home icon user icon
Welcome to International Network for Natural Sciences | INNS Pub.
Home My Account
Submit Manuscript
double_slash
breadcumb_bg

Ethnobotanical and ecological study of Myrtus communis (L.) in Bajaur agency (FATA) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Paper Details

Research Paper 01/07/2017
Views (329) Download (12)
current_issue_feature_image
publication_file

Ethnobotanical and ecological study of Myrtus communis (L.) in Bajaur agency (FATA) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Kishwar Ali, Farman Ullah, Nasrullah Khan, Inayat Ur Rahman, Shariat Ullah, Waqar Khan, Murad Ali, Nisar Uddin, Mohammad Nisar
J. Bio. Env. Sci.11( 1), 152-164, July 2017.
Certificate: JBES 2017 [Generate Certificate]
Key: Bajaur agencyCluster analysisEthnobotanyMyrtus communisPakistan

Abstract

Myrtus communis L. is a bushy, aromatic, ever-green shrub, belongs to the family Myrtaceae, commonly found in Bajaur Agency (FATA) Pakistan. The plant has been acknowledged due to the presence of aromatic compounds in the essential oil. The IUCN red list identifies the plant as endangered. To understand the Ethnobotanical and ecological importance of the plant, a questionnaire survey was conducted to collect quantitative and qualitative information from randomly selected 120 local inhabitants of the Bajaur Agency. The results indicate that Myrtle is mostly used as a flavouring agent (46.81%) and as stomachic (10.90%). The plant use was also recorded for blood purification (0.45%), constipation (0.45%) and (31.11%) as herbal tea. We also report on the people perception of the plant conservation status. People consensus recorded clearly shows that Myrtle is mainly eradicated due to over exploitation by humans (42.96%) and if any patches remain conserved is due to inaccessibility to it (30.70%). Geo-references data of the species were collected to identify and extrapolate their present distribution in Bajaur Agency. Cluster analysis was performed to check any similarities in ecological niches of the stands. We conclude from the survey that the species population has been drastically reduced and is under severe anthropogenic pressures including extensive and uncontrolled use of the plant as ethnomedicinal drug and due to its great economic value. However, it is recommended that further investigation into their possible future niche modelling and conservation analysis shall be carried out to save this important plant from extinction in the wild.

VIEWS 21
Cover PDF

Ali K. 2015. A comparative assessment of climate change effect on some of the important tree species of Hindu-Kush Himalayas, using predictive modelling techniques. International Journal of Advanced Research; 3(5), 1230-1240.

Ali K, Khan N, Rahman I, Begum HA, Jury S, Ahmad H. 2016. Use of multiple Phyto-ecological indices and multivariate approaches in the Hindukush ranges of Pakistan. S. Asian Journal of Life Sciences 4(2), 40-50.

Ali K, Khan N, Rahman IU. 2013. Understanding the Ethno-cultural domain of the Swat Valley, Northern Pakistan. International Journal of Advanced Research 1(8), 223-239.

Ali K, Rahman IU, Khan N. 2014. Climate change and the fate of Acacia modesta in Swat District, Northern Pakistan. Paper proceedings of third International conference on climate change and social issues, Colombo, Sri Lanka. ISBN, 978-955-4543-24-9.

Baytop T. 1999. Therapy with Medicinal Plants in Turkey, Past and Present [in Turkish], İstanbul Nobel Publications. 243A.

Chryssavgi G, Vassiliki P, Athanasios M, Kibouris T, Michael K. 2008. Essential oil composition of Pistacia lentiscus L. and Myrtus communis L. Evaluation of antioxidant capacity. Food chemistry 107 (3), 1120-1130.

Davis PH. 1982. Myrtaceae, in Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh, the University Press. 4.

Dineel AS, Acikgoz S, Cevik C, Sengelen M, Yesilada E. 2007. Effects of in vivoantioxidant enzyme activities of myrtle oil in normoglycemic and alloxan diabetic rabbits. J. Ethnopharmacol, 110(3), 498–503.

Elfellah MS, Akhter MH, Khan MT. 1984.Anti-hyperglycaemic effect of an extract of Myrtus communis L. in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mice, Journal of Ethnopharmacol,11, 275-281.

Ertug F. 2004. Wild Edible Plants of the Bodrum Area (Mugla, Turkey). In Turkish Journal of Botany. 28, 161-174.

Faria A, Oliveira P, Neves, Gameiro, Santos B. 2005. V. Freitas, Antioxidant properties of prepared blue berry (Vaccinium myrtillus) extracts, Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, 53(17), 6896-6902.

Flaminia G, Cionia P, Morellia I, Maccionib S, Baldini. 2004. Phytochemical typologies in some populations of Myrtus communis L. on Caprione Promontory (East Liguria, Italy), Journal of Food Chemistry, 85, 599-604.

Gruenwald J, Brendler T, Jaenicke C. 2000. PDR for Herbal Medicines, Montvale, Medical Economics Company. 461-463.

Hayder N, Bouhlel I, Skandrani I, Kadri M, Steiman R, Guiraud P, Mariotte AM, Ghedira K, Dijoux Franca MG. 2008. Chekir ghedira L., Invitro antioxidant and anti-genotoxic potentials of myricetin-3-O-galactoside and myricetin-3-O-rhamnoside from Myrtus communis L. Modulation of expression of genes involved in cell defense system using cDN Amicroarray. Toxicology in vitro, 22(3), 567-581.

Hosseinzadeh L, Behravan J, Mosaffa F, Bahrami G, Bahrami A, Karimi G. 2011. Curcumin potentiates doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in H9c2 cardiac muscle cells through generation of reactive oxygen species. Food and Chemical Toxicology 49(5), 1102-1109.

Jerkovic I, Radionic A, Borcic I. 2002. Comparative study of leaf, fruit and flower essential oils of Croatian Myrtus communis L. during a one year vegetative cycle, Journal of essential oil research, 14(4), 266-270.

Khan N, Ali K, Shawkat SS, Muhammad Z. 2016.Distribution of Pinus roxburghii Sargent associations with environmental correlates in the Swat Hindukush range of Pakistan under current and future climate scenarios. Turkish Journal of Botany, (40), 1603-1607.

Khan N, Ali K,Shaukat S. 2014.Phytosociology, structure and dynamics of  Pinus roxburghii associations from Northern Pakistan. Journal of Forestry Research, 25(3), 511-521.

Kirtikar KR, Basu BD. 1988. Indian Medicinal Plants, 3rd Edn, International Book Distributors, Dehra Dun, 2, 1040-1042.

Mansouri S, Foroumadi A, Ghaneie T, Najar AG. 2001. Antibacterial activity of the crude extracts and fractionated constituents of Myrtus communis L. Journal of Pharmacognocy and Biological sciences, 39, 399–401.

Medicinal Plants of India. 1987.  Indian Council of Medical research, New Delhi 2, 310-311.

Mimica Dukic N, Bugarin D, Slavenko, Grbovic S, MiticCulafic D, VukovicGacic B, Orcic D, Jovin E, Couladis M. 2010. Essential Oil of Myrtus communis L. as a potential antioxidant andanti-mutagenic agents. Journal of Molecules 15, 2759-2770.

Montoro P, TuberosoCIG,Piacente S, Perrone A, De FV, Cabras P, Pizza C. 2006. Stability and antioxidant activity of polyphenols in extracts of Myrtus communis L. berries used for the preparation of myrtle liqueur. Journal of Pharmacognocy and Biomedical Analysis, 41, 1614–1619.

Nadkarni KM. 1989. Indian Materia Medica, 3rd Edn, Popular Prakashan Pvt. Ltd., Bombay, 1, 838.

Nasir H, Bahmani M, Ahahinfard N, Nafchi AM, Saberianpour S, Kopaei MR. 2015. Medicinal plants for the treatment of acne vulgaris, A review of recent evidences, Jundishapur Journal of Microbiology 8, 11.

Othman A, Ismail A, Ghani NA, Adenan I. 2007. Antioxidant capacity and phenolic content of cocoa beans, journal of Food Chemistry 100, 1523–1530.

Pereira P, Cebola MJ, Bernardo MG. 2012. “Comparison of antioxidant activity in extracts of Myrtus communis L. obtained by SFE vs. solvent extraction. Journal of Environmental Sciences 1, 115–220.

Rahim G, Qureshi R, Humaira S, Hanif M, Azim MM. 2012. Germplasm screening of Myrtus communis var. baetica L. from Lower dir (Malakand Division) Pakistan. Journal of Archives Descriptive Sciences 65(12).

Romani AR, Coinu S, Carta P, Pinelli C, Galardi F. 2004. Evaluation of anti-oxidant effect of different extracts of Myrtus communis L. Free Radical Research 38(1), 97-103.

Serio A, Chaves-López C, Martuscelli M, Mazzarrino G, Di Mattia C, Paparella A. 2014. Application of Central Composite Design to evaluate the antilisterial activity of hydro-alcohol berry extract of Myrtus communis L. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 58(1), 116-123.

Setorki M, Rafieian M, Heidarian E, Ghatreh K, Shahinfard M, Ansari R, Frozandeh Z, Zanjan Z. 2012. Effect of Rhus coriaria consumption with high cholesterol food on some atherosclerosis risk factors in rabbit. Journal of Universal Medical Sciences. 20(97), 14-23.

Shan B, Cai YZ, Brooks JD, Corke H. 2007. The in vitro antibacterial activity of dietary spice and medicinal herb extracts” International journal of Food Microbiology 117, 112–119.

Sharma OP. 2004. Plant Taxonomy. Tata Mc Graw-Hill Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi, India.

Sumbul S, Ahmad MA, Asif M, Akhtar. 2011. Myrtus communis L. A review. Indian Journal Natural Production Resources 2(4), 395-402.

Taheri A, Seyfan A, Jalalinezhad S, Nasery F. 2013. “Antibacterial effect of Myrtus communis L. hydroalcoholic extract on pathogenic bacteria” Zahedan Journal of Resources and Medical Sciences, 15(6), 19–24.

The Wealth of India. 1962. A Dictionary of Indian Raw Materials and Industrial Products ¾ Raw Materials Series, Publications and Information Directorate, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, New Delhi, India 6, 482-483.

Traveset A, Riera N, Mas RE. 2001. Ecology of Fruit-colour Polymorphism in Myrtus communis L. and Differential Effects of Birds and Mammals on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth. Journal of Ecology 89, 749-760.

Trease W, Evan D. 2006. Pharmacognosy, 15th Edn, W.B. Saunders Comp Ltd, Toronto.

Trease WX, Evans D. 2006.Pharmacognosy, 15th Edn, W.B. Saunders Comp Ltd, Toronto.

Tuzlacı E. 2006. Şifa Niyetine the Herbal Medicinal Plants of Turkey [in Turkish], İstanbul (Alfa Yayınları, No. 1702.

Wannes WA, Mhamdi B, Sriti J, Jemia MB, Ouchikh O, Ghaith H, Kchouk M, Marzouk ME. 2010. Antioxidant activities of the essential oils and methanolextracts from myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) leaf stem and flower. Journal of Food and Chemical Toxicology 48, 1362–1370.

Submit Manuscript