Ethnopharmacological studies of indigenous medicinal plants in the south of Kerman, Iran.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to collect and document information concerning the medicinal plants used by indigenous people and traditional healers in the south of Kerman Province, Iran.


METHODS
Overall, 64 informants between the ages of 30 and 89 were interviewed about the modes of application and consumption of medicinal plants in the region. Quantitative analysis was conducted that included informant consensus factor (ICF), use value (UV), relative frequency of citation (RFC) and cultural importance index (CI).


CONCLUSIONS
In the current study, a total of 115 medicinal plants in 41 families were reported in the south of the Kerman region. Apiaceae, Asteraceae and Lamiaceae (with 14 species each) were the families with the most medicinal plants. The most frequently used plant parts were leaves at 26.17% and aerial parts (23.49%). Decoction (53%), liniment (23%) and infusion (9%) were the most common preparation methods. The highest UVs were obtained from the following medicinal plants: Amygdalus eburnea Spach, Genista tinctoria L., Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand., Fortuynia garcinii (Burm.f.) Shuttlew. and Cerasus mahaleb (L.) Mill. The ICF results indicated that cold-flu and fever were the most common diseases (0.67) in the south of Kerman.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the current study, the south of Kerman has many potential medicinal plants, and these plants should be the focus of future research.
Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran; Department of Horticultural Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran. Electronic address: m.hosseini@ujiroft.ac.ir.
Mohammad
M
Sadat-Hosseini
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Abourihan, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: Farajpour_m@ut.ac.ir.
Mostafa
M
Farajpour
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran; Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran. Electronic address: nboroomand.uj@gmail.com.
Naser
N
Boroomand
Department of Arid Land and Desert Management, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran. Electronic address: fsolaimani@ujiroft.ac.ir.
Farshad
F
Solaimani-Sardou
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020834:Ethnopharmacology / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D018514:Plant Structures; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Ethnobotany; Ethnopharmacology; Iran; Kerman; Medicinal plants