Table 1 The 100 common medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) of the Swat Valley
From: The ethnobotanical domain of the Swat Valley, Pakistan
No | Plant names | Part used | Family | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Justicia adhatoda L. | Leaves | Acanthaceae | Used as an antispasmodic and bronchodilator |
2 | Acorus calamus L. | Underground Stem | Acoraceae | Used for its aroma in scents, known for its aphrodisiac activity and neurotoxicity |
3 | Adiantum capillus-veneris L. | Leaves | Adiantaceae | Scorpion bite, backache |
4 | Viburnum foetens (D.Don) Wall ex. DC. | Fruits | Adoxaceae | Fodder, fuel wood, fruits are eaten |
5 | Allium sativum L. | Whole plant | Amaryllidaceae | Curry ingredient, flavouring and aroma, used in blood pressure and is recommended in heart problems |
6 | Mangifera indica L. | Fruits | Anacardiaceae | Juice and shakes are common; refrigerant, digestive, laxative |
7 | Foeniculum vulgare Mill. | Whole plant | Apiaceae | Digestive disorders, flavouring agent, used in confectionery |
8 | Senna alexendria L. | Leaves | Apiaceae | Leaves are used as tea for treats ailments like cough and digestive disorders |
9 | Cuminum cyminum L. | Seeds | Apiaceae | Important part of Indian and Pakistani spices, wide use in different dishes Aromatic and carminative |
10 | Coriandrum sativum L. | Seeds | Apiaceae | Used in spices and known for carminative nature, flavouring agent |
11 | Robinia pseudoacacia L. | Whole plant | Apiaceae | Fuel wood mainly. Flowers are aromatic and attract bees |
12 | Daucus carota L. | Underground Root | Apiaceae | High vitamin A contents, common vegetable, and used as fodder |
13 | Cassia fistula L. | Fruits | Apiaceae | Fever, arthritis and neural disorders |
14 | Caralluma edulis (Edgew.) Hook.f. | Stem, bark | Apocynaceae | Very bitter plant, cooked and the water is drained, blood purifier, and good for skin diseases |
15 | Periploca aphylla Decn. | Leaves | Commonly used for feeding livestock, used as anti-fever | |
16 | Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. | Leaves | Asphodelaceae | Known for its effectiveness in skin problems, and kidney stone problems |
17 | Artemisia maritima L. | Leaves | Asteraceae | Anthelmintic and used as ethno-veterinary drug |
18 | Cichorium intybus L. | Leaves | Asteraceae | For gastrointestinal problems, for cuts and bruises, and for gall stones, etc. |
19 | Onopordum acanthium L. | Whole plant | Asteraceae | Ornamental and oil is also extracted from the seeds |
20 | Berberis lycium Royle | Roots, fruits | Berberidaceae | Stomach-ache, used in jaundice, and refrigerant |
21 | Capsella bursapastoris (L.) Medic. | Whole plant | Brassicaceae | Fodder and pot herb |
22 | Nasturtium officinale R.Br. | Whole plant | Brassicaceae | Pot herb and salad |
23 | Brassica rapa L. | Seeds | Brassicaceae | Pot herb, oil is used for cooking and is grown widely |
24 | Buxus sempervirense Hook. f. | Whole plant | Buxaceae | For wood carving and musical instruments |
25 | Gymnosporia royleana Wall. ex Lawson in Hook.f. | Leaves | Celastraceae | Honey bee plant, used in digestive problems |
26 | Chenopodium album L. | Whole plant | Chenopodiaceae | Pot herb and digestive |
27 | Terminalia chebula Retz. | Fruits | Combretaceae | Very potent in digestive disorders, and urinary problems |
28 | Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers. | Leaves | Crassulaceae | It is used for its poisonous glycosides. It can act as a immune-suppresser |
29 | Momordica charantia Descourt. | Fruits | Cucurbitaceae | Used as vegetable, blood purifier, astringent and digestive |
30 | Cucumis sativus L. | Fruits | Cucurbitaceae | Eaten raw, low calories fruit (vegetable) common element of salad |
31 | Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) | Leaves | Cucurbitaceae | Refrigerant, diuretic |
32 | Cupressus torulosa D.Don. | Seeds | Cupressaceae | For its oil, aroma, used for sore throat |
33 | Diospyrus lotus L. | Fruits | Ebenaceae | Fruit is eaten, leaves used as fodder, fuel wood |
34 | Euphorbia helioscopia L. | Whole plant | Euphorbiaceae | A poisonous plant, livestock suffer with severe health disorders if eaten |
35 | Glycyrrhiza glabra L. | Roots | Fabaceae | Mouth ulcers, peptic ulcers Expectorant and endocrinal suppresser |
36 | Trigonella foenum-graecum L. | Seeds, leaves | Fabaceae | Used as pot herb, for arthritis |
37 | Arachis hypogaea L. | Seeds | Fabaceae | Highly nutritious, eaten raw and roasted |
38 | Vigna aconitifolia (Jacq.) Marechal | Leaves | Fabaceae | Eaten as a vegetable and the ripe seeds are edible |
39 | Quercus dilatata Lindl. ex Royle | Whole plant | Fagaceae | Fuel wood, timber wood |
40 | Quercus incana Lindl. ex Royle | Whole plant | Fagaceae | Nuts are used as diuretic and the tree mainly as a fuel wood |
41 | Fumaria indica (Hausskn.) | Whole plant | Fumariaceae | A potent blood purifier, helps with body heat and used as tonic |
42 | Gentiana kurroo Royle | Leaves | Gentianaceae | Tonic, antispasmodic, febrifuge |
43 | Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn | Whole plant | Hypolepidaceae | Pot herb, cooked with yogurt and eaten with maize bread |
44 | Juglans regia L. | Stem, bark | Juglandaceae | Nuts are consumed as tonic; bark of the tree is used for gum infections |
45 | Mentha longifolia L. | Whole plant | Lamiaceae | Gastric and ulcers |
46 | Ajuga bracteosa Wall. ex Benth. | Whole plant | Lamiaceae | Sore throat, jaundice, astringent, and tonic |
47 | Salvia moorcroftiana Wall.ex Benth. | Leaves | Lamiaceae | Pot herb |
48 | Thymus linearis Benth. | Leaves | Lamiaceae | Coughs, cold, fever, rheumatism |
49 | Mentha arvensis L. | Whole plant | Lamiaceae | Very commonly known and used remedy for digestive problems and stomach-aches |
50 | Mentha spicata L. | Leaves | Lamiaceae | Used in different sauces, mixed with yogurt and salt |
51 | Teucrium stocksianum Boiss. | Leaves | Lamiaceae | Known for antispasmodic activity |
52 | Micromeria biflora (Buch-Hamp. ex D.Don) Benth. | Leaves | Lamiaceae | Known for its aromatic nature and its neural healing activity, also used as pot herb |
53 | Vitex negundo L. | Leaves | Lamiaceae | Antiseptic and antibacterial. |
54 | Cinnamomum verum J. Presl. | Stem, bark | Lauraceae | Aromatic bark is used in spices, especially in rice preparation |
55 | Punica granatum L. | Fruits | Lythraceae | Used in spices and for gastric problems. Juice is nutritious |
56 | Malva neglecta Wall. | Leaves | Malvaceae | Common herb cooked, digestive and emollient |
57 | Melia azedarach L. | Leaves, fruits | Meliaceae | Anthelmintic and vermifuge, also use for body heat release |
58 | Morus nigra L. | Stem | Moraceae | Digestive and laxative in properties |
59 | Musa balbisiana Lacatan | Fruits | Musaceae | Highly nutritious, tonic, juices and milk shakes |
60 | Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. Perry | Fruits | Myrtaceae | Highly valuable plant; the fruits and flowers are used in curries |
61 | Eucalyptus globulus Labill. | Leaves | Myrtaceae | Used in teas, fuel wood, and bee plant |
62 | Peganum harmala L. | Leaves | Nitrariaceae | Another plant usually used for rituals like protection from evil eye, etc. famous for good aroma |
63 | Mirabilis jalapa L. | Leaves | Nyctaginaceae | food colouring, used as food, diuretic and purgative |
64 | Olea ferruginea Royle | Fruits | Oleaceae | The small fruits are eaten; leaves are used as antipyretic and antiseptic. Fuel wood |
65 | Olea europaea L. | Fruits | Oleaceae | Oil is used in cooking, massage and as anti-fungal, sacred plant |
66 | Paeonia emodi Wall. Ex Royle | Underground Roots | Paeoniaceae | Backache, tonic, epilepsy |
67 | Papaver somniferum L. | Latex, seeds | Papaveraceae | Known for neurotoxins and alkaloids. Seeds are used in confectionary |
68 | Sesamum indicum L. | Seeds | Pedaliaceae | Used in confectionery, high oil content |
69 | Pinus wallichiana A.B.Jackson | Whole plant | Pinaceae | Timber used in construction. Many other uses as well |
70 | Picea smithiana (Wall) Boiss. | Whole plant | Pinaceae | Timber tree, leaves used in teas, leaves used in mats |
71 | Plantago lanceolata L. | Whole plant | Plantaginaceae | Husk is used as laxative; the plant is anti-fungal in nature and is also cooked as pot |
72 | Digitalis lanata L. | Flowers, Leaves | Plantaginaceae | Cardiac stimulant, used in blood pressure |
73 | Cymbopogon citratus Springs. | Whole plant | Poaceae | Teas are prepared, sometimes mixed with green tea to enhance the flavour, diuretic |
74 | Saccharum officinarum L. | Leaves | Poaceae | Stimulant. Sugar crop in the country |
75 | Polygonum biaristatum Aitch. & Hemsl. | Leaves | Polygonaceae | Fodder, fish poison. |
76 | Thalictrum falconeri Lecoy. | Leaves | Ranunculaceae | Used in ophthalmic |
77 | Aconitum violaceum Jacq. ex Stapf | Underground stem | Ranunculaceae | Gout and rheumatism, aphrodisiac |
78 | Ziziphus jujuba Mill. | Fruits | Rhamnaceae | Fruits and leaves emollient, laxative and fruit is considered tonic |
79 | Prunus amygdalus Batsch. | Fruits | Rosaceae | Tonic, and used in neural disorders, served as a good gesture of hospitality |
80 | Rosa indica L. | Flowers | Rosaceae | Rose water is used for ophthalmic cures, digestive disorders, and scents |
81 | Malus domestica Borkh. | Fruits | Rosaceae | Well known tree in Swat, for its taste and aroma widely used, blood problems, nutritious |
82 | Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. | Fruits | Rosaceae | Digestive, high sugar content, demulcent and expectorant |
83 | Fragaria nubicloa (Hook.f.) Lindl. | Fruits | Rosaceae | Fodder, fruit is eaten |
84 | Skimmia laureola (DC.) & Zucc. ex Walp. | Stem, leaves | Rutaceae | Highly salient plant in the community, used for the protection from evil eye, good aroma and used for digestive problems |
85 | Citrus × limon (L.) Burm.f. | Fruits | Rutaceae | Juice, flavouring agent in all sort of traditional dishes |
86 | Aesculus indica (Wall. ex Camb.) Hook.f. | Whole plant | Sapindaceae | Agricultural tools making fuel wood, fodder |
87 | Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq. | Whole plant | Sapindaceae | Fuel wood, aromatic leaves are burnt in houses for some rituals |
88 | Bergenia ciliata(Haw.) Sternb. | Whole plant | Saxifragaceae | Wound healing, fractured bones |
89 | Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle. | Whole plant | Simaroubaceae | Fuel wood, considered as an alien species to the valley |
90 | Allium cepa L. | Whole plant | Solanaceae | Main ingredient of curry, spices and eaten raw |
91 | Nicotiana tabacum L. | Leaves | Solanaceae | Snuff tobacco is commonly used for making snuff |
92 | Solanum miniatum Benth. | Fruits | Solanaceae | Used for its laxative properties, some consider it as antispasmodic |
93 | Capsicum annum L. | Fruits | Solanaceae | Curry essential ingredient, a common spice |
94 | Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze. | Leaves | Theaceae | Diuretic and stimulant. Normally consumed after heavy meals |
95 | Urtica dioca L. | Leaves | Urticaceae | Used as pot herb anti-rheumatic |
96 | Valeriana jatamansi Jones | Whole plant | Valerianaceae | Antispasmodic and also used in cholera |
97 | Curcuma longa L. | Underground Stem | Zingiberaceae | Spices, cuts and bruises, carminative |
98 | Zingiber officinale Roscoe | Underground Stem | Zingiberaceae | Spice ingredient, used in curries, rice preparation, etc., refrigerant and carminative |
99 | Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton. | Whole plant | Zingiberaceae | A very well known for its aroma, a must ingredient of all spices |
100 | Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. | Underground Stem | Zingiberaceae | Used in beauty products and spices |