Identification and Investigation of Ethnobotany of Some Medicinal Plants in Razavi Khorasan Province

Abstract

Introduction: Ethnobutany, as a part of every region's national capital, contains local beliefs and knowledge about plants and their characteristics being the result of centuries of trial and error in the natural environment. Though, it is unwritten and exposed to degeneration. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to acquire and document the culture of traditional use of Zebarkhan rangeland medicinal plants from Neyshabur in Razavi Khorasan province. Method: In this study, the traditional knowledge of the people about the plants was collected in free interviewing and participatory observations. Questions posed about local names, growth form, harvest methods, organ usages and properties of plants. Interviews then went on until the repeated responses confirmed the reliability and validity. Collected Plants were identified by applying valid botanic sources. Conclusion: In this study, 70 medicinal plant species belonging to 29 families were identified. The largest proportion of plant species were respectively related to Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Brassicaceae and Polygonaceae. Among traditional uses, the most belonged to diseases treatment related to digestive, colds, neurological problems and sedation. The most commonly used organs were floral branches, leaves and young stems. Investigating and comparing different uses of plants in the study area as well as the other parts of Iran proves the similarity usage of similar plant species in different regions of the country. Result: The existence of 70 medicinal plants in Neyshabur rangelands confirms the richness of this region, so identification and documentation of their indigenous knowledge can pave the way for a better usage of medicinal plants and their products.

Ethnopharmacological study of native medicinal plants and the impact of pastoralism on their loss in arid to semiarid ecosystems of southeastern Iran

“…The rich flora can be related to the diverse topo-climatic zones in the region from warm low elevation plains in the south to snow caped mountains and cold high elevation plains in the north, providing habitat for different plant species. Lamiaceae and Asteraceae are two main medicinal families in Iran 35 , 36 . The dominance of these two families can be attributed to their widespread distribution in the area and their diverse traditional medicinal uses for the pastorals.…”

Ethnobotanical study on the medicinal plants in khosh Yeilagh rangeland, Golestan province, Iran

“…[13] in the results of their research included the collection and identification of selected traditional uses of plants in Babol, and reported that the largest consumption of medicinal plants used by local communities belonged to Lamiaceae, Compositae and Legominaceaee. The studies of [14] in Ardestan located in Isfahan province, [15] in Zabarkhan rangelands in Neishabour, [16] in Shazand, Markazi province, [17] in Behbahan, Khuzestan province, [18] in forest-rangelands of Tuskistan, Golestan province and [19] in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, also, supported this statement. According to the research of [14] 120 species belong to 41 families, [15] 70 species belong to 29 families, [16] 56 species belong to 23 families, [20] 61 plant species belong to 29 families and [21] 119 species belong to 43 families.…”

“…Phlomis cansellata is used to relieve dandruff and head lice. Decoction of Achillea millefolium acts as an anti-nausea and helps treat diabetes, supported by [15], [22] and [23].…”

Ethnobotanical studies in Irans rangelands

“…ex Fisch. for treating flatulence and disinfecting the environment (Alimirzaei et al, 2017;Hosseini et al, 2019Hosseini et al, , 2020. Additionally, Foeniculum vulgare Miller is known for regulating female hormones and increasing milk supply, Rosmarinus officinalis L. has blood thinning properties, and Lavandula angustifolia Mill.…”