Ethno Medicinal Survey of Herbal Tree Shrub and its Distribution In Khanpur Valley Khyber Pakhunkhwa of Pakistan

ABSTRACT:

Khanpur Valley, located in the sub-Himalayan Mountains of Pakistan, is a rich repository of the diverse flora of immense medicinal importance. During the survey, 202 plants were recorded. Similarly, the maximum species were herbs (141), followed by trees (31), while the minimum species were shrubs (30). Moreover, out of the total 202 plant species, 71 (34%) belonged to 42 families that were identified as medicinally important. The findings further established that the most significant number of illnesses cured with medicinal plants were associated with the digestive system (36.05%), followed by respiratory disorders (14.83%), blood purification (14.42%), reproductive diseases (9.7%), skin problems (6.64%), urinary diseases (5.62%), nutritional & tonic supplement (5.21), brains & nerves (4.73%) and bones and joints (2.8%). Finally, the study found that the maximum utilization of medicinal plants was in the form of powder (39.14%), followed by decoction (21.22%), tea (8.41%), paste (7.13%), fresh or raw form (7.1%), juice (6.04%), cooked (4.31%), cream (3.84%) and tincture (2.81%). Based on the result, the local people preferred the herbs and leaves of woody plants for use in various recipes and to cure diseases most preferably associated with the digestive system.