Inventory of Medicinal Flora from Thal Desert, Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Background

This article reports the preliminary findings of an ethno-botanical survey that was carried out in the Thal Desert, Punjab, Pakistan during 2010 to 2013. The aim of this study was to document the traditional use of medicinal plants from the study area.

Materials and Methods

The whole area was surveyed for inventorying medicinal flora by using a semi-structured questionnaire.

Results

The people of the study area are extremely knowledgeable, hence reported 120 plants which are being used in treating various human diseases. The detailed inventory including botanical name, parts used, method of preparation and diseases treated is provided in this paper.

Conclusion

This study revealed that the inhabitants possessed empirical knowledge of medicinal plants which would be useful in developing health care products and preserving traditional cultures as well as phyto-diversity.

Introduction

Scientists are interested in ethno-botanical works for the development of natural products due to increasing demand for plant origin medicaments in developing countries. Such information lies with the indigenous communities who by virtue of practice possess centuries-old traditional use of plants, in meeting their healthcare needs. Various ethno-botanical surveys revealed that elder persons have also considerable knowledge about the uses of plants. Such traditional information is transferred from generation to generation (Qureshi and Shaheen, 2013). The ethnobotanists are naturally interested in obtaining data/information/know how about the likely use of plants and their products from remote areas (Bhatti et al., 1998).

In Pakistan, ethno-botany is now well established discipline and various researchers reported good work across the country (Abbas et al., 2013; Ahmed et al., 2013; Ilyas et al., 2013; Qureshi and Shaheen, 2013; Ahmad et al., 2012; Qureshi et al., 2012a,b; Rauf et al., 2012; Shaheen et al., 2012; Iqbal et al., (2011), Rahim et al., 2012; Khan et al., 2011; Abbasi et al., 2010; Ahmad et al., 2009; Ali and Qaiser, 2009; Qureshi and Bhatti, 2007; Qureshi et al., 2006a,b; 2003; 2002; Hamayun et al., 2003 and Qureshi 2002; Goodman and Ghafoor, 1992; Malik et al., 1990; Shinwari and Malik, 1989; Hocking, 1958–62).

Although 88% of the total area of Pakistan is classified as arid and semi-arid, however, less attention is being paid to carry out research on desert habitats. Only a few papers have also been published (Bhatti et al., 1998; 2001; 2002; Qureshi, 2012a; Qureshi et al., 2011; 2010; Qureshi and Bhatti, 2009; 2008; 2007; 2006; 2001). The Thal Desert is not yet fully known with reference to ethno-botanical research. So this study was carried out to explore this region for extraction of ethno-botanical information pertaining to medicinal plants.

Materials and Methods

The whole study area was surveyed during January, 2010 to September, 2010 for inventorying ethnomedicinal flora. The local inhabitants including herbalists (Hakeem), ethno-veterinarian and midwives (Daai) were interviewed to record medicinal uses of native species by using semi-structured questionnaire (Qureshi and Bhatti, 2008). During the survey, plant specimens were also collected from the study area. The same were identified with the help of floristic material (Nasir and Ali 1970–1989; Ali and Nasir 1990–1991; Ali and Qaiser, 1993–2007; Boulos, 1991; Qureshi, 2012b). The correctly identified specimens are deposited in the Herbarium of Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University for record.

Results

The people of the study area are extremely knowledgeable which reported 120 plants belonged to 87 genera and 44 families in treating various human diseases. The detailed inventory including botanical name, parts used, method of preparation and diseases treat is provided in Table 1. Some of the important medicinal plants depicting their habits are provided under Plate-1.

Table 1.

The inventory of medicinal plants along with family, parts used, method of preparation and diseases treated

Sr.#	Family/Plant species	Parts used	Method of preparation	Disease treated
	Agavaceae
1	Agave sislana Perr. Ex Engelm.	Pulp	Potherb, paste	Jaundice, acidity, constipation, piles, boils, pimples, skin problems
	Aizoaceae
2	Limeum indicum Stocks ex T. Anders.	Leaves	Paste	Wounds
3	Gisekia pharnaceoides L.	Whole plant	Juice	Abdominal/stomach problem
4	Trianthema portulacastrum L.	Roots	Decoction	Jaundice
5	Zaleya pentandra (L.) Jeffrey	Whole plant	Juice	Kidney stones
	Alloaceae
6	Aloe vera L.	Pulp	Potherb, Pulp	Jaundice, pimples
	Amaranthaceae
7	Achyranthes aspera L.	Whole plant	Decoction, ash, powder	Asthma, cough, pain
8	Aerva javanica (Burm. f.) Juss ex J. A. Shultes.	Leaves, Whole plant, inflorescence	Paste, decoction	constipation, boils, pimples
9	Alternanthera pungens Kunth in H.B.K.	Roots	Decoction	Jaundice
10	Amaranthus graecizans L.	Leaves	Potherb	Constipation
11	Amaranthus ovalifolius L.	Leaves	Potherb	Constipation
12	Amaranthus viridis L.	Leaves	Potherb	Constipation
13	Celosia argentea L.	Seeds, Flowers	Powder, Poultice	Boils, dysentery, leucorrhoea, diarrhea
14	Digera muricata (L.) Mart.	Leaves	Potherb	Constipation
	Apiaceae
15	Anethum graveolens L.	Seeds	Powder	Constipation, abdominal/stomach problem
	Apocynaceae
16	Rhazya stricta Decne.	Leaves, Aerial parts	Powder	Piles, abdominal/stomach problem
	Arecaceae
17	Phoenix sylvestris L.	Fruits	Raw fruits	Tonic
	Asclepiadaceae
18	Calotropis procera (Willd.) R. Br.	Leaves, Whole plant, Fruits, Latex	Powder, Extract, Latex, Flowers	Jaundice, boils, wounds, abdominal/stomach problem, asthma, pain, inflammation
	Asteraceae
19	Amberboa ramosa (Roxb.) Jafri	Whole plant	Juice	Blood purifier, boils, pimples, skin problems
20	Carthamus oxycantha M.B.	Leaves, Whole plant, Seeds	Rosted seeds	Cancer
21	Centaurea iberica Trev.	Roots, Aerial parts	Extract	Kidney stones
22	Echinops echinatus Roxb.	roots, Aerial parts	Powder, extract	Pain, fever
23	Iphiona grantioides (Boiss.) Anderb.	Leaves, Aerial parts	Paste	Boils
24	Launaea residifolia (L.) O. Kuntze.	Latex	Paste	Boils, pimples
	Bombacaceae
25	Bombax malabaricum DC.	Roots	Decoction, powder	Abdominal/stomach problem, sexual problems
	Boraginaceae
26	Cordia gharaf (Forssk.) Ehren. ex Asch.	Pulp, Fruits	Raw fruits	Pain
27	Cordia myxa L.	Fruits	Raw fruits	Pain
28	Heliotropium europeum L.	Leaves	Juice, ash	Boils, pimples, skin problems, wounds
29	Heliotropium strigosum Willd.	Whole plant	Juice, powder, extract	Jaundice, liver disease
30	Nonea edgeworthii A. DC.	Leaves	Juice, extract	Cough
31	Trichodesma indicum (L.) R. Br.	Leaves, whole plant, root	Juice, extract, decoction	Wounds, pain, vomiting, urinary, joint pain cough, cold, fever and dysentery
	Brassicaceae
32	Brasica compestris L.	Leaves, oil	Potherb, Oil	Jaundice, constipation, abdominal/stomach problem, anti-lice, athlete foot
33	Eruca sativa Miller	Seeds, oil	Rosted seeds, oil	Jaundice, piles, skin problems, abdominal/stomach problem, anti-lice, earache
34	Farsetia hamiltonii Royle	Whole plant	Powder	Constipation, piles, abdominal/stomach problem, pain
35	Farsetia jacquemontii Hook.f. & Thomson	Whole plant	Powder	Constipation, piles, abdominal/stomach problem, pain
36	Sisymbrium irio L.	Seeds	Powder	Fever
37	Sisymbrium orientale L.	Seeds	Powder	Fever
	Caesalpiniaceae
38	Cassia fistula L.	Pulp	Pulp	Constipation
39	Cassia italica (Mill.) F.W.Andr.	Leaves, roots, seeds, flowers	Potherb, juice, decoction, extract, raw fruits, raw seeds	Jaundice, constipation, piles
	Capparidaceae
40	Capparis decidua (Forssk.) Edgew.	Seeds, aerial parts, flowers, fruits	Paste, poultice, raw fruits, tooth stick	Constipation, athlete foot, toothache, earache
	Chenopodiaceae
41	Chenopodium album L.	Leaves, Aerial parts	Potherb	Constipation
42	Chenopodium murale L.	Leaves, Aerial parts	Potherb	Constipation
43	Spinacia oleracea L.	Leaves	Potherb	Constipation
	Convolvulaceae
44	Convolvulus arvensis L.	Whole plant leaves,	Potherb, powder	Abdominal/stomach problem
45	Convolvulus microphyllus Sieb. ex Spreng.	Whole plant	Powder	Leucorrhoea
46	Ipomoea cornea ssp. fistulosa (Mart. ex	Leaves	Paste	Boils
	Choisy) D. Austin
	Cucurbitaceae
47	Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad.	Roots, pulp, Fruits	Powder, Pickled	Constipation, skin problems, abdominal/stomach problem, pain, digestive problems, toothache, diarrhea
48	Momordica balsamica L.	Fruits	Potherb, juice, powder, extract	Constipation, blood purifier, boils, pimples, abdominal/stomach problem, asthma, diabetes, obesity
	Cuscutaceae
49	Cuscuta reflexa Roxb.	Whole plant	Paste, extract	Skin problems, antidandruff
50	Cuscuta monogyna Vahl, Sym.	Whole plant	Paste, extract	Skin problems, antidandruff
	Euphorbiaceae
51	Chrozophora tinctoria (L.) Juss.	Leaves	Juice	Acidity
52	Euphorbia granulata Forssk.	Whole plant	Powder	Diabetes
53	Euphorbia prostrata Ait.	Whole plant	Powder	Diabetes
54	Euphorbia thymifolia L.	Whole plant	Powder, extract	Dysentery, diabetes, diarrhea
55	Ricinus communis L.	Leaves, oil	Poultice, oil	Constipation, pain, inflammation
	Fabaceae
56	Alhagi maurorum Medic.	Whole plant	Decoction, powder, extract	Blood purifier, pimples, skin problems, abdominal/stomach problem
57	Alysicarpus longifolius (Rottler ex Spreng.) Wight & Arn.	Leaves	Potherb	Constipation
58	Cicer arietinum L.	Seeds	Powder	Diabetes
59	Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.	Stem	Ash	Ringworm, athlete foot
60	Indigofera hochstetteri Baker	Fruits	Powder	Sexual tonic
61	Pongamia pinnata (L.) Merril.	Leaves, Fruits	Decoction	Abdominal/stomach problem
62	Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers.	Roots	Extract, tooth stick	Toothache, diarrhea
63	Tephrosia uniflora Pers.	Roots	Extract, tooth stick	Toothache, diarrhea
64	Tephrosia uniflora var. petrosa	Roots	Extract, tooth stick	toothache, diarrhea
	Lamiaceae
65	Mentha longifolia (L.) L.	Leaves	Potherb, powder, extract	Piles, abdominal/stomach problem, pain, digestive problems, nausea
	Lathyraceae
66	Lawsonia inermis L.	Leaves	Paste, decoction, powder	Pain, cooling effect, athlete foot, antidandruff
	Malvaceae
67	Abutilon pakistanicum Jafri & Ali	Seeds	Mucilage	Cooling effect
	Meliaceae
68	Azadirachta indica (L.) A. Juss.	Leaves, seeds, fruits	Juice, paste, ash, extract, raw fruits, infusion	Piles, boils, pimples, skin problems, wounds, abdominal/stomach problem, anti-lice, cooling effect
69	Melia azedirach L.	Leaves, fruits	Juice, paste, extract, infusion	Jaundice, blood purifier, boils, pimples, skin problems, anti-lice, cooling effect
	Mimosaceae
70	Acacia jacquemontii Benth.	Leaves	Powder	Uterine problems
71	Acacia nilotica subsp. cupressiformis (T.L. Stewart) Ali	Gum	Potherb	Sexual problems
72	Acacia nilotica (L.) DeL. subsp. indica (Benth.) Brenan	Leaves, roots, flowers, stem, fruits, gum	Juice, powder, extract, tooth stick	Jaundice, uterine problems, toothache, sexual problems
73	Albizzia lebbeck (L.) Bth.	Seeds, stem	Powder, tooth stick, infusion	Toothache, headache, influenza
74	Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce.	Gum	Potherb, ash	Wounds, sexual problems
75	Prosopis glandulosa Torr.	Leaves	Decoction	Uterine problems
76	Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) DC.	Leaves	Paste	Sexual problems
	Moraceae
77	Ficus bengalensis L.	Leaves, roots, flowers	Powder, extract, infusion	Ringworm, leucorrhoea, flue, diarrhea
78	Ficus carica L.	Fruits	Poultice, raw fruits	Constipation, piles
79	Ficus religiosa L.	Leaves, Stem, Fruits	Juice, paste, ash, powder, infusion	Asthma, inflammation, cooling effect, nausea, diarrhea
80	Morus alba L.	Leaves, Fruits, roots	Decoction, infusion, extract, raw fruits	Intestinal/stomach problem, abdominal/stomach problem, cough, fever
81	Morus nigra L.	Leaves, roots, fruits	Decoction, extract, raw fruits, infusion	Sore throat, Abdominal/stomach problem, cough, fever
	Moringaceae
82	Moringa oleifera Lamk.	Leaves, roots, seeds, flowers	Potherb, paste, powder, extract, infusion	Sore throat, boils, pimples, skin problems, pain, digestive problems, inflammation, cooling effect, sexual problems
	Myrtaceae
83	Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh.	Leaves	Pickled, infusion, raw leaves	Digestive problems, flue
84	Psidium guajava L.	Leaves, fruits	Powder, raw fruits	Constipation, abdominal/stomach problem, cough, digestive problems, flue
85	Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels	Leaves, stem	Decoction, powder, raw leaves	Pain, leucorrhoea, fever, sexual problems, diarrhea
	Nyctaginaceae
86	Boerhavia diffusa L.	Roots	Powder	Jaundice, Kidney stones
87	Boerhavia procumbens Banks ex Roxb.	Roots	Paste, Infusion, Raw root	Jaundice, paralysis
	Papaveraceae
88	Argemone mexicana L.	Roots	Paste, raw seeds	Piles, boils, skin problems
	Plantaginaceae
89	Plantago lanceolata L.	Seeds	Raw seeds	Cooling effect
90	Plantago major L.	Seeds/husk	Mucilage	Cooling agent
	Poaceae
91	Cymbopogon jwarancusa (Jones)	Roots, whole	Potherb, powder,	Measles, cough, chicken pox,
	Schult.	plant, seeds	smoke	fever
92	Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.	Roots, whole plant	Decoction	Pimples, fever
93	Saccharum spontaneum L.	Leaves	Infusion	Uterine problems
	Punicaceae
94	Punica granatum L.	Roots, Stem, Fruits	Decoction, raw fruits, infusion	Abdominal/stomach problem, digestive problems, toothache
	Polygonaceae
95	Rumex dentatus subsp. klotzschianus (Meisn.) Rech. f.	Leaves	Potherb	Constipation
	Rhamnaceae
96	Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.	Leaves, fruits	Powder, poultice, raw fruits, infusion	Pain, inflammation, diabetes, antidandruff, sexual problems
97	Ziziphus nummularia (Burm.f.) Wight & Arn.	Leaves, fruits	Poultice, extract, raw fruits	Blood purifier, Pain, Antidandruff
98	Ziziphus spina-christi (L.)Willd.	Leaves, fruits	Poultice, extract, raw fruits	Blood purifier, pain, antidandruff
	Rutaceae
99	Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck	Fruits	Raw fruits	Constipation, nausea
100	Citrus medica var. acida Brandis	Fruits	Raw fruits, raw leaves	Digestive problems, diabetes
101	Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck	Fruits	Raw fruits, raw leaves	Constipation, nausea
	Salvadoraceae
102	Salvadora oleoides Decne.	Fruits, roots, oil	Oil, tooth stick, pickled	Constipation, athlete foot, toothache
	Scrophulariaceae
103	Bacopa monirii L.	Leaves, aerial parts, fruits	Potherb, juice, ash, infusion	Boils, pimples, skin problems
	Solanaceae
104	Datura fastuosa L.	Leaves	Paste, ash, raw leaves, smoke	Boils, asthma
105	Solanum amricanum Miller	Leaves	Potherb, decoction, extract, infusion	Jaundice, abdominal/stomach problem, inflammation
106	Solanum incanum L.	Fruits	Raw fruits	Digestive problems
107	Solanum nigrum L.	Leaves, roots, fruits	Juice, Raw fruits, infusion	Jaundice, uterine problems, leucorrhoea, obesity
108	Solanum surattense Burm.f.	Leaves, whole plant, flowers, fruits	Juice, ash, powder, extract, raw fruits	Asthma, cough, pain, digestive problems, sexual problems, headache
109	Solanum villosum (L.) Mill.	Fruits	Juice, raw fruits	Jaundice, obesity
110	Withania coagulans (Stocks.) Dunal	Leaves, fruits	Paste, powder, raw fruits	Constipation, boils, pimples, skin problems, abdominal/stomach problem, pain, digestive problems, cooling effect
111	Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal	Leaves, fruits, roots	Paste, powder, poultice	Digestive problems, inflammation, diabetes, sexual problems
	Tamaricaceae
112	Tamarix aphylla (L.) Karst.	Leaves	Powder, Smoke	Wounds, measles
	Tiliaceae
113	Corchorus depressus (L.) Stocks	Whole plant	Powder, extract	Jaundice, abdominal/stomach problem, cooling effect, sexual problems
114	Corchorus tridens L.	Fruits	Juice	Jaundice, sexual problems
	Typhaceae
115	Typha elephantina Roxb.	Whole plant	Paste	Skin problems
	Verbenaceae
116	Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene	Whole plant	Juice	Piles
	Zygophyllaceae
117	Fagonia bruguieri DC.	Whole plant	Poultice, extract, infusion	Hepatitis, boils, pimples, skin problems, digestive problems, cancer, cooling effect
118	Fagonia indica var. schweinfuthii Hadidi.	Whole plant	Poultice, extract, infusion	Hepatitis, boils, pimples, skin problems, digestive problems, cancer, cooling effect
119	Peganum hermala L.	Whole plant, seeds	Powder, extract, raw seeds, smoke	Boils, pimples, abdominal/stomach problem, asthma, digestive problems
120	Tribulus terrestris L.	Seeds, Fruits	Potherb, powder, extract	Cooling effect, sexual problems

Plate-1.

Some important medicinal flora of the Thal Desert.

Discussion

Such type of ethno-botanical enumerations are carried out from various desert habitats such as Bhatti et al. (2001), Qureshi (2012), Qureshi et al. (2011, 2010), Qureshi and Bhatti (2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2001), and the findings of present study is in agreement with these studies. Usually Hakeems and elder persons especially women were aware of different uses of plants but this knowledge was rarely found in younger generation. Based on the results it can be concluded that the flora of Thal Desert possesses remarkable medicinal values only known to indigenous communities of

Conclusion

Due to far flung area, the inhabitants are forced to exploit wild flora to meet their healthcare needs. Furthermore, deserts being hostile climate and inaccessible are less paid attention by the scientific community to document flora and their potential use across the country. Unfortunately, due to expansion of human settlements the native flora along with their natives and their cultural use is under huge pressure and at the verge of extinction. The present enumeration provides specific information about medicinal plants that can be utilized for future drug development programme by various stakeholders. Some important plants especially with reference to medicinal point of view are declining due to overexploitation and if not preserved would vanish, so there is need to protect these valuable plant species. One way to protect these plants is to arrange comprehensive surveys and aware people about importance of plants which they are exploiting just as fuel but they have novel properties for sake of mankind. Research centers should be developed to conduct experiments with plants in this vegetation rich area.