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Investigation into Ethnopharmacological Perception and Practices among Traditional Communities of Karakorum Mountain Ranges: Special Reference to Berberis species

Asian Journal of Biological and Life Sciences ,2014,3,3,173-178.
Published:December 2014
Type:Research Article
Authors:
Author(s) affiliations:

Tika Khan, Imtiaz Ahmed Khan, Abdul Rehman, Rehmat Karim, Shaista Bibi, Rukhsana

1Integrated Mountain Area Research Centre, Karakoram International University, Gilgit-Baltistan, PAKISTAN.

2Department of Biological Sciences, Karakoram International University, Gilgit-Baltistan, Gilgit, PAKISTAN.

3Department of Environmental Sciences, Karakoram International University, PAKISTAN.

4Department of Botany, Hazara University, Mansehra, PAKISTAN.

5Public Schools and Colleges, Jutial Gilgit, PAKISTAN.

Abstract:

Berberis is used for treatment of more than 100 diseases globally. Traditional communities from Karakoram Mountain Ranges, like several other folk communes in the world, are a great source of pharmacological knowledge. Present survey study on medicinal use of Berberis revealed its effective consumption treating more than fifteen (15) different human ailments. Frequent complaints recorded were bone injury (33.28%), backache (13.02%), bone pain (10.36%), joint pain (10.21%), wounds (6.51%), injuries internal (5.18%), knee injury (4.14%), leg injury (3.85%), feet injury (3.40%), stomachache (3.11%), backbone fracture (2.37%), knee pain (1.78%), abdominal pain (1.48%), internal body pains (0.89%) and sciatica (0.44%).There is a highly significant relationship (p< 0.000) among age groups, folk medicine use, habitat, collection, dose frequency and treatment length. Root is the most commonly (95.4%) used part followed by stem (47.7%) and debarked stem (29.8%).As compared to oral intake (90.1%), only 9.7%is applied externally. No injecting practice was recorded. To reduce its bitterness, it is used with water (72.1%), milk (71.0%), butter (21.4%), kernel oil (17.7%), tea (3.2%), bread (3.2%) or any other edible (1.1%).Over the last 40-50 years, communities have sharply undergone socio-cultural transformation leading to an even faster decline of folk medication in the area.