19% citation, Kohgiluyeh va Boyer Ahmad [15] and 17.68% species), Infections/Infestations (11.79% Hormozgan provinces [19], Asteraceae and citation, 12.15% species) and respiratory Lamiaceae were the most used families. In Hezar problems (9.51% citation, 11.05% species) mountain in south-east of Iran, Saravan region (figure 3) while in another province, Kohgiluyeh from Baluchistan of Iran [20] and Kerman va Boyer Ahmad, digestive system disordes, provinces [21] the largest number of medicinal musculoskeletal disorders and infections had the species family has been Lamiaceae. Totally, 30 highest number of records [15].

Mosaddegh M. et al.

Table 1. Plants used in Hamedan province Voucher Scientific Local Name's Plant Method of Administration Family Use Number Name Pronunciation part Preparation Route Fever, Flower, hypoglycemia, Achillea Leaf, Extraction, hypothermia, 3419 Asteraceae biebersteinii /b :m : æ ʌ / Root, Infusion, Oral carminative, Afan Whole Decoction infection, Plant stomachache Floweri Achillea ng 3670 Asteraceae vermicularis /b :m : æ ʌ / Crude Fever Aerial Trin. part Achillea Aerial 3680 Asteraceae vermicularis /b :m : æ ʌ / Crude, Decoction Topical, Oral Infection Part Trin. Achillea 3645 Asteraceae vermicularis /b :m : æ ʌ / Shoot Infusion Oral Stomachache Trin. Achillea Aerial Stomachache, 3389 Asteraceae wilhelmsii C. /b :m : æ ʌ / Extraction Oral Part backache Koch Achillea Anemia, fever, 3402 Asteraceae wilhelmsii C. /b :m : æ ʌ / Flower Decoction Oral dizziness, Koch stomachache Alcea Infusion, Constipation, 3696 Malvaceae / ɔ: - xæ mґ/ Flower Oral, Topical arbelensis Decoction, Crude coughs, sores Alcea Respiratory 3435 Malvaceae calvertii / ɔ: - xæ mґ/ Flower Maceration Oral system, coughs, Boiss. infection, asthma Alcea tarica Infusion, Throat, joint pains, 3438 Malvaceae Pakravan. & / ɔ: - xæ mґ/ Flower Decoction, Oral, Inhalation fever, respiratory Ghahremani Extraction system Alcea flavovirens 3415 Malvaceae /xæ mґ/ Flower Decoction Oral Stomachache (Boiss. & Buhse) Iljin Alcea koelzii Infection, 3387 Malvaceae / ɔ: - xæ mґ/ Flower Decoction Oral I. Riedl. respiratory system Alcea kurdica Carminative- 3392 Malvaceae / ɔ: - xæ mґ/ Flower Infusion Oral Alef. veterinary, coughs Alcea rechingeri 3399 Malvaceae /xæ mґ/ Flower Decoction Oral Respiratory system (Zohary) I. Riedl Allium Hypothermia, iranicum Bulb, 3440 Alliaceae /si:r- væhʃґ/ Decoction Oral kidney stone, (Wendelbo) Leaf carminative Wendelbo Joint pains, Amygdalus osteoporosis, 3457 Rosaceae /bɑ: ɑ:m/ Seed Crude Topical, Oral communis L. hypoglycemia, cramp Amygdalus /bɑ: ɑ:m-e Fruit, Hyperlipidemia, 3444 Rosaceae lycioides Crude Oral væhʃґ/ Seed hypoglycemia Spach Anchusa Flower, nervous system, 3432 Boraginaceae / ɔ: k :/ Decoction Oral azurea Mill. Root asthma Flower, Cold, Anethum Leaf, 3412 Apiaceae /ʃ vґ / Infusion Oral hyperlipidemia, graveolens L. Aerial hypertension Part Arctium Leaf & Skin, diabetes, 3660 Asteraceae minus (Hill) / ɔ: ʌ bæ / Extraction Oral Root infection Bernh.

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Ethnobotanical study in the highland of Alvand and Tuyserkan Table 1. Continued Voucher Scientific Local Name's Plant Method of Administration Family Use Number Name Pronunciation part Preparation Route Armeniaca 3456 Rosaceae /zærda:lu:/ Fruit Crude Oral Anthelmintic vulgaris Lam. Aerial Astragalus 3639 Fabaceae /gævæn/ part & Maceration Topical, Oral Hair, coughs verus Olivier Leaf Centaurea Aerial 3672 Asteraceae depressa M. / ɔ: ku:/ Crude, Decoction Topical Injuries, hair, skin Part B. Centaurea Whole 3423 Asteraceae /ʧæᴕ kʌ ґ/ Decoction Oral Kidney Stone solstitialis L. Plant Cerasus vegetati 3661 Rosaceae vulgaris /ʌ bʌ / Decoction Oral Kidney Stone ve part Miller Ceratocephal Spine, 3448 Ranunculaceae us falcata (L.) /p ykɔ:L/ Aerial Decoction Oral Kidney Stone Pers Part Hyperthermia, Chenopodium 3439 Chenopodiaceae / æ mʌ æ / Leaf Crude, Decoction Oral carminative, album L. respiratory system Cicer Whole Diarrhea, kidney 3443 Fabaceae anatolicum / ɔ:xɔ: ґy : væhʃґ/ Plant, Decoction Oral stone, constipation Alef. Fruit Respiratory Aerial Infusion, system, Cichorium 3648 Asteraceae /Kʌ ґ/ Part, Decoction, Oral hypertension, fever intybus L. Root Extraction and chills, kidney stone Citrullus lanatus /h vɑ: 3426 Cucurbitaceae (Thumb.) Fruit Cooked Oral Kidney stone deym/ Matsum & Nakai Convolvulus Aerial 3646 Convolvulaceae /Lu: Lu:/ Infusion Oral Liver, hypercholia arvensis L. Part Hyperlipidemia, Aerial Coriandrum diabetes, 3653 Apiaceae / ʃ :z/ Part, Extraction Oral sativum L. carminative- Seed veterinary Echinophora 3669 Apiaceae / ʌ ʌ : ʌϫ/ Leaf Extraction Oral Cold platyloba DC. Echium amoenum Nervous system, 3668 Boraginaceae / ɔ: :vzæbʌ / Flower Infusion Oral Fisch. & C. sedative, cold A. Mey. Elaeagnus Seed, Osteoporosis, 3452 Elaeagnaceae angustifolia / ʤ k/ Crude Oral Fruit diarrhea L. Falcaria Aerial Wound, 3652 Apiaceae vulgaris /ϫæz јʌæϫґ/ Crude Topical, Oral Part stomachache Bernh. Falcaria 3446 Apiaceae vulgaris /ϫæz јʌæϫґ/ Leaf Crude Topical wound Bernh. Gallstones, Foeniculum Decoction, 3667 Apiaceae / :zґy : / Seed Oral lactation stimulant, vulgare Mill. Infusion carminative Infection, sores, Fumaria Aerial Crude, Extraction, blood system 3678 Fumariaceae asepala /ʃʌh æ / Part, Topical, Oral Infusion disorders, Boiss. Leaf infection, skin Galium verum Aerial 3430 Rubiaceae /æ æfʤ :ʃ/ Crude Topical Wound L. Part

Mosaddegh M. et al. Table 1. Continued Voucher Scientific Local Name's Plant Method of Administration Family Use Number Name Pronunciation part Preparation Route Gastric ulcer, stomachache, joint Glycyrrhiza Root, pains, wound, 3442 Fabaceae /ʃ : ґ bæyʌ / Decoction Oral, Topical glabra L. Latex inflammation, gastric ulcer, fracture Gundelia Aerial 3644 Asteraceae /kæŋæ / Extraction Oral Hyperlipidemia tournefortii L. Part Hypericum Nervous system, 3647 Hypericaceae / ɔ: ə ʃ :yґ/ Flower Infusion Oral perforatum L. pains Juglans regia 3665 Juglandaceae /gerdu:/ Leaf Crude Topical Pains, diabetes L. Ligustrum Seed, Hypercholia, 3451 Oleaceae ovalifolium /bærg- ɔ:/ Crude, Infusion Oral Flower vomiting, diarrhea Hassk. Aerial Linum album Part, 3663 Linaceae /kæm/ Crude Topical Fracture, wart Ky. Ex Boiss. Leaf, Stem Constipation, Malva Flower, Infusion, 3699 Malvaceae /tu:le/ Oral stomachache, hair, sylvestris L. Leaf Decoction coughs Heart disease, Medicago Extraction, 3408 Fabaceae /јɔ: ʤ / Leaf Oral coagulation, sativa L. Decoction stomachache Hypoglycemia, Melilotus Aerial hypotension, 3433 Fabaceae officinalis / æ јɔ: ʤ / Part, Decoction, Juice Oral coagulation, (L.) Desr. Leaf wound, hypercholia Carminative, vomiting, Aerial Mentha stomachache, Part, Extraction, 3417 Lamiaceae longifolia (L.) /pu:ne/ Oral hypertension, Leaf, Decoction, Crude Hudson diarrhea, Flower poisoning, asthma, fever Leaf, Arrial Diarrhea, Mentha 3414 Lamiaceae / æ ɑ:/ part, Extraction Oral stomachache, spicata L. Flower, nausea Stem Nepeta crispa Aerial 3675 Lamiaceae /m f ʌh/ Infusion Oral Hypothermia Willd Part Nepeta crispa Aerial Infusion, Nervous system, 3640 Lamiaceae /m f ʌh/ Oral Willd Part Decoction diarrhea Ononis Leaf, Stomachache, 3418 Fabaceae / æ m bʌ mʌʤґ/ Decoction Oral, Topical spinosa L. Root skin, pains Orchis 3450 Orchidaceae /ѕæə æb/ Leaf Crude Oral Respiratory system palustris Jacq. Ornithogalum Infection, 3437 Liliaceae brachystachys / : ɑ:ᴕ / Leaf Cooked Oral anthelmintic C. Koch Papaver Flower, Decoction, Headache, coughs, 3421 Papaveraceae /ᴕ : ʧæŋґ/ Oral argemone L. Seed Infusion, Crude drug dependence Persica 3447 Rosaceae /hɔ: :/ Leaf Crude Anal Hemorrhoids vulgaris Mill. Phaseolus 3650 Fabaceae /lu:bi:/ Seed Crude Respiratory system vulgaris L. Scabies, throat, Plantago Leaf, wound, 3698 Plantaginaceae / æ k :ʃ / Crude, Maceration Topical, Orally lanceolata L. Seed hemorrhage, infection

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Ethnobotanical study in the highland of Alvand and Tuyserkan Table 1. Continued Voucher Scientific Local Name's Plant Method of Administration Family Use Number Name Pronunciation part Preparation Route Plantago 3385 Plantaginaceae /ba:rh / Seed Infusion Oral Respiratory system major L. Platanus 3643 Platanaceae / ʃ : / Leaf Infusion Oral Fever orientalis L. Aerial Portulaca Part, 3664 Portulacaceae /xɔ: f / Crude Oral, Topical Skin oleracea L. Leaf, Seed Rhus coriaria Fruit, Wound, diabetes, 3671 Anacardiaceae / ɔ:m :ᴕ/ Crude, Maceration Oral L. Seed hyperlipidemia Rosa Extraction, Stomachache, 3658 Rosaceae damascena / ɔ:z/ Flower Oral infusion, constipation Mill. Hypothermia, Sanguisorba Bulb, 3453 Rosaceae /reveleks/ Decoction Oral infection, minor Scop. Root hemorrhoids Senecio Whole 3454 Asteraceae /kɑ:h k :hґ/ Decoction Oral Drug dependence vulgaris L. Plant Sisymbrium Hyperthermia, 3409 Brassicaceae brassiciforme /xɑ:kʃ : / Seed Maceration Oral fever, cold C. A. Mey Sisymbrium Constipation, 3403 Brassicaceae gaubae Rech. /xɑ:kʃ : / Seed Extraction Oral hyperthermia f. & Bornm. Solanum Root 3697 Solanaceae / :b zæm : ґ/ Juice Oral Gastric ulcer tuberosum L. Tuber Sophora 3384 Fabaceae alopecuroides /ʃ : ґ bæyʌ / Root Crude Topical Fracture L. Pains, nervous system, cold, burn, Stachys Flower, Infusion, hypertension, 3642 Lamiaceae lavandulifolia / kґʤ / Aerial Decoction, Oral, Topical infection, Vahl. part Extraction hyperlipidemia, stomachache, carminative Tanacetum Headache, hair, parthenium Extraction, nervous system, 3659 Asteraceae / ʌ ʌ k kʌ ʌ/ Flower Oral, Topical (L.) Schultz- Infusion kidney, sedative, Bip. headache Fever, cold, stomachache, Thymus Aerial Infusion, sedative, gastric 3641 Lamiaceae lancifolius /ʌzɔ: b / Oral Part Extraction ulcer, Celak. hypothermia, carminative Tragopogon Leaf, Anemia, 3428 Asteraceae rechingeri M. /ʃ / Aerial Cooked, Crude Oral stomachache Ownbey Part Tripleurosper mum 3429 Asteraceae disciforme (C. / :ʃ æzґ/ Flower Decoction Oral Kidney stone A. Mey.) Schultz Pains, kidney Urtica dioica Crude, infusion, 3390 Urticaceae /gæzæne/ Leaf Topical, Oral stone, diabetes, L. Decoction hypoglycemia Verbascum Aerial 3655 Scrophulariaceae macrocarpus /xæ :ʃæk/ Juice Topical Hair Part Boiss.

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comparisons between ethnobotany works that use the same methodology. The highest number of informants was ten which Species belonged to Thymus lancifolius Celak. (figure Citation 4). It means the plant was the most known plant in this province. Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl. showed the maximum number of use-reports (figure 5). Ethnobotanical indices of RFC and CI also showed the highest number in Thymus lancifolius Celak. and Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl., respectively (table 3).

Table 2. Informant agreement factor for different use categories Use Category nur nt IAR Figure 3. Percentage of species and citation in each use Digestive System Disorders 61 32 0.4833 Infections/Infestations 31 22 0.3 category Respiratory System Disorders 25 20 0.2083 Metabolic System Disorders 20 14 0.3158 Pain 19 14 0.2778 IAR was calculated in order to assess reliability Genitourinary System Disorders 18 12 0.3529 and consistency of medicinal plant uses. Muscular-Skeletal System Disorders 16 8 0.5333 Culturally important plants were those that were Endocrine System Disorders 16 10 0.4 Circulatory System Disorders 13 12 0.0833 used by a large number of healers for the same Skin/Subcutaneous Cellular Tissue Disorders 9 8 0.125 category of indigenous use, while plants that Injuries 6 5 0.2 Inflammation 6 6 0 were cited as useful by only one or two Blood System Disorders 6 4 0.4 informants were considered to be of low cultural Poisoning 4 3 0.3333 Mental Disorders 4 4 0 importance [23].The highest value of IAR was Nervous System Disorders 3 2 0.5 related to the use category of pregnancy/ birth/ Pregnancy/Birth/Puerperium Disorders 2 1 1 Sensory System Disorders 1 1 0 puerperium disorders. In five use categories Nutritional Disorders 1 1 0 (inflammation, mental disorders, defined Defined Symptoms 1 1 0 symptoms, nutritional disorders and sensory nt = number of taxa, nur = number of citation in each use system disorders) the number of plants and the category; IAR= informant agreement ratio number of citations for each species, in each use category were the same, which resulted to the value zero for IAR. That means there was no agreement between informants on the use of species. A similar observation was reported in an ethnobotanical study of Hani ethnicity located in Yunnan, China [13]. Interestingly, the number of species and the number of citations was the highest in digestive system category, but it did not show the highest value in the IAR ranking

(table 2). Figure 4. Species with the highest number of informants Quantitative data collection from ethnobotanical studies is turning to be essential for further RFC directly depends on the number of information evaluation and for carrying out more informants mentioning the use of the plant. The CI index measure is independent to the number

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Ethnobotanical study in the highland of Alvand and Tuyserkan of informants and considers diversity of use. 30 plants from 50 species such as Achillea Culturally important plants are those that are used biebersteinii Afan, Senecio vulgaris L.، Thymus lancifolius Celak. were used for feeding animals in this region. This might be a big threat for these plants. Special attention should be given to protect these species of the region. Recognition of plants in each province helps in better identification of restorable natural resources and characteristics of the medicinal plants and their applications. Hamedan province has good ethnobotanical potential for medicinal plants. It is a suitable place for further ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological

Figure 5. Species with the highest number of use reports studies. We are aware that this study was not exhaustive. More similar studies are necessary to gather ethnobotanical knowledge, including all Table 3. The highest value of RFC and CI in plants kinds of usefull plants, in the various regions of NO. Scientific Name CI RFC Hamedan province. 1 Stachys lavandulifolia Vahl. 0.358 0.17 2 Thymus lancifolius Celak. 0.321 0.208 3 Mentha longifolia (L.) Hudson 0.283 0.189 Acknowledgements 4 Urtica dioica L. 0.264 0.17 This research was supported by grants 140 and 5 Glycyrrhiza glabra L. 0.226 0.132 148 from Traditional Medicine and Materia 6 Achillea biebersteinii Afan 0.132 0.075 7 Melilotus officinalis (L.) Desr. 0.132 0.075 Medica Research Center, Shahid Beheshti 8 Alcea arbelensis Boiss. & Hausskn 0.113 0.075 University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. We 9 Ceratocephalus falcata (L.) Pers 0.094 0.075 are grateful to all of the kind people of Hamedan 10 Medicago sativa L. 0.094 0.075 and Tuyserkan who assisted us during the process

of the study. The authors also wish to thank Mr. by a large number of people for the same Hasan Moumivand and Mr. Hojat category of use [24].In this paper we focused Ghahremaninejad for their assistance in mainly on species by medicinal uses, but some collecting the plants. species had other interests; mostly as food. From the 50 species reported in this paper, thirty- eight plants had both medicinal and non-medicinal Declaration of interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of uses. Most of the edible plants were used as food interest. The authors alone are responsible for the additives. Five species including Medicago sativa content of the paper. L., Chenopodium album L., Mentha spicata L., Mentha longifolia L., Tragopogon rechingeri M. Ownbey, were used as raw vegetables. References Two species including Rumex acetosa L. and [1] Teklehaymanot T, Giday M. Ethnobotanical Heracleum persicum Desf. ex Fischer were study of medicinal plants used by people in recorded only as edible plants. Sophora Zegie peninsula, northwestern Ethiopia. J alopecuroides L. was used as insecticide and Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2007; 3: 12. fungicide. Elaeagnus angustifolia L. and Ononis [2] Motlhanka DM. Ethnobotanical survey of spinosa L. were used for producing colors and medicinal plants of Tswapong north, in Alcea tarica Pakravan. & Ghahremani was used eastern Botswana: a case of plants from as detergent. Mosweu and Seolwane villages. European J

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