MEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES OF THE FAMILY APIACEAE USED IN TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE IN DISTRICT QUETTA, BALOCHISTAN

Abstract

For the treatment of many major and minor diseases, ethnomedicinal plants play a chief role. The work was done in the District Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan and base to discover the use of therapeutic plants of the family Apiaceae for the cure of different diseases. The information about the ethnomedicinal plants were collected by taking interviews which include open ended, pre listening, semi structure and structured surveys with different groups of ages. Total 150 residents were interviewed during surveys in which 50 were females, 88(, male, and 12 were pansars. They were divided into 3 age groups. The results were 28 calculated by the ethnobotanical incides I.e., FC, RFC, UV, UR and RFC. 20 genera along with 62 species were observed Trachyspermom ammi, Apium graveolens, Daucus carota, Cuminum cyminum Foeniculum vulgare, Coriander sativum, Ferula safoetida, Pastinaca sativa were the most important frequently used plants and common life form of the area of herbs. At the research site it was observed that optical healing of leaves, flowers, seeds were used. Many of the plant species possess properties that could be beneficial in developing treatments for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Coriander sativum (19), Daucus carota (17), Cuminum cyminum (15) and Trachospermum Ammi (13) have the highest FC value and Seme novia cardicians. Hydro cotyle thoriodes, Heracleum pinnatum, Angelica gluca, Apium decumben, and Ammi huni (1 for each) has least FC. Foeniculum vulgare (8). Trachyspermum roxburghianum, Daucus carota and Apium graveolens (7 for each) have the highest UR and Hydrocotyle umbellata, Ferula yarchkeana, Angelica oeadum, Carum carvi, Begelly sativa, Apium lobotomy (1 for each) have the least UR value. For the plants Coriander sativum (9.5) have the highest UV value and Heracleum pinnatum, Scandix pecten veneris. Semenovia candicans (0.5 for each) have the least UV value. The analysis of RFC values reveals some interesting findings. Coriander sativum stands out with the highest recorded value of 0.12, while Anethum graveolens, Heracleum canescens, and Apium hatianicum all share a lower value of 0.1. The analysis of ICF values shows a clear distinction between various conditions. Arthritis, the mation, gaut, and Diuretic diseases all received the highest rating of 1, while vomiting and plague scored the lowest at 0.4. For the cure of many diseases Trachyspermum Ammi is used more abundantly. The Apiaceae family provides a wide range information of medicines. It is suggested that this subject should be entered in the educational programming section. More and more pharmaceutical investigations in Quetta District are important to disclose the plants natural medication through ethnobotanical as well as molecular studies can be done.

The study gives baseline data on recording and conserving traditional knowledge on Apiaceae herbs of Quetta and their use in future phytochemical, pharmacological and drug-discovery studies is suggested.