Medicinal Flora and Cultural Values of Arkot-Biakand Valley Hindu Kush Region Swat, Pakistan

Abstract

The current study was conducted during 2017–2018 to document the traditional ethnomedicinal recipes used for human ailment in Arkot-Biakand valley of Hindukuch region Swat, Pakistan. Semi-structured questionnaires and open interviews were used for data extraction, while two different ethnobotanical indices, i.e., use values (UV) and relative importance (RI), were used for analysis of the use pattern of medicinal flora of the area. The study revealed a total of 144 plant species belonging to 128 genera and 67 families, having 546 use reports (UR) acquired from 83 informants including 7 females and 76 male informants, with ages ranged from 25 to 110. The local community used the medicinal flora for 18 different use categories. The major use categories were gastrointestinal (34 plants, 253 use reports), respiratory problem (15 plants species, 119 use reports), skin ailments (30 plants species, 149 use reports), cardiovascular problem (7 plants species, 26 use reports), and diabetes (35 species, 246 use reports). Most important plants of the area were Berberis parkeriana with 51 use reports, 0.61 use value, and 2.0 relative importance; Pistacia integerrima with 19 use reports, 0.23 use values, and 0.62 relative importance; Thymus linearis with 18 use reports, 0.22 use value, and 0.98 relative importance; Ajuga bracteosa with 19 use reports, 0.23 use value, and 1.37 relative importance; Cichorium intybus with 13 use reports, 0.16 use value, and 1.00 relative importance; Foeniculum vulgare with 12 use reports, 0.14 use value; and 0.61 relative importance; Fumaria indica with 10 use report, 0.12 use value, and 1.07 relative importance; and Mentha longifolia with 14 use reports, 0.27 use value, and 0.40 relative importance. The present project was the first ever study on the documentation of traditional uses of medicinal flora in this area.