title: Ethnopharmacological importance of medicinal flora from the district of Vehari, Punjab province, Pakistan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ethnopharmacological studies are important for the discovery of new drugs from reported indigenous flora. The current study was aimed to document medicinal flora and its therapeutic actions along with the relative importance in local health care system of the district of Vehari, Punjab province, Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rapid appraisal approach (RAA) and semi structured interviews were used along with the group meetings with herbalists, local inhabitants and landowners to collect the relevant data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A total 77 medicinal plants belonging to 41 families disseminated among 71 genera were reported. Fabaceae was the predominant family over others with 9 reported medicinal plant species. Use frequency of leaves was at peak with 30.12% followed by stem 24.62%, fruit 14.22%, flower 12.97%, seeds 12.13%, bark 4.6% and pod 1.25%, in herbal preparations. Allium cepa exhibited the highest use value (0.90) while lowest use value (UV) was reflected by Aerva javanica (0.10). Documentation of various medicinal plants for the treatment of cancer, hepatitis and cardiac disorders is evidence in favor to highlight the value of medicinal flora.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unfortunately, no attention has been paid to this treasure in term of conservation and utilization in modern healthcare system, where these plants can be a best replacement of chemically synthesized drugs. It is also recommended that plants exhibiting high UV should be screened for detailed bio-active phytochemicals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, Quiad-I-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Nadeem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, 45550, Pakistan. Electronic address: adilqau5@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Adeel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Aqeel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahmood
authors.affiliation: Department of Production and Utilization of Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Agricultural and Natural Resources, High Educational Complex of Saravan, P.O. Box 9951634145, Saravan, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sadeghi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Quiad-I-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farman
mesh_terms: D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010154:Pakistan; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations
keywords: Cancer; Hepatitis; Medicinal flora; Pakistan; Use value