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An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used to treat skin diseases by the native communities of Murree, Pakistan

The objective of this study was to document traditional medicinal plants (including their applications and associated procedures) used to treat skin diseases by native communities of Murree Hills (Pakistan). Data was collected from 5 different sampling sites and 138 informants were interviewed. Respondents were queried in their local language for the type of herbal treatment, famous to that area. It was observed that elderly people and health practitioners of the study area possessed more knowledge about herbal remedies in contrast to young aged people. Results reported that total 56 plants belonging to 36 families and 54 genera were in use by local communities for treatment of multiple skin diseases. It was detected that herbs (41%) constituted the highest proportion of medicinal plants followed by shrubs. Leaves were most reported plant part (43 %) followed by fruits (20%), whereas infusion (30%) was a widely used mode of preparation of traditional remedies and direct application on skin was the dominant route of administration. Relative frequency citation (RFC) was recorded highest for Mentha royleana (0.913) and least for Ajuga bracteosa (0.369). Cluster analysis grouped these medicinal species into high, medium and low-ranking groups. High ranking group comprised of 18 medicinal plants, which reflected the popularity and trust of local communities of these plants. Therefore, further pharmacological studies are highly recommended. This study is first proper documentation based on the valuable information attained by the local tribes and it can be utilized by scientific community for further validation and characterization.