Exploration of traditional Ethno-gynaecological knowledge: advances to ethnobotanical studies from indigenous communities of Neelum Valley in the Himalayan Region

Muhammad Manzoor; Mushtaq  Ahmad; Muhammad Zafar; Syed Waseem Gillani; Ghulam Mujtaba  Shah; Hamayun  Shaheen; Wajid  Zaman; Shazia  Sultana; Shaista  Jabeen; Khaydarova Khilola Khishlatovna

doi:10.14719/pst.3264

Authors

Muhammad Manzoor Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5118-3957
Mushtaq Ahmad Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2971-2848
Muhammad Zafar Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2002-3907
Syed Waseem Gillani Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2926-0723
Ghulam Mujtaba Shah Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra 21120, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9525-610X
Hamayun Shaheen Department of Botany, University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Muzafarabad 13100, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5978-192X
Wajid Zaman Department of Life Sciences, Yeungnam University 38541, South Korea https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6864-2366
Shazia Sultana College of Life Sciences, Neijiang Normal University Sichuan 641100, China https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2534-9387
Shaista Jabeen Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4381-2137
Khaydarova Khilola Khishlatovna Department of Sociology, National University of Uzbekistan, Tashkent 100174, Uzbekistan https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4516-8101

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.3264

Keywords:

Diversity, Ethnobotany, Indigenous communities, Kashmir, Medicinal plants

Abstract

The indigenous communities of the Kashmir region are exclusively dependent on medicinal plants for the treatment of various gynecological disorders. Due to the remoteness and unavailability of modern medications, indigenous communities still use traditional healthcare practices to cure various diseases related to women. The specific objective of this study is to document the traditional ethno-gynecological knowledge in Neelum Alley. Field visits were conducted from April to November 2023 to gather data on medicinal plants used for gynecological problems. Both questionnaires and group discussions were used to collect the data. The gathered data was analyzed using a variety of quantitative metrics, such as use value (UV), and relative frequency citation (RFC). A total of 45 plant species belonging to 22 families were collected from the study area. Herbs made up the majority of the medicinal plants employed by indigenous populations (91.1%), whereas leaves, the most often used plant part, contributed 22.22%. Among medicinal plants, Geranium wallichianum had the highest use value (1.41), whereas Arnebia benthamii had the highest relative frequency citation (0.80). This study emphasizes how important it is to preserve traditional knowledge, pointing out that younger people are losing understanding due to a lack of interest. The documentation of traditional ethno-gynecological knowledge is crucial for the preservation, discovery of novel medications, and sustainable conservation of vulnerable medicinal flora.

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