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ETHNO MEDICINAL SURVEY OF PLANTS FROM SALT RANGE (KALLAR KAHAR) OF PAKISTAN

SHEIKH SAEED AHMAD* AND SYED ZAHOOR HUSAIN

Abstract: Present investigation confined to document medicinal uses of plants utilized by local communities on salt range (kallar Kahar) Pakistan. The purpose of this study was to collect information about the interaction of various communities of the area with plant wealth. The study presents data on 29 species belonging to 18 families. It was found that local communities of the area have rich tradition of using natural plant resources for their common day ailments. Local inhabitants both men and women believe that these plants based medicines are easily available, inexpensive and with no side effects. It was found that common disorders such as fever, cold, cough and diarrhoea could be treated by simple herbal teas and herbal powders. The reason for using medicinal plants by the local people of the area was that they are simple living, poor and cannot afford expensive synthetic drugs and their knowledge about medicinal plants has been passed on from their ancestor’s for generations. It was concluded that local authorities and other funding agencies should promote the cultivation and conservation of such natural resources of medicinal plants by involving the local communities of the area. It is also suggested that plants based industries and markets should be promoted in the area to alleviate the poverty problems of local communities.

Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

*Corresponding author: E-mail address: shsaeed1@yahoo.com; drsaeed@fjwu.edu.pk Tel: +92-0321-5167726.