ETHNOVETERINARY MEDICINAL PLANTS PRACTICES IN DISTRICT PESHAWAR, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PAKISTAN

The present research documents the use of ethnoveterinary medicine for curing various animal diseases. Most of the animal diseases are treated by using the local herbal medicines extracted from the plants. Survey was carried out and information was collected from the locals and farmers to identify the traditional remedies. For extraction of local knowledge about Ethnoveterinary Plants (EVPs) questionnaire method was adopted. A total of 27 animal diseases were reported, and it was concluded that diseases like milk deficiency, foot and mouth, diarrhea, worm infestation and mastitis are the most common diseases. A total of 83 plants within 44 families of which 1 species of fungi and gymnosperm and 81 species of angiosperm were identified for the treatment of various animal diseases. Most frequently plant parts used for ethnoveterinary medicine are fruit 24(28.57%), seed 18(21.42 %), leaf 15(17.85), rhizome 7(8.33), bark 6(7.14), seed oil 5(5.95), whole plant 4(4.76) root 3(3.57), stem and bulb 2(2.380) and flower 1(1.19). The most frequent administration is oral followed by dermal. Information regarding botanical sources, family, local name, part used, method of preparation and application of these crude drugs were investigated in this study. The plant material is used singly or in combination. It is noted that 34 plants were used to treat more than one disease, while 49 plants are used to cure 1 particular disease. The local inhabitants use leaves, fruits, seeds, rhizomes and bulbs for preparation of various remedies and these remedies are used orally and topically.