title: Ethnomedicinal plant use value in the Lakki Marwat District of Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Medicinal plants are regional treasures for the treatment of many ailments. The present research investigated and documented knowledge of indigenous commonly used medicinal plants, including traditional names, preparations and uses, in the Lakki Marwat District of Pakistan. The information gathered was statistically analyzed using the ICF method to establish baseline data for more comprehensive investigations of bioactive compounds of indigenous medicinal plants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Direct interviews of 78 informants were conducted during 2013-2014 to identify the preparations and uses of indigenous medicinal plants. Data were analyzed using various quantitative tools, such as use value, factor informant consensus and fidelity level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 62 species of flowering plants belonging to 34 families and 57 genera were reportedly used as ethnomedicines in the study area. Fabaceae, Brassicaceae, Apocynaceae, Solanaceae, Apiaceae, Poaceae, Zygophyllaceae, Asteraceae and Euphorbiaceae were the main plant families that comprised ethnobotanically important plant species. Traditional healers most frequently used aerial parts of plants. The following medicinal species were the most important in the present study with the highest use values (UV): Plantago ovata Forsk.(F. Plantaginaceae), Lawsonia inermis L.(F. Lythraceae), Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand.(F. Apocynaceae), Peganum harmala L.(F. Zygophyllaceae), Fagonia indica Burm.f. (F. Zygophyllaceae), Carthamus oxyacantha M.Bieb. (F. Asteraceae), Datura metel L. (F. Solanaceae) and Eruca vesicaria (L.) Cav. (F. Brassicaceae). Respiratory, otic, gastrointestinal and neurological ailments were the main categories that were classified as per factor informant consensus (Fic). The greatest number of species was used to cure gastrointestinal and andrological/gynecological problems. The highest fidelity level (Fl=100%) was achieved by Plantago ovata Forsk. (F. Plantaginaceae) to cure cardiovascular disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of present study reveal that this enormous wealth of medicinal plants played an important role in the health care of the villagers in the study area. In addition, species with high use values (UV) might provide valuable leads for further pharmacological investigations.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: shafipharma88@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shafi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ullah
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: mrkhanqau@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rashid Khan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan; Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: drnaseeralishah@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Naseer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ali Shah
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: afzaltaxonomist@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sayed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Afzal Shah
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: majidpharma808@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Majid
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. Electronic address: asadraza191@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asad Farooq
mesh_terms: D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010154:Pakistan; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
keywords: Ethnomedicinal plants; Factor informant consensus; Fidelity level; Lakki Marwat; Use value