MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE FOR NEPHROLITHIASIS IN KHUZDAR DISTRICT, BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN: AN ETHNOMEDICINAL STUDY

Abstract

The aim of this present study was to investigate the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of Nephrolithiasis ailment in the Khuzdar district province of Balochistan, Pakistan. The ethnobotanical data were collected through free listing, structure and semi- structure using open ended questionnaires with different age groups. Results were analyzed by quantitative indices of use value citation (UVC) and diseases consensus index (DCI). A total of 200 informants, 109 women and 91 men of different age groups were interviewed. A total of 52 plants species belonging to 51 genera distributed in 33 families were reported. The Apiaceae and Zygophyllaceae were most frequently represented families, from which the herbs were most common life form. The decoction remedies were mostly represented in the treatment of nephrolithiasis disease (26% percent) as administration order. The maximum UVC and DCI were reported for Tribuhus terrestrisL. (UVC, 0.22 and DCI, 0.19). It is concluded that, this study did not provides previously reported data on the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of nephrolithiasis infection in people of Khuzdar. The twelve species such Brassica rapa L., Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Embeliaribes Burm., Eruca sativa Mill, Ferula assafoetida L., Gentianodes olivieri (Griseb) Omer, Ali and Qaiser, Morus alba L., Nicotiana tabacum (L.)., Polyanthus stuberosa L., Teucrium stocksianum Boiss, Triticum aestivum L., Zygophyllum eurypterum Boiss & Buhse were  reported here for the cure of nephrolithiasis diseases first time. Further pharmacological, phytochemical, and toxicity studies are required in order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these newly reported nephrolithiasis ailments. These plants may deliver a source of new drugs lead for nephrolithiasis, which are urgently required for drugs.