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PRIORITIZATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS OF MARGALA HILLS NATIONAL PARK, ISLAMABAD ON THE BASIS OF AVAILABLE INFORMATION

SHEIKH SAEED AHMAD^*1, FAKHRA MAHMOOD¹, ZAHOOR-UL-HASSAN DOGAR², ZAFAR IQBAL KHAN³, KAFEEL AHMAD³, MUHAMMAD SHER⁴,

IRFAN MUSTAFA³ AND EHSAN ELAHI VALEEM⁵

Abstract: In order to understand the pattern of indigenous uses of medicinal plants available in Margalla Hills National Park, Islamabad, this study was undertaken through literature survey and field work conducted in late April/May 2008. The people of the park are using medicinal plants for various ailments and dependent on surrounding plants resources for their food, shelter, fodder, healthcare and other cultural purposes. However, encroaching industrialization and accompanying changes in their lifestyles are responsible for decrease of practice in local uses of herbs as medicine, it is, therefore worthwhile to record the natural uses of these herbs before the information is lost. For study purpose 64 informants were interviewed to find out the medicinal uses of these plants. In total 40 species of medicinal plants belonging to 18 families were recorded which are being used by inhabitants of the park, these are Carissia opaca, Cassia fistula, Mallotus phillippensis, Punica garmatum and Phyllantus emblica etc. Their medicinal uses were noted by categorizing them into major diseases. The medicinal flora identified should be conserved for present and future generations.

¹Deptt. of Environmental Sci., Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan,

²Sargodha Medical College, Sargodha, Pakistan,

³Department of Biological Sciences, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan,

⁴Department of  Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan,

⁵Public Private Partnership Unit (PPPU), Planning and Development Department, Government of Sindh, Karachi-74200, Pakistan.