Different Ecological zones and their medicinal plants

2. Medicinal Plants
 Medicinal plants are a major source of drugs for the
treatment of various health disorders. Pakistan has
around 6000 species of wild plants (Stewart 1972) out
of which about 700 are considered to be medicinally
important.

3. Ecological zones
 Medicinal Plants of Alpine and High Altitude
Areas
 Medicinal Plants of Temperate Montane Forest
 Medicinal Plants of Sub-Tropical Foothill Forests
 Medicinal Plants of Arid and Semi-Arid Areas

4. Ecological zones of Pakistan

5. Medicinal Plants of Alpine and
High Altitude Areas
 Most plants of these areas are slow-growing
perennials, which require several years of vegetative
growth for reproduction by seed. Most of these are
classified as threatened or vulnerable.
 Endangered plant species of this area include
Podophyllum hexandrum, Saussaurea costus,
Picrorrhiza kurrooa, Aconitum heterphyllum, and
Corydalis spp.

6. Medicinal Plants of Temperate
Montane Forest
 Common medicinal plants of these areas are Atropa
acuminata,, Artemisia spp., Glycyrrhiza glabra, and
Ephedra spp.

7. Glycyrrhiza glabra
 Some people take
licorice by mouth for
sore throat, bronchitis,
cough, and infections
caused by bacteria or
viruses.

8. Medicinal Plants of Sub-Tropical
Foothill Forests
 Species found here include Terminalia spp.,,
Phylanthus embilica, Butea monosperma, etc.

9. Phylanthus embilica

Emblica exhibits strong
antioxidant activity.
 Anti-inflammatory,
antiulcer and anticancer
actions.

10. Medicinal Plants of Arid and Semi-
Arid Areas
 Some important species of medicinal plants of
commercial importance like Artemisia spp., Ephedra
gerardiana, E. procera,etc. are found in cold arid
habitats.
 In warm arid areas, species like Commiphora wightii
are known to be present.

11. Status of the distribution of
medicinal plants
 According to the National Institute of Health (NIH),
approximately 400 plant species are used extensively
in traditional medicines.
 The Tibbi Pharmacopoeia of Pakistan (a
pharmacopoeia of traditional drugs compiled by the
Tibbi Board) has listed around 900 single drugs and
about 500 compound preparations made of medicinal
plants.

12.  The Drugs Control and Traditional Medicines Division
of National Institute of Health in collaboration of
Hamdard University and World Health Organization
has published Monographs of Unani Medicines, Vol-1,
which contains more than 300 monographs of single
medicinal plants.
 There are about 30 large herbal and around 100
manufacturing companies in Pakistan, which produce
Unani and Homoeopathic medicines on a commercial
scale.

13. Medicinal plants of Abbottabad
 Abbottabad District has an interesting location of
biodiversity, which serves a starting point for the great
mountainous areas of Himalayan ranges.
 Abbottabad has rugged topography comprising mainly
of steep slopes and gullies where rocks are classified as
metamorphic.
 The average maximum temperature is 34.3oC while the
average minimum temperature is 3.4○C.
13

14. Justicia adhatoda L
 Medicinal use:
 Paste of the leaves is used for
cough; also used in dysentery,
especially for cattle.
 Leaves are used for softening
boils.
 Leaves and roots are used as
expectorant and
 antispasmodic.
 Leaves are boiled and are
given for sore throat.
 Decoction of leaves is useful
for scabies and other skin
diseases.

15. Achyranthus aspera L
 Medicinal use:
 Decoction of both leaves
and roots is used for
toothache.
 It is also used for
abdominal pain.
 The paste of fresh leaves is
applied over insect bites.
 The ash of the plant with
honey is given in
 cough and asthma.

16. Cynodon dactylon L
 Medicinal use:
 Plant is used as fodder
by grazing animals
especially in dry season.
 The juice of root is an
excellent remedy in
 dysentery with fever.

17. Medicinal and aromatic plants of
Balochistan
 Balochistan is also a native home of many medicinal
plants.
 In Balochistan, various medicinal plants have been
collected and sold in the local market by local
community.
 However, very limited scientific knowledge is available
on the potential herbs, which can be cultivated and
utilized for different purposes.

18. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.):
 Thyme is used for
seasonings, herbal
 teas, suppress coughing,
ease chest congestion
and stimulate
production of saliva
 Thyme has bactericidal
and
 fungicidal effects.

19. Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.):
 The dried herb contains
several compounds
including
 volatile oil ,flavonoids
 The thymol and
carvacrol contents in
oregano are responsible
for its
 antimicrobial and
antifungal effects.

20. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis
L.):
 Rosemary is
 a culinary herb,
landscape plant, and
antioxidant in processes
foods.
 The oil extracted from
flowering tops, stems
and leaves is also used in
food products,
 perfumes, cosmetics.

21. Sage (Salvia officinalis L.):
 Sage is commonly used
as food flavoring
 or as a mouth wash and
tooth powders.

22. References
 Israr-ud-Din. Studies in Pakistan Geography.
Department of Geography, Applied Geography, Urban
and Regional Planning University of Peshawar, NWFP,
Pakistan 1998;10-12.
 2. Aumeerudy Y. Ethnobotany, Linkages with
Conservation and Development. In Proceedings of
First Training Workshop on “Ethnobotany and its
application to conservation” NARC, Islamabad 1996;
152-157.

23.  Abbas Q, Qureshi R, Naqvi AN, Khan SW,
 Hussain I. 2013. Floristic Inventory of the Nalter
 valley (Karakoram Ranges), Gilgit, Pakistan. Pakistan
 journal of Botany 45 (SI), 267-277.
 Ali SI, Qaiser M. 1993-1995.Flora of Pakistan.
 Department of Botany University of Karachi.
 Ali SI, Qaiser M. 2000-2008.Flora of Pakistan
 (Fascicles series): Karachi, Islamabad
