Healing with Nature: Ethnobotanical Documentation of Medicinal Flora in Fajigram, District Bajaur, Pakistan

Zubair Shah; Aziz Ullah; Badshahe Rome; Sheheryar Hafeez; Tausif Ahmad

Healing with Nature: Ethnobotanical Documentation of Medicinal Flora in Fajigram, District Bajaur, Pakistan

Authors

Zubair Shah Department of Botany, Hazara University Mansehra, KP, Pakistan,
Aziz Ullah Research officer, Department: Agriculture Research Sub-Station Merged Area, District Bajaur, KP, Pakistan, Pakistan
Badshahe Rome Research officer, Sugar Crops Research Institute, Mardan, KP, Pakistan
Sheheryar Hafeez Research officer, Agricultural Research Institute, D.I Khan, Pakistan
Tausif Ahmad Research officer, Directorate of Agriculture Research (MAs), ARI, Tarnab-Peshawer, KP, Pakistan

Keywords:

Ethnobotanical fieldwork, , Asteraceae, , traditional knowledge, socio-cultural changes, , pharmacological investigations, , conservation strategies.

Abstract

Fajigram, known for its rich vegetation, was surveyed to document traditional medicinal plant knowledge through systematic ethnobotanical fieldwork conducted from August 2022 to September 2023. Plant specimens were collected during their flowering and fruiting stages to ensure accurate identification and proper recording of their uses. A total of 81 plant species belonging to 37 families were collected for the curing of various diseases. The leading family was Asteraceae, comprising 11 (13.58%) species, while the whole plant was the most frequently utilized, reported in 25 species (30.86%), followed by roots, seeds, leaves and other parts in varying proportions. Ethnobotanical data were obtained through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with approximately three hundred indigenous inhabitants from different villages within the study area. The sample included an equal representation of males and females with ages ranging from 33 to 99 years. The recorded information includes local name, botanical name, family name, part used and specific medicinal applications of each species. Although no extensive research was conducted before this to investigate the medicinal uses of these plants in the study area and the findings not only preserve valuable traditional knowledge that is at risk of being lost due to socio-cultural changes but also provide a rich foundation for future pharmacological investigations and conservation strategies.

References

Abbasi, A. M., Khan, M. A., Ahmad, M., Qureshi, R., Arshad, M., Jahan, S., Zafar, M., & Sultana, S. (2010). Ethnobotanical study of wound healing herbs among the tribal communities in the Northern Himalaya Ranges, District Abbottabad, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 42(6), 3747–3753.

Afridi, S. K. (1986). Medicinal plants of Khyber Agency (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Department of Botany, University of Peshawar.

Ahmad, I., Ahmad, M. S. A., Hussain, M., Ashraf, M., Ashraf, M. Y., & Hameed, M. (2010). Spatiotemporal aspects of plant community structure in open scrub rangelands of submountainous Himalayan plateaus. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 42(5), 3431–3440.

Ahmad, M. (2003). Ethnobotanical and taxonomic studies of economically important plants of Tehsil Attock (Unpublished M.Phil. thesis). Department of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.

Ajaib, M., Khan, Z. D., Khan, N., & Wahab, M. (2010). Ethnobotanical studies on useful shrubs of District Kotli, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 42(3), 1407–1415.

Ali, H., & Qaiser, M. (2009). The ethnobotany of Chitral valley, Pakistan, with particular reference to medicinal plants. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 41(4), 2009–2041.

Ali, S. I., & Nasir, Y. J. (Eds.). (1990–1991). Flora of Pakistan (Fascicles 191–192). Islamabad & Karachi.

Ali, S. I. (2010). Medicinal plants collection and taxonomic identification. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 43, 11–13.

Arshad, M., & Akram, S. (1999). Medicinal plants of the University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi. Hamdard Medicus, 40, 46–50.

Aziz, A. M., Khan, A. H., Adnan, M., & Ullah, H. (2018). Traditional uses of medicinal plants for veterinary practices by Indigenous communities in Bajaur Agency, Pakistan. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 14, 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-017-0204-5

Bridson, D., & Forman, L. (1989). The herbarium handbook. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Durrani, M. J., & Hussain, F. (2003). Ethnoecological profile of plants of Harboi rangeland, Kalat, Pakistan. International Journal of Biology and Biotechnology, 2, 15–22.

Elisabetsky, E. (1990). Plants used as analgesics by Amazonian caboclos. International Journal of Crude Drug Research, 28, 309–320.

Gilani, S. S., Abbas, S. Q., Shinwari, Z. K., Hussain, F., & Nargis, K. (2003). Ethnobotanical studies of the Kurram Agency, Pakistan, through rural community participation. Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 6, 1368–1375.

Haq, I. U., & Hussain, M. (1993). Medicinal plants of Mansehra District. Hamdard Medicus, 34, 63–99.

Jack, D. B. (1997). One hundred years of aspirin. The Lancet, 350(9075), 437–439. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(97)07087-6

Jan, G., Khan, M. A., & Jan, F. (2008). Medicinal value of Asteraceae of Dir Kohistan Valley, NWFP, Pakistan. Ethnobotanical Leaflets, 12, 620–637.

Khan, S. W., & Khatoon, S. (2004). Ethnobotanical studies in Haramosh and Bugrote Valleys (Gilgit). International Journal of Biology and Biotechnology, 1(4), 537–544.

Nasir, E., & Ali, S. I. (Eds.). (1970–1989). Flora of Pakistan (Fascicles 1–190). Islamabad & Karachi.

Noor, M. J., & Kalsoom, U. (2011). Ethnobotanical studies of selected plant species of Ratwal Village, District Attock, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 43(2), 781–786.

Qureshi, R., & Bhatti, G. R. (2009). Folklore uses of the Amaranthaceae family from the Nara desert, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 41(4), 1565–1572.

Qureshi, R., Maqsood, M., Arshad, M., & Chaudhry, A. K. (2011). Ethnomedicinal uses of plants by the people of the Kadhi Areas of Khushab, Punjab, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 43(1), 121–133.

Qureshi, R., Waheed, A., Arshad, M., & Umbreen, T. (2009). Medico-ethnobotanical inventory of Tehsil Chakwal, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 41(2), 529–538.

Qureshi, R., Bhatti, G. R., & Memon, R. A. (2010). Ethnomedicinal uses of herbs from Northern Nara Desert, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 42(2), 839–851.

Sardar, A. A., & Khan, Z. D. (2009). Ethnomedicinal studies on plant resources of Tehsil Shakargarh, District Narowal, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 41(1), 11–18.

Shah, Z., Ullah, A., Khan, B., Din, M. U., & Rome, B. (2025). Documentation of traditional practices for mitigating the effects of Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) on agriculture and health in District Bajaur, KP, Pakistan. Global Research Journal of Natural Science and Technology, 3(3), 322-344. https://doi.org/10.53762/grjnst.03.03.16

Shah, Z., Ullah, A., Khan, B., Din, M. U., & Rome, B. (2025). Ethnobotanical insights to weeds: Unveiling traditional knowledge and uses in Arang Valley, District Bajaur. Annual Methodological Archive Research Review, 3(8), 1112–1122. https://doi.org/10.63075/tgnfvd16

Shah, Z., Ullah, A., Tahir, M., Ijaz, M., Hussain, M., Basir, A., & Ahmad, T. (2025). Ethnoveterinary Practices and Uses of Medicinal Plants in Ghar Shamozai, District Bajaur: Preserving Traditional Knowledge for Sustainable Livestock Healthcare. Planta Animalia, 4(4), 333-346. https://doi.org/10.71454/PA.004.04.0190

Shinwari, M. I., & Khan, M. A. (1998). Ethnobotany of Margalla Hills National Park, Islamabad (Unpublished report). Department of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University.

Shinwari, M. I., & Khan, M. A. (2000). Folk use of medicinal herbs of Margalla Hills National Park, Islamabad. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 69, 45–56.

Tandon, V. (1996). CAMP workshop – Plants under threat: New list forged. Medicinal Plants Conservation Newsletter, 2, 12–13.

Healing with Nature: Ethnobotanical Documentation of Medicinal Flora in Fajigram, District Bajaur, Pakistan