Ethnomedicinal demography and ecological diversification of some important weeds from district Attock-Pakistan

Ahmad, M. . Dept. of Plant Sciences; Khan, M.A. . Dept. of Plant Sciences; Zafar, M.; Sultana, S.

Ethnomedicinal demography and ecological diversification of some important weeds from district Attock-Pakistan

2006

Ahmad, M. (Quaid-i-Azam Univ., Islamabad (Pakistan). Dept. of Plant Sciences) | Khan, M.A. (Quaid-i-Azam Univ., Islamabad (Pakistan). Dept. of Plant Sciences) | Zafar, M. | Sultana, S.

The present study was confined to traditional medicinal uses of weeds with special reference to ecological diversification and their botanical description. Study was conducted in 10 remote villages of District Attock in order to collect information from 100 resourceful persons including 75 men and 25 women related to the collection and use of weeds. Questionnaires were developed to collect data from local inhabitants on 15 weeds species belonging to 15 genera of flowering plants. Complete botanical description was studied by using taxonomic methods in herbarium of Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad. Data was systematically arranged in alphabetic order of botanical name followed by English name, local name, habit and habitats, flowering period, voucher specimen number, part used and ethnomedicinal uses. It was found that the area is rich in indigenous knowledge related to weeds but still there is large number of underutilized weeds, which could not prove useful yet. The knowledge is going to be lost because of interference due to modern cultural changes. Continuity of this practice will result in total loss of such knowledge. It was the first attempt to understand the importance of weeds with special reference to their medicinal uses in this area. It was concludes from this research that such type of studies should be carried out in future on utilization and conservation of important weeds.

Показать больше [+]