title: Ethnomedicines of highly utilized plants in the temperate Himalayan region.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Himalayan region of Pakistan has been known as a rich source for valuable medicinal plants. The present work is the documentation of indigenous knowledge of highly utilized plants as natural remedy by the local inhabitants of the northwest part of the country.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on highly utilized medicinal plants were collected during May-September 2012 using semi-structured questionnaire from the elders, local herbalists and medicinal plants collectors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total about 53, plants belonging to 38, families were highly utilized in the study area, of which majority of those (43), were medicinal plants. The most frequent part used in preparation of different medicinal remedies is leaves (53%). Most of the medicinal plant species (14) were used as antipyretic. The inhabitants of the study area were producing ethno-medicines mostly in crushed form (26%). Most of the remedies (74%), were taken orally within the study area. Ten species were found most valuable from the local's perspective such as Bergenia ciliata, Hedera nepalensis and Viola canescens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, traditional healers depend largely on naturally growing medicinal plant species, which are under severe threat. This study can provide a basis for further phyto-chemical and pharmacological studies on the region's medicinal plants. Moreover, documentation of indigenous recipes would serve as preservation of the knowledge for the generations to come.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University 46000, the Mall Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shaheen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Begum
authors.affiliation: Arriyadh Community College, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Naser M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: AbdEIslam
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology, 26000 Kohat, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adnan
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Kohat University of Science and Technology, 26000 Kohat, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Akash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tariq
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University 46000, the Mall Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Azra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yasmin
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University 46000, the Mall Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rukiya
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hameed
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010154:Pakistan; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Diseases; Medicinal plants; Rural livelihood; Traditional knowledge