Ethnomedicinal survey of the plants used for gynecological disorders by the indigenous community of district Buner, Pakistan Hammad Ahmad Jan, Samin Jan, Rainer W. Bussmann, Latif Ahmad, Sher Wali, Nadeem Ahmad Databases and Inventories Conclusions: The present study shows that the study area is rich in ethnomedicinal knowledge. The result Abstract also indicates that the local population is more sensitive and careful about gynecological diseases. Background: This study is the first of its own kind This study is providing a baseline for future conducted in the study area with the aim to document pharmacological studies to discover new herbal and conserve the indigenous traditional knowledge drugs. of medicinal plants used for curing gynecological diseases. Keywords: Traditional knowledge conservation; Ethno-medicine; Gynecological disorders; Buner; Materials and Methods: During the course of work, Pakistan the use of medicinal plants and their ethnomedicinal uses for gynecological problems were documented by interviewing 532 people of different ages (20-110 Correspondence years) through semi-structured interviews Hammad Ahmad Jan*1, Samin Jan1, Rainer W. Results: The result of the present work is showing Bussmann2, Latif Ahmad3, Sher Wali1, Nadeem the dependency of the indigenous population on Ahmad42 medicinal plants. In the present work 60 plants, species belonging to 40 families were collected and 1Department of Botany, Islamia College Peshawar, their medicinal uses were documented by Pakistan interviewing both genders of the local population 2Department of Ethnobotany, Institute of Botany, Ilia through semi-structured interviews and open-ended State University, Tbilisi, Georgia questionnaires. The results of the study were 3Department of Botany, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto compared to 14 previously published articles. The University, Sheringal, Dir Upper, Pakistan result of this study indicates that Asteraceae was the 4Department of Botany, University of Peshawar, dominant family with 4 species. Similarly, the Pakistan dominant life form was herb (39 species) and the most used plant part was leaf (19 species). The *Corresponding Author: [email protected] highest RCF (Relative Citation Frequency) value was obtained for Acacia modesta Wall. 0.71. The Ethnobotany Research & Applications highest UV (Use Value) was 0.91 for 19:26 (2020) Trachyspermum ammi (L.) sprague and lowest UV لوﺻﻼﺧ was 0.50 for Ficus benghalensis L. The highest ICF (Informants Consensus Factor) value 1.0 was اد ﻧړﯾc ﮫ ﭘ ﮫ لﭘﺧ لوډ ﯥﮐ ﻟ یړﻣو لوډ ید ﯥﭼ د ﺎطﻣ ﻟ ﯥﻌ ﭘ ﮫ ﮫﺣﺎﺳ ﯥﮐ ﯥﮐ ﮫﺣﺎﺳ ﮫ ﭘ ﯥﻌ ﻟ ﺎطﻣ د ﯥﭼ ید لوډ یړﻣو ﻟ ﯥﮐ لوډ لﭘﺧ ﮫ ﭘ ﮫ ﻧړﯾc obtained for emmenagogue and vomiting and the هرﺳرﺗ یوﺷ ﯥﭼ فدھ ﯥﯾ د وﻠﻣرد ﻧ ﺑ ﺎ ﺗ ﺎ وﺗ د ﻲﻠﺧا دود زﯾ ﮫھوﭘ ﻧﺳا ﺎ د وا وا د ﺎ ﻧﺳا ﮫھوﭘ زﯾ دود ﻲﻠﺧا د وﺗ ﺎ ﺗ ﺎ ﺑ ﻧ وﻠﻣرد د ﯥﯾ فدھ ﯥﭼ یوﺷ هرﺳرﺗ lowest for leucorrhoea (0.67). ﺎﺳ ﺗ ﻧ ﮫ د ه ﯥﭼ د ﯾÇÉ ﻧ ﮫ ﻧ وﯾﻏورﺎ ﻧ وﯾﻏورﺎ ﻠﻣرد ﯥﻧ ﻟ ﭘ هرﺎ ﮐ لورﺎ .يږﯾﮐ د يﯾ وﺎﮐ ر ﻧﻠر ﯾوﺎﻧوﻏر É دﯥ هدﮫﻧﺗﺎ Manuscript received: 31/01/2020 – Revised manuscript received: 11/03/2020 - Published: 14/03/2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.32859/era.19.26.1-18 Ethnobotany Research and Applications 2 when used in pregnancy can harm the embryo ﻲﻧواﺳ رﺎﮐ ﭘ ﺎ ﯾ ﮫﻠ د ﻣرد وﻠ وáوﺑ ﺑ ﺎ ېدﻧ د ﯽﯾﺎÉ وﮑﻠﺧ رﺎﺣﻧﺻا .ﯥﯾÇ ﮫﭘ ﻲﻧواﺳ ﻲﻧواﺳ ﮫﭘ .ﯥﯾÇ رﺎﺣﻧﺻا وﮑﻠﺧ ﯽﯾﺎÉ د ېدﻧ ﺎ ﺑ وáوﺑ وﻠ ﻣرد د ﮫﻠ ﯾ ﺎ ﭘ رﺎﮐ ﻲﻧواﺳ .(Sadeghi and Mahmood, 2014) ﺎﮐر ﯥﮐ د Ç 40ﮐ ﺗ و ﻧ و ﭘ ېرو ا وړ ﻧ د 60 تﺗﺎﺑﻧ ولډﺎ ولډ ﺷيولáار و وا د د وا و ﺷيولáار ولډ ولډﺎ تﺗﺎﺑﻧ ودی وﻠﻣرد ﮐ لورﺎ د ﻧ ﯾ م ړوﺟ يوﺷ وﮐرﻣ وا د ﯥﻼﺻﺧ ﺗÇوﭘ ﻧ ﻠ وﻧوﮑﯾ ﻟ ﮫ ﮫ ﻟ وﻧوﮑﯾ ﻠ ﻧ ﺗÇوﭘ ﯥﻼﺻﺧ د وا وﮐرﻣ يوﺷ ړوﺟ م ﯾ ﻧ د لورﺎ ﮐ وﻠﻣرد ودی Ethnogynecology is a newly emerging branch of رﻻې د ﺎÉ ﯽﯾ وﮑﻠﺧ هړاود وﻧوﺳﻧﺟ هرﺳ ﮫﮐرﻣ وﻟوﮐ هرﺳ ﺗﺳﻣ ﻧ د .يوﺷ د د .يوﺷ د ﻧ ﺗﺳﻣ هرﺳ وﻟوﮐ ﮫﮐرﻣ هرﺳ وﻧوﺳﻧﺟ هړاود وﮑﻠﺧ ﯽﯾ ﺎÉ د رﻻې ethnobotany, dealing with the use of medicinal plants طﻣ ﺎ ﻟ ﯥﻌ ﭘ ﺎ ﯾ ﻠ ﯥ د 14 ﭘﺧ هرﺎ يوﺷ ﻘﻣ ﺎ ﻟ و هرﺳ ﺗرﭘ ﻠ ﮫ .ېوﺷ د ېد ﯥﻧړﯾc ﭘ ﺎ ﯾ ﻠ ﮫ ﮫ ﻠ ﯾ ﺎ ﭘ ﯥﻧړﯾc ېد د .ېوﺷ ﮫ ﻠ ﺗرﭘ هرﺳ و ﻟ ﺎ ﻘﻣ يوﺷ هرﺎ ﭘﺧ for healing gynecological problems (e.g. example وíﮫﭘ ويﮐﮫﺗ ﯥﭼ Asteraceae د 4 وډ وﻧوﻟ هرﺳ ﺎﻏ بﻟ îﻧروﮐ هو . ﭘ ﮫ ﮫ ﭘ . هو îﻧروﮐ بﻟ ﺎﻏ هرﺳ وﻧوﻟ وډ -abortion, menstrual problems, leucorrhoea, anti رو ﺗ ﮫ ډ لو د ﺣ ﺎ ﮐ م وژ ﻧ د وژ ﻧ د ﺑ و ﻲá (39 )ﮫﻧوﻟوډ وا د ﺑﻧ ﺎ ﺗ ﺎ وﺗ وﻟوáرﺗ لورﺎﮐ لورﺎﮐ وﻟوáرﺗ وﺗ ﺎ ﺗ ﺎ ﺑﻧ د وا )ﮫﻧوﻟوډ .(fertility, and delivery problems) (Rahman, 2014 وﺷي ﺑ ﮫﺧر ﭘ ﺎ leaf هو( ه 19 .)ﮫﻧوﻟوډ وﻟوáرﺗ ړوﻟ (د Relative RCF ( Citation Frequency Very little work has been done in this area until now راÇتز د ﮫﯾﺳﺎﮐا áﺳﯾډوﻣ ﺎ لاو ﻟ ﭘ هرﺎ هﺎﭘﻟلو ﺳډﻣﮫﺳﮐ ات all over the world, and less in Pakistan (Siddiqui et ﺷﮫرﺗﺳﻻ ویو . á. 0.71رﺗ وﻟو وﻟ(ړ UV (Use Value د د Trachyspermum ammi (L.) sprague al. 1988; Dash and Satapathy, 2016). In the study هﭘﻟﺎر 0.91 ﺣﻣ ﺎ ﺳ ﺑ ﮫ ﮫﺑﺳﺎﺣ area no research has been done on وﺷی ا و á ټﯾ UV 0.50 د Ficus benghalensis L وهﭘﻟﺎر د. د. وهﭘﻟﺎر .ICF ( Informants Consensus Factor) ethnogynecology وﻟوáرﺗ ړوﻟ تÇزرا تÇزرا ړوﻟ وﻟوáرﺗ 1.0 د Emmanagogue اوا ﻟ نوá ﻟ ﭘ هرﺎ ﮫﺳﻻرﺗ یوﺷ ﯾټáوا ﯥﯾ د د ﯥﯾ ﯾټáوا یوﺷ ﮫﺳﻻرﺗ هرﺎ ﭘ ﻟ نوá ﻟ اوا leucorrhoea (0.67 In this study, we tried to find answers for the following ) ﻟ ﭘ هرﺎ ﮫرﺗﺳﻻ .یوﺷ îﻧﺳوا ﺎطﻣ ﻟ ﮫﻌ ﯥﯾÇ ﯥﭼ د د ﯥﭼ ﯥﯾÇ ﮫﻌ ﻟ ﺎطﻣ îﻧﺳوا .یوﺷ ﮫرﺗﺳﻻ questions about the medicinal plants used to cure ﺎطﻣ ﯥﻌﻟ ﮫﺣﺎﺳ د ېزﯾﻣﮐوﺗ ﯥھوﭘ ﮫﺧc اډﺑ ﮫﯾ .هد ﭘ ﺎ ﯾ ﮫﻠ اد مھ ﮫﭘ ﮫﺗوí يوﮐ يوﮐ ﮫﺗوí ﮫﭘ مھ اد ﮫﻠ ﯾ ﺎ ﭘ .هد ﮫﯾ اډﺑ ﮫﺧc ﯥھوﭘ ېزﯾﻣﮐوﺗ د ﮫﺣﺎﺳ ﯥﻌﻟ ﺎطﻣ gynecological disorders: (i) Which species are used ﯥﭼ ﺎÉ ﯽﯾ يړíو د ﺎﺳﻧ ﻲﯾ ﻧ وﯾﻏورﺎ ﮫﭘ هړا رﯾډ سﺎﺳﺣ وا ﺗﺣﻣ طﺎ .يد د ا اد ي ﺎﺗﻣو ﺎﺣرډهاﮫ ﯾوﺎﻧﻲ ﺳ ړوﯽ Éﯥ (locally for the cure of gynecological disorders? (ii ﺎطﻣ ﮫﻌﻟ د ار ﺗ وﮑﻧوﻠ ﻓ ﮏﯾژوﻟوﺎﻣرﺎ ﺎطﻣ ﺎﻌﻟ وﺗ ﻟ ﭘ هرﺎ سﺎﺳا ﻟ ﮏﯾ وﺗﻣﭼ يوﮐ يوﮐ وﺗﻣﭼ ﮏﯾ ﻟ سﺎﺳا هرﺎ ﭘ ﻟ وﺗ ﺎﻌﻟ ﺎطﻣ ﮏﯾژوﻟوﺎﻣرﺎ ﻓ وﮑﻧوﻠ ﺗ ار د ﮫﻌﻟ ﺎطﻣ Which type of gynecological disease is treated by a ورﺗc يوﻧ ﻲáوﺑ لﻣرد .ﻲﻣوﻣو particular plant? (iii) Are certain plant families more Introduction or less used than expected? (iv) Which part is used The use of herbal medicines in daily life has a long for the medicinal plant? (v) What is the mode of history and still has great importance in indigenous administration of the drug? Furthermore, we cultures (Gurib-Fakim, 2006). In rural areas, conducted this study to find valuable medicinal medicinal plants still play a significant role (Qureshi plants, to preserve the indigenous wealth of and Ghufran, 2005) and are still used as the primary knowledge, and to make the indigenous population healthcare system and about eighty percent of aware of the importance of sustainable use of people of remote regions of Pakistan are still reliant medicinal plants. on medicinal plants (Jan et al. 2017). About twenty- five percent of medicines of the current global Materials and methods pharmacopeia were derived from plants and many The geographical position of the area synthetic drugs are analogs synthesized on The study area lies between 3409'-34043'N and prototype compounds isolated from plants (Sadeghi 72010'-720-47'E. The area is bordered by district and Mahmood, 2014). Swat in the North, the Malakand Agency to the West, Mardan district to the South bordered, the Hazara In Pakistan, rural women are often experiencing Division and Indus River to the East and Swabi gynecological complications because of malnutrition, district to the North-East (Fig. 1). The study area was poverty, unhygienic conditions of living, and hard a sub-division part of district Swat until 1990. In 1991 physical work. Women locally called ‘Daiya’, are it received the status of the district found in every village, and specialize in phytotherapy (www.kpktribune.com). The region encompasses to alleviate gynecological problems with indigenous 1865 km2 with a total population of 897319 as per the medicinal plants (Bhat et al. 2013). Due to 2017 census (www.pbs.gov.pk). The entire modernization and little interest of younger population of the district is homogenous both generations in traditional knowledge, the number of culturally and religiously. these female healers is diminishing rapidly. Thus, the conservation of ethnogynecological knowledge is the In Buner, most of the local population has a low need (Khan et al. 2015). economic level. About 95% mainly depend on agriculture and livestock, and 5% have earned work To treat gynecological problems, nowadays income (www.kpktribune.com). Buner is surrounded allopathic medicines, anti-inflammatory medicines, by mountains on all sides. The elevation ranges from non-steroidal analgesics, and surgery are used more 366 mm in Totalai to 2911 m on Dosara Peak. The often. These treatments are effective, but often have district climate varies with altitude and can be side effects such as vomiting and nausea related to categorized as dry subtropical surgery/anesthetics; sexual problems after (www.paiman.jsi.com/Resources/Docs/district- hysterectomy; digestive problems or skin rashes, health-profile-buner).