Ethnopharmacological Studies of Medicinal Plants Used by Ethnic Groups in Bardsir Region, Kerman Province

Abstract

Ethnobotanical studies try to gather indigenous cultures plant knowledge from different regions and tribes all over the world. This study aimed at obtaining, documenting and analyzing medicinal plants used by some ethnic groups in Bardsir region, Kerman province, Iran. Data collection was done through face-to-face interviews, and finally, 120 questionnaires were filled out. Based on the local knowledge, the data collection was analyzed using quantitative values including family importance value (FIV), relative frequency of citation (RFC), fidelity level (FL), use-value index (UV), and factor of informant consensus (FIC). In this study, 47 medicinal plants were recorded belonging to 22 families. The results expressed the highest FIV belonged to Lamiaceae (57%) family. The hemicryptophytes (49%) were also regarded as the most common life forms of the used species. In the current study, the highest RFCs and UV indices belonged to Urtica urens L. 0.21, and 0.39, respectively. Achillea santolinoides subsp. wilhelmsii (K.Koch) Greuter, and Teucrium polium L. had the maximum percentage of FL for treating digestive system disorders. In the present study, the highest indices belonged to U. urens, A. santolinoides subsp. wilhelmsii and T. polium; thus, it is recommended conducting further in vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies on the mentioned species.

Keywords

• Botanical folk-knowledge
• Family importance value
• Fidelity level
• Use-value index
• Factor of informant consensus