Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants in semi-arid rangeland in western Iran

Various environmental conditions (from Tropical to Tempe ration condition) of Iran have made this country one of the major parts of plant diversity in the world. Plants have played an important role in Iranian people’s life. The study is located in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province in western Iran (۳۱◦ ۰۹' to ۳۲◦ ۳۸' N and ۴۹◦ ۳۰' to ۵۱◦ ۲۶' E) with an area of ۱۶,۳۳۲ km۲ and a population of about ۸۹۵,۲۶۳. Endemic plants were collected during ۲۰۱۷-۲۰۱۹ from different locations in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province. Most of the studied regions were situated in orchards, highlands and neighboring farmlands. The plant raw materials were cleaned, dried and fixed at room temperature. In this study, a number of ۶۱ native plant species with medicinal properties was collected during three years. Among the ۷۰ people that were interviewed (mean age of ۶۰ years old), ۶۱ species of vascular plants were identified for treatment of various human ailments. Ethopharmacologic report is made consisting of species names, vernacular names, popular uses of the plants and their pharmacological properties. Identifying plant classification (taxa) was done in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Agricultural Research Center and Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection. The results showed that most of the collected species were belonged to Asteraceae (۱۲ species). Other families are included: Fabaceae (seven species), Brassicaceae (five species), Lamiaceae and Solanacea (four species).This study shows a high herbal biodiversity of the medicinal plants in Iran as well as a fascinating potential for profitable studies on medicinal plant breeding, chemistry and pharmacology of the feature drugs.

Keywords:

medicinal plants , Ethnopharmacological property , Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province , Rangeland ecosystem