ETHNOMEDICINAL USES OF PLANTS FOR THE

TREATMENT OF SKIN DISEASES IN DISTRICT OKARA AND

ITS VICINITIES. (CONNECTED AREAS).
BY
ANAM ZAFAR.
1) ROLL #………………………….……......................F20-MPHIL-BOT-1028.

2) REGISTRATION #…………………...……...

3) DEGREE PROGRAM: …………………...……………MPHIL BOTANY.

4) DEPARTMENT: ...….................................BOTANY.

5) FACULTY: ……………………................................SCIENCE.

6) SUPERVISOR NAME……....................... DR. NIDA HAROON.

7) DEGREE ENROLMENT SEMESTER: …...…FALL 2020.

8) FIRST TIME THESIS ENROLMENT SEMESTER:...... FALL 2021.

9) FREEZED OR MISSED SEMESTER(S) (IF ANY):… NIL.

10) SEMESTER IN WHICH SUPERVISOR WAS ALLOTTED: ..SPRING 2021.

11) DATE OF SYNOPSIS SUBMISSION TO THE DEPARTMENT: 24-08-2021.

12) DATE OF THE APPROVAL FROM DEPARTMENT:

……………………......

Signature of the Convener

Scholar’s Signature Supervisor’s Signature Departmental Committee

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Signature of the Departmental Committee Members

Date of Submission to the Directorate of BASR ………………….……………….

Date of Approval by BASR …………………...……….....……………….…………

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 INTRODUCTION.
The most important and diverse body organ is skin ( Line of defence ) containing epidermis,
dermis, hypodermis these three layers. Skin protects & covers our muscle's, bones and organs.
Skin functions as for storing & synthesising the vitamin D, insulation, sensation, regulating
temperature, absorption for the oxygen. Skin diseases not only effects the looks but also makes
to feel a person unpleasant. From the conclusion of tabassum and hamdani thousands of skin
conditions present but based on common diseases these are classified as in to 9 categories that
are : rashes, fungal infections, bacterial infections, viral infections , parasitic infections, tumor
and cancer, Truma, disorders of pigmentation and other diseases ( wrinkles, varicose veins and
spider veins). Various microorganisms causes various skin diseases like leprosy, eczema,
allergies, Scabies, fungal infections, pyoderma, boils , rashes, itching, infections, irritations,
burns, dandruff , dryness, wounds and dermatitis. (U.Mabona, SF.Van Vuurem 2013).

Rashes are caused by allergy, irritations. Due to exposure of parasite like scabies & lice. Due to
aging, hormonal & metabolic changes cause pigmentations. Due to sun exposure skin cancer
cases are increasing day by day. Truma is that When skin faces injury then it is susceptible to
various infections. In dermis when collagen & elastin breakdown wrinkles form. Due to fungal
infections skin, hairs and nails are highly affected. Bacteria affects topmost skin layers.

Current environmental conditions like rise in temperature and due to polluted environment each
year many people worldwide suffering from various skin related diseases like pigmentation,
wrinkles, fungal infections etc. In South Africa about 5 to 9 years old people move towards death
due to burns. 800,000 Americans .Hospital based studies revealed that soon diseases needs to be
attention . About 21 Percent in UK facing the Dermatological problems.In Turkey 6300 patients
visits the clinics. While in 2001 in Netherlands 235 out of 1000 children with an age between 0-
17 years are much affected due to fungal, viral, traumatic & bacterial diseases. In 2015 scabies to
report 18 Percent atropic dermatitis 2 Percent, sehorhoi dermatitis 20% out of 2067 skin patients
that includes large no of adults. (Navaid et al 2015). In 2010 in topmost prevalent worldwide

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diseases were 3 skin conditions that includes fungal, subcutaneous acne & other diseases. The 8
are fell on the top 50 facing about 29% children's with infectious skin diseases.

In Pakistan it is prevalent in dessert areas of cholistan and mostly in the rural areas where
medicinal facilities are less there mostly usage of many plants found to be much effective there.
(Khiljee et.al 2011). In Pakistan Hyderabad studies were conducted according to which 32.43
Percent people were suffering from scabies. 57 percent males while 43 percent females were
affected. (Ahmed et al 2017). Climatic conditions in Pakistan are widely diverse with diverse
flora having a large number of medicinal plants. (Gilani et al., 2010). In Pakistan contact
dermatitis are reported 16,136 cases.

For various skin fungal & bacterial infections modern therapies and antibiotics are suggested but
they have many side effects on humans commonly found as different allergies, thinning of skin
layer, rashes, few strong medications also effect the internal hormone balance. For this concern
mostly local population however in developing countries move towards the herbal treatments
because there is a negligible rate of side effects, low cost and due to high efficiency rate.

About 4.5billion people are using medicinal plants for their skin health worldwide. (Mussarat et
al.2014). Worldwide many researchers are going to produce skin related herbal medicines in
order to treat various diseases. In accordance to reports of WHO traditional medicines are used
by 80% Asian people. (Khiljee et. al 2011). For curing eczema jujube extracts are used which are
beneficial in 90% cases while in remaining 10% there is no reaction of it. Alo vera is worldwide
used in treating various skin diseases like dandruff, dryness, wounds healing and for
moisturizing skin. Turmeric is used for speedy healing it heals up skin cuts fastly used in ubton
for clear skin complexion and fairness. Skin inflammation is treated by Rosemary. Calendula
officinalis is used for acne treatment it contains anti-inflammatory agent.

In Pakistan Allium cepa is widely used for the skin injuries. Dalbergia sisso used for the
treatment of skin allergies and boils in punjab. Plants of Lamiaceae family are broadly used for
skin treatments. Centella asiatica is famous in its uses for curing of eczema, psoriasis it helps in
healing of wounds. For inflammatory skin diseases the flowers of Matricaria recutita is used in
form of ointment. A plant can be used for multiple disease curing.

Justification.

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In Pakistan number of patients suffering from various skin diseases increasing each year. For this
purpose, huge number of medicinal plants found in Pakistan to treat them. But due to
modernization there is a danger for the traditional knowledge passing from generation to
generation that may be lost. Due to these modern health facilities the knowledge is fading out
gradually from few urban areas of district Okara. There is no any previous traditional medicinal
plants usage to treat skin diseases documentary on district okara and its vicinities so, there is a
need to document this traditional data in order to conserve. That's why I wanted to document this
traditional knowledge in order to preserve this data so that it will be helpful in future for
discovering various drugs from plants in medicinal field.

Aims and objectives.

 To abundant the knowledge of usage of medicinal plants by native people of district
okara and its vicinities for treating various skin diseases.
 To preserve the traditional knowledge by enlisting it.
 To examine therapeutic flora diversity of okara that is used for skin disease treatments.
 To see that How can ethanomedicinal research contributes for strengthening of
biodiversity governance.
 To spread the knowledge about effectiveness of using various plants in our surroundings.
 To provide a base line in order to discover new plants that show activities regarding
various skin issues.
 To preserve the heritage knowledge that will be helpful for developing new herbal
Medicines by using scientific investigations.

Literature Review.
Vedas holy book of Indian mentions the treatment with using plants which are present in high
amount in country. Mostly species of plants like nutmug, pepper, clove are originated from India.
(Tucakovj.1971). In 17th century Ocimum barilicum, Mentha viridis , Rosmarinus officinalis
used in making cosmetics by Slavic people while for injurious insects the Urtic dioica, Achilea
millefolium , Artemisia maritime , Lavandula officinalis , Allium sativum used. Poison for
hunting is Aconitum napellus. (Bojadzievski P 1992).

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According to WHO reportes the correlation of population are using the traditional herbal
remedies in order to treat various diseases. However now some days in modern world modern
medicines are used and easily available all over the world besides these people are choosing to
use herbal medicine due to less side effect rates. There is increase of interest for using the
Medicinal plants due to highly costs of synthetic medicine's and to explore new plants that have
medicinal properties. (Hoareau & Dasilva 1999). 65 to 85 percent population of developing
countries depends upon the medicinal plants.Usage of natural products by people are present
from the start and by verbal comunication it is transferred from an ancestor to its generation. As
there is a close relationship between plants and humans as living together in an environment.
Plants provides reliable therapies regarding to various diseases. we standardize the traditional
knowledge in order to cheack the efficiency of medicinal plants. Ethanol medicinal information
gives rise to develope modern pharmacological drugs.

Natural products have better compatibility with the body and by synergistic effects and
combining provides the natural power to our body in order to cope up with regarding various
diseases. The plants show lesser side effects for this purpose the extracted leaves, fruits, seeds,
vegetables in fresh or either powder form of trees, grasses, herbs, shrubs or veins are used. Earth
contains 265,000 species. But still the composition & medicinal values found to be half of it. A
decade ago, 80 percent people depends upon various plants for diseases. In well developed
countries 60 Percent population uses medicinal plants. Germany: 40 to 50% population using
medicinal plants.USA : 42% population using plants. Australia: 48% population use herbal
medicine.

Pakistan has an area of 80,943km square having mixed zones of climate and it is highly reached
with number of medicinal plants containing 6000 species from which 600 to 700 species are
highly used for this purpose. In northern areas 124 specie's are found to be highly medicinal
values. Various plants from 36 families are reported to treat various skin diseases in which
brassicaceae family is highly dominated. About 29% of leaves of plants are used for curing
various skin related diseases.

A study of skin diseases was conducted in chitral According to which the Nail disorders were
most common. Pediculosis capitis was highly present in females and ratio is 93.4%. Due to lack
of medicinal facilities the chitral people uses herbal Medicines. They mostly apply goat's horn to

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the faces of their childrens in order to give them protection against the coryza & sun. In 42%
population there suffers from acne but severe types of it's are also founded but rare in number.
The examination shows that 1903 (72.5 Percent) facing skin problems and few suffering from
more than 1 disease of skin. (Qureshi et.al 1987).

In accordance to Afolayan et al. (1999) the medicinal plants were examined having highly
effective properties against bacterial infections they include; Gunnera perpensa , Malva
parvifolia , Terminolia sericea , Grewia occidentalis , Ricinus communis. ( Afolayan et al. 1999).
The natural Medicinal plant from India shows the magical wound healing properties from the
Euphorbia nerifolia. ( Dahanukar et al. 2000). The Melia azedarach used to treat pimples, burns
by making juice of its leaf. (Hussain et al.2008).

Researches made in southern Africa for the use of Medicinal plants for various dermatological
issues are commercialized as these are used for both traditional and in cosmetic products are
richly supplied with the extracts of plants. For example, Roobits Body care products. Plants like
Warburgia salutaris , Harpogophytum procumbens , Xysmalobium undulatum etc in southern
Africa are commercialized. ( Vermaak et al.2011).

khiljee et al (2011) reported the use of herbal Medicines for treating the eczema. They reported
10 most commonly and effective plants used to cure eczema in their article. The cure rate by
using Alo Vera is 83% in patients they declare it highly effective. Cholistan people uses Jujube in
dried form before taking their breakfast. Astringent tannis are the ingredients mostly present in
the creams that is present in walnuts are equally important and effective in comparison to
steroidal creams. Rosemary containing cleansing & inflammation curing properties. Turmeric
has amazing wound healing properties. It has anti-aging and anti oxident,viral, bacterial
properties. Glycerrhiza glabara is safely accessed in 30 eczema patients. (Khiljee et al.2011).
Various studies conducted arround the globe reveal 35000 to 75000 medicinal plants using for
health care system. ( khalil et al. 2013).

In 2013 due to the association of skin regarding with HIV / AIDS a large number of people faces
various skin conditions in South Africa. 47 plants were reported to cure the 11 different skin
diseases. The rural communities highly prefer the uses of the traditional medicines as compared
to allopathic and most widely they use the 14 combinations of plants. Enema's application was

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mostly observing there. People suffer from skin diseases due to the hot climatic conditions and
due to usage of wood as a fuel in cooking purposes. (De Wet et al. 2013).

According to the ICF value of medicinal plants in the Talagang Punjab it shows that 66 number
of reports are using different medicinal plants for the skin nails disorders. About mean 16.22% of
49 taxa widely reported Solanum Nigrum for wounds, inflammation is used. While, Citrus limon
, Cestrum nocturmum is used to cure the skin diseases mostly by the local people. For different
allergies Rosa chinensis , Ficus religiosa , Avena sativa is used. Punica grantum used for
wounds, Ajuga integrifolia for pimples, Dalbergia sisso and Brassica napus is used to cure boils
and different allergies. (M.N Rehman et al. 2017). Althaea officinalis is used to treat burns by an
author in poultice form it was highly reported. (Juric et al.2017).

Alamgeer et al. (2018) describe different plants for treating skin diseases in Pakistan. They
founded 545 species of plants that belongs to 118 families for treating various skin diseases in
Pakistan. They belongs to 355 generas in which majority of plants belongs to Punjab from 78
families contains 278 plants, 73 families having 204 in Gilgit, from KPK 187 plants from 73
families, from Baluchistan 25 plants species were reported it means Punjab highly used the
ethanomedicinal plants for treating various skin diseases. According to this article the highest
amount of plant species belong to Asteraceae family as its usage percentage is 8.99 percent, 4.58
Percent from Fabaceae , Poaceae having percentage of 3.73%. Both Rannuculaceae and
Laminaceae carry 3.39 percentage. While the least plants from the Rhumnaceae , Tamaricaceae,
Cyperaceae and saxifagaceae reported with the percentage of 1.01 Percent each. Asteraceae is on
top due to presence of the bioactive ingredients that are highly effective and it contains high
amounts of secondary metabolites in its various species, while in genera wise the Euphorhia
takes highest position with genus Euphobiaceae in it whose 1600 species were reported.
(Alamgeer et al 2018).

The Ethanophytotherapy by an author in district Haripur of KPK Pakistan region shows that a
large number of population depends upon the Phytotherapy. They founded 40 plants that belongs
to 29 families in which largest number is occupied by herbs with 35 percentages, shrubs and
trees 30 Percent while 5 percent climbers were reported to cure injuries. The local people of
Haripur mostly used 52 % of leaves. In this region widely used plants for curing wounds that was
reported were Azadrichta acacia, Nerium oleander, olea ferruginea , ficus beghalnsis, Acacia

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modesta. About 70% of the drugs for wounds are made from plant origin. But they concluded
that the plants in this region are endanger. (Siddiqui et al.2019).

According to the Ethanobotanical study was carried out by jinoos kianifar and its co-authors
carried out in AlamutQazvin situated in Iran in their article for finding medicinal plants that was
used by local people for skin diseases. For this purpose, 60 people waere interviewed they
reported 75 specie's of plants for curing 9 different types of skin diseases. The highly used plant
for the disease of freckles was Crocus sativus , for psoriasis Nasturtium officinale , for vitiligo
they uses Falcaria vulgaris and Trachyspermum chamomilla is highly used to cure the acne in
these regions. (kianifar et al. 2020).

During the period of 1950's in Pakistan 84% of the population depends upon the traditionally
methods using medicinal plants. Same 84% was report by Hocking in 1958. While especially in
village areas. 63% population in 1983 was reported. It is reported that mostly the plants leaves
are preffered for curing various diseases and also roots upto a higher concentration. (Asif et
al.2021).

Ethanobotany regarding to tell samahui area of Kashmir & jammu Azad reported various
ethanomedicinal plants like Acacia Nilotica , Achyranthus aspera , Aerva sanguinobenta , Alo
vera , Alternanthera pungens , Buhinia variegta , Berberis lycium Royle , Calotropis procera ,
Capparis sepiaria , gandee buti, kandyaree widely used for infectious skin diseases and allergies
by the local people. About 58 plants from this ethanomedicinal plants article were found to be
highly used by their local communities for curing various skin diseases that includes wounds
healing, skin allergies, inflammation. ( Ishtiaq et al 2021).

Mostly publications shows the medicinal plant used by the Indian communities that are followed
by Pakistan have 16 to 19 ratio , China and Nepal had proportion of 13:15 & 14:60. Totally 126
families whose 606 species recorded that were used by the people from this from fabaceae, 32
from Lamiaceae and equal 21 number of species belonges to the polygonaceae and Rosacea and
mostly the herbs are used for the treatment's with 61.15 percentage while shrubs having 18.6
percentage, trees 14.7% , 4.1% climbers and ferns have 0.5%. A.conyzoides h. Is applied for
healing wounds in the India, Nepal and Bhutan. It also helps in treating boils in India and In
leprosy. For the sun burns the Ephedra genardiana , Sesamum indicum , in India. Achyranthes

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bidentata blume is used for treating boils, pimples, no of species recorded in Pakistan were 190,
340 in India, 156 in Nepal, 36 in Bhutan and 72 from China. (Heinrich et al. 2021).

Materials and methods.

Study Area.
Okara is a district in Punjab Pakistan. It was the part of district sahiwal district but in 1982 it
become a separate district. Area of okara is 1,690 sq mi. Geographical coordinates; 30° 48' 29"
North to 73° 26' 45" East. The name of okara is derived from a plant name called okaan. 23rd
largest city of Pakistan with 339,139 population recorded in 2017. It is located to the south west
to the city of Lahore & Faisalabad 100 km as by passing away river Ravi. It Is known for cotton
mills and economy based agriculture.

It has 3 tehsils Okara, Renala Khurd, Depalpur.The climate of okara is usually dry and warm.
December to February are its coldest months in which temperature falls to 3C° having moderate
rainfall rate. May to July are its hottest months in which Temperature may reach 45°. 509
millimeters is the maximum rainfall recorded during the period from May to July. And 200 mm
is the average rainfall rate.

Format.
Semi structure type of interviews, surveys, group discussion and free listing conducted from the
informants belonging to district okara and its vicinities. The informants include old age people’s,
sages, women, formers and health practitioners.

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