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Ethnogynecological study of medicinal plants used against menstrual disorders in northern regions of Pakistan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.11128
Submitted
5 August 2025
Published
21-05-2026
Versions

Abstract

The present study is a novel investigation conducted to document the indigenous medicinal plants used by inhabitants of northern Pakistan for treating various menstrual disorders. In the present study, an ethnomedicinal investigation was conducted at four major remote sites in northern Pakistan (Hunza, Chilas, Shigar Valley and Gilgit) from March 2024 to February 2025. During the present study, the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various menstrual disorders was documented through discussions with 180 informants from diverse age groups (25–81 years) using semi-structured interviews. Throughout the present study, 34 remedial plants belonging to 26 families were identified, with Lamiaceae as the dominant family (4 species). Herbs were the predominant life form (17 species) and leaves were the most frequently used plant part (9 species). Decoction was the primary mode of preparation (17 species). The maximum informant consensus factor (ICF) of 1 was recorded for the management of menopausal discomfort, followed by premenstrual syndrome. The highest consensus index (CI %) was recorded for Ziziphus spina-christi (72.2 %), while the maximum cultural significance index (CSI) was observed for Urtica dioica (45.6). Similarly, the highest relative frequency of citation (RFC) was recorded for Ziziphus spina-christi (0.89), while the maximum use value (UV) was observed for Syzygium aromaticum (0.99). The present study demonstrated that four major remote sites in northern Pakistan (Hunza, Chilas, Shigar Valley and Gilgit) possess significant diversity of medicinal flora and highlighted the use of these plants by local communities for the treatment of various menstrual disorders. Therefore, the present study provides a baseline for further pharmacological and phytochemical analyses to investigate bioactive compounds that may lead to the discovery of novel drugs.

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