Preserving ethnomedicinal knowledge: Revealing the therapeutic potential of wild indigenous flora

Medicinal plant recipes have played a significant role in the global population's healthcare system, especially in developing nations. The current study aimed to identify and document the ethnomedicinal uses of wild flora in the South Punjab Region, Pakistan, to explore the novelty index of wild flora. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and a rapid appraisal approach (RAA). A total of fifteen hundred and eighty-seven informants were interviewed. During this study, wild plants were collected, identified, and preserved. Seventy-six wild plants from thirty-seven families were collected for medicinal recipes and analyzed using quantitative indices including use value (UV), fidelity level (FL), informant consensus factor (ICF), and novelty index by Jaccard index. Most of the studied plants were perennial. Fabaceae and Asteraceae were the dominant families in that region. In herbal remedies, leaves were the most significant plant part used in decoction form. The largest Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) value was calculated for the ailment leucorrhea (1). The highest Use Value (UV) was determined for Peganum hermala and Citrullus colocynthis (0.68). The highest Fidelity Level (FL) was calculated at 100% for Lysimachia arvensis against Jaundice. The highest Jaccard Index (JI) value was documented for Khushab (10.21), which is in correspondence with the similarity index with the mentioned areas. The research area was discovered to be rich in plant resources, and the people have experience in the usage of therapeutic plants. Valuable plant species were on their way to extinction due to a lack of proper documentation, conservation, and cultivation methods.