Traditional use of medicinal plant diversity in the Yawan district of Badakhshan, Afghanistan

This survey was conducted from June to September of 2022 in the Yawan district, which is located in the western region of the Badakhshan province, Afghanistan. The aim of the study is to documentation of MPs that are growing in the area. Notably, no previous research has been done to evaluate the medicinal plant diversity in the area, and this is the first attempt to explore and document MPs in the region. Interviews and field surveys were conducted using semi-structured questionnaires. A total of 120 respondents were randomly selected from 115 households in 17 distinct villages to participate in the study. Additionally, transect walks were conducted within the research site to collect plant specimens deposited in the herbarium of the Biology Department at Badakhshan University. As a result, a total of 35 MPs belonging to 31 genera and 18 families were identified to have curative value. The highest percentage of MPs belonged to the families of Asteraceae (19%), Apiaceae (13%), and Fabaceae (10%). There were two species of Moraceae, Plantaginaceae, and Amaranthaceae (18%), while all other families identified in the area had only one species (36%), including 27 herbs, four shrubs, and four trees. The highest ratio of utilizable MPs parts were the leaves (24%), roots (22%), shoots (16%), flowers (13.5%), fruits (13.5%), and seeds (11%).in conclusion, the local community of 35 MPs is utilized to treat ailments like stomach diseases, kidney diseases, hypertension, anemia, diarrhea, fever, skin diseases, respiratory diseases, analgesia, eye diseases, diabetes, traumatic pain, and cough remedies.