Khan Saima, Shaheen Hamayun, Mehmood Ansar, Nasar Sidra, Khan Tehreem
Department of Botany, University of Azad Jammu And Kashmir (UAJK), Muzaffarabad 13100, Pakistan.
Department of Botany, University of Poonch Rawalakot (UPR), Azad Kashmir 12350, Pakistan.
Saudi J Biol Sci. 2022 May;29(5):3244-3254. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.01.048. Epub 2022 Jan 25.
The upper belt of Azad Kashmir is a hilly, mountainous, and remote area where the indigenous communities mainly believe in traditional medicines for the treatment of different ailments. This study aimed to conserve scientifically and culturally important medicinal knowledge of species in Azad Kashmir, Western Himalaya, Pakistan. The additional objective was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of these plants against pathogenic bacteria.
The ethnomedicinal data of species was explored by conducting structured interviews with 40 informants of the study area, especially asking about the medicinal uses of species. The indigenously used species were further analyzed for their antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria by using disc diffusion assay supplemented with a more robust minimum inhibitory concentration assay.
Ethnomedicinal data revealed that indigenous communities living in upper regions of Azad Kashmir use 5 species for the treatment of various disorders. The highly cited disease category was ophthalmic disorders. and were the most cited plant species with higher use reports such as 104 and 93, respectively. One or more extracts of different parts of species showed a noteworthy antibacterial activity against one or more tested bacteria.
This study provides novel information regarding several categories of traditional uses and antibacterial activity of species in Azad Kashmir, Western Himalaya. The need for novel and more effective drugs derived from natural products is more important than ever, making future studies on herbal remedies both justified and urgently required.
自由克什米尔的上部地带是一个多山、偏远的地区，当地社区主要依靠传统药物治疗各种疾病。本研究旨在科学保护和传承巴基斯坦西喜马拉雅自由克什米尔地区具有重要文化意义的药用植物知识。另外一个目标是评估这些植物对病原菌的抗菌活性。
通过对研究区域的40名信息提供者进行结构化访谈，探索该地区植物的民族药用数据，尤其询问这些植物的药用用途。采用纸片扩散法并辅以更可靠的最低抑菌浓度测定法，进一步分析当地使用的植物对革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌的抗菌活性。
民族药用数据显示，生活在自由克什米尔上部地区的当地社区使用5种植物治疗各种疾病。提及最多的疾病类别是眼部疾病。某植物和另一植物是被提及最多的植物物种，使用报告分别高达104次和93次。该地区植物不同部位的一种或多种提取物对一种或多种受试细菌显示出显著的抗菌活性。
本研究提供了关于西喜马拉雅自由克什米尔地区植物传统用途和抗菌活性几类新信息。从天然产物中开发新型、更有效药物的需求比以往任何时候都更加迫切，这使得未来对草药的研究既合理又迫切需要。
