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Pak. J. Bot., 45(S1): 111-118, 2013.

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SCREENING OF  FOLK REMEDIES  BY  GENUS  ARTEMISIA  BASED ON ETHNOMEDICINAL SURVEYS AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF NATIVE COMMUNITIES OF PAKISTAN

MUHAMMAD NADEEM¹, ZABTA KHAN SHINWARI^1* AND M. QAISER²

Abstract: Biodiversity provides a strong plant-human association, livelihood and self defence to poor villagers against many pathogens. In Pakistan and worldwide the indigenous communities used to get many benefits from biodiversity and its ethno medicinal products. They had preference of herbal remedy over modern drugs for the treatment of their sicknesses. The aromatic Artemisia has a central position in the family Asteraceae by virtue of its versatile diversity, distinguishing characteristics, socioeconomic and ecological impacts. It had been being widely used as food, forage, ornamental and therapeutically purposes. The article aimed to compile the best inventory of Artemisia based on historical impacts, folk remedies and indigenous knowledge of native communities of Pakistan. The study demonstrated that Artemisia had been proved better natural defence against 36 different ailments. The potential therapeutical responses against diseases were shown by A. scoparia, A. kurramensis and A. brevifolia. Due to effective uses as purgative, ENT problems and antivenin properties, A. scoparia had been considered as the best medicinal herb. A. dubia and A. brevifolia had been ranked as the best remedy of gastric problems. The study will help to locate the empty slots for new scientific researchers regarding the ethnomedicinal uses of Artemisia.

¹Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan

²University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan

^*Corresponding author’s e-mail: shinwari2002@yahoo.com