Abstract
Medicinal plants are a significant component of primary healthcare practices in Pakistan's rural areas. This study examines the ethnobotanical applications and enzyme inhibitory properties of three commonly used medicinal plants, Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi), Mentha spp. (Podina), and Camellia sinensis (Green Tea), in Tehsil Sillanwali, District Sargodha. A total of 75 local inhabitants and 15 medical practitioners of various ages completed standardized questionnaires to obtain ethnobotanical data. These findings revealed that these plants have been used traditionally to treat respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, dermatological, and overall wellness issues. Gender- and education-related disparities in plant consumption revealed a considerable reliance on inherited traditional knowledge among less educated and elderly populations. The anti-urease and cholinesterase inhibitory potential was assessed via enzyme inhibition tests. The methanolic extracts from all the plants presented the greatest anti-urease activity, with O. tenuiflorum showing 62% inhibition (IC₅₀ = 63 µM), C. sinensis showing 67% inhibition (IC₅₀ = 28 µM), and Mentha spp. showing 71% inhibition (IC₅₀ = 41 µM). The methanolic extracts of Mentha showed the greatest acetylcholinesterase inhibition (IC₅₀ = 5 ± 0.23 µM), surpassing the standard glutamine. These findings emphasize the great therapeutic potential of these plants and provide support for their traditional use in the treatment of chronic and infectious disorders. This study emphasizes the need to retain local ethnobotanical knowledge while also encouraging the scientific validation of traditionally utilized therapeutic plants.