Ethnobotany in Pakistan

Pakistan is divided into nine major ecological zones, which are endowed with over 6000 unique plant species. Due to its salubrious climate, Pakistan is quite rich in medicinal herbs which are scattered over a large area. These herbs are growing in the wild and no methodical attempt has been made to collect and cultivate them.

Most of these plants have remarkable medicinal and economic value, often only known to indigenous communities of Pakistan. In Pakistan, medicinal plants are primarily used by tibbi dawakhanas (medical centres of indigenous physicians known as hakims). Unfortunately, very little attention has been paid to the ethnobotanical aspect of plants as hakims are only concerned with the floral and vegetative parts of medicinal plants without any regard to their botanical characteristics, or distribution in the various ecological zones of Pakistan. Herbs are not only used in the ayurvedic system of treatment but in the preparation of many allopathic and homeopathic drugs: no wonder these herbs are now being commercially exploited for the extraction of various ingredients.