Ethnomedicinal Evaluation of Medicinal Plants Used against Gastrointestinal Complaints

Table 1

Medicinal uses of plants for stomach troubles.

Plant and family name	Local name	Habit	Life-span	Plant occurrence; status	Part used	Uses and recipes	Dosage and recovery		Place
							Children	Adults
Abutilon  indicum  (L.) Sweet; Malvaceae	Koso beta	S	A	W	Wh. pl	Decoction or powder is used against constipation	1 tea spoon after meal	2–4 tea spoons after meal	Lakki Marwat
Acacia modesta Wall.; Mimosaceae	Phulahi	T	P	W	Ba	Decoction is made by boiling bark in water or powder of bark is made by grinding the bark for treatment of gas trouble and abdominal diseases	2 spoons after 4 hrs for 1 day	3-4 spoons after 2 hrs for 2 days or depends on severity	D. I. Khan
Acacia nilotica (L.) Delile; Mimosaceae	Kikar	T	P	W	Po, Ba	Decoction of the bark is used in diarrhea and pods are grinded to make powder mixed with sugar or honey to treat dysentery	Small amount of powder is given for 1-2 days	500 mg given twice a day for 3 days	Kohat
Achyranthes  aspera  L.; Amaranthaceae	Ghoshkai	H	P	W	Wh. pl	Its decoction is used in stomach disorder. The juice of the plant is used in abdominal pain, dysentery, and in bowel complaints	Depends on disease severity	Depends on disease severity	Bannu
Albizia lebbeck  (L.) Benth.; Mimosaceae	Sirin	T	P	C	Ba	Bark decoction is used to treat diarrhea	1-2 spoon 3 times a day	1-2 spoon after 3 hrs for 1 day	Bannu
Allium cepa L.; Liliaceae	Piaz	H	A	C	Bu	Equal amounts of extract of onion bulb and mint are mixed and given for cholera	Half tea spoon of this mixture is taken per hour for a period; as needed	One tea spoon of this mixture is taken per hour for a; period as needed	D. I. Khan
Argyrolobium roseum (Cambess.) Jaub. & Spach; Nyctaginaceae	Mukhan Butti.	S	B	W	Wh. pl	Diarrhea			Bannu
Artemisia absinthium L.; Asteraceae	Afsanteen	H	B	W	L	Leaves are boiled to expel intestinal worms, indigestion, diarrhea, and vomiting	As needed	As needed	Kohat
Asparagus adscendens  Roxb.; Asparagaceae	Safid muesli	H	A	W	R	Ground root is effective for carminative	As needed	As needed	Karak
Azadirachta  indica A. Juss; Meliaceae	Neem	T	P	C	L	Decoction of leaves is taken for digestive and gastric problems	2 tea spoons for one day	2 tea spoons for one day	D. I. Khan, Lakki Marwat
Bistorta  amplexicaulis  (D. Don) Greene; Polygonaceae	Masloon, Anjabar	H	P	W	Wh. pl	Constipation			Bannu, Kohat
Boerhaavia  diffusa  Brandegee; Nyctaginaceae	Punara	H	P	W	R	Gas troubles			Karak
Camellia sinensis (green tea) L. Kuntze.; Theaceae	Sabz pati	H	P	C	L	Leaves are boiled in water mixed some sugar and take orally for indigestion and nausea	1 or half cup once a day	1 cup a day	D. I. Khan, Bannu, Lakki Marwat
Carissa  opaca  Stapf. ex Haines; Apocynaceae	Granda	S	A	W/C	L, R, F	Dysentery			Karak
Carum copticum (L.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex C.B. Clarke; Umbelliferae	Spaerkae	H	A	C	S	Used in sore throat, diarrhea, dysentery, and vomiting			Kohat
Cassia fistula  L.; Caesalpiniaceae	Amaltas	T	P	C	F	A piece of the fruit containing 10–12 seeds are slightly ground and boiled in 1/2 liter of water and strained for dysentery	1-2 tea spoons 3 times daily for 1-2 days	3-4 tea spoons 3-4 times daily	D. I. Khan, Bannu
Cedrus  deodara (Roxb. ex D. Don) G. Don; Pinaceae	Diar	T	A	C	Wh. pl	Gas troubles			Karak
Cinnamomum  zeylanicum Blume Lauraceae	Dalchini	T	P	C	Ba	Bark powder and decoction is used in gastrointestinal disorder, vomiting, dysentery, and diarrhea	As needed	As needed	Kohat
Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad. Cucurbitaceae	Kartumma	H	A	W	F	Fruit is cut, boiled in water and sugar added to make murabba used for constipation and abdominal diseases	As needed	As needed	D. I. Khan. Bannu, Kohat, Lakki Marwat
Coriandrum sativum  L.; Apiaceae	Dhania	H	A	C	F	Fruit is crushed and mixed with salt as carminative, indigestion	Small amount of safoof 2 times a day	Small amount of safoof 2 times a day	D. I. Khan
Crotalaria burhia Benth.; Papilionaceae	Sassai	S	P	W	Wh. pl	Dried plant is ground, mixed with water, and strained and is given locally for diarrhea and other abdominal troubles			D. I. Khan
Curcuma longa L.; Zingiberaceae	Haldi	H	A	C	Rh	Rhizome powder is effective in stomach cancer, stomach bleeding	Not used still	As needed	Kohat
Cyperus  rotundus  L.; Cyperaceae	Delloca	H	P	W	Rh	Rhizome is effective in treatment of dyspepsia, diarrhea and vomiting	As needed	As needed	Bannu
Datura stramonium L.; Solanaceae	Datura	H	A	W	Wh. pl	Seeds are used for intestinal worms	As needed	As needed	Karak
Elaeagnus  angustifolia L. Cactaceae	Sersang	T	P	W	R, S, F	Constipation			Lakki Marwat
Ephedra gerardiana  Wall ex Stapf. Ephedraceae	Somane	T	A	C/W	Sh, F, L	Dyspepsia			Lakki Marwat
Equisetum arvense L.; Equisetaceae	Horstail, Chihly	H	P	W	Wh. pl	Diarrhea			Lakki Marwat
Eugenia jambolana Lam.; Myrtaceae	Jaman	T	P	C	S	For stomach problems, grind the seeds and make powder	As needed	1-2 spoons daily for 3 days	Bannu
Euphorbia hirta L.; Euphorbiaceae	Titra	H	P	W	Wh. pl	Stomach pain			Lakki Marwat
Ficus religiosa L.; Moraceae	Peepal	T	P	W/C	Ba	Burn the bark and make powder from it. Take 5 grams of it orally with water for diarrhea	As needed	As needed	Bannu
Foeniculum vulgare  Mill.; Apiaceae	Saunf	H	A	C	F	Equal quantity of fennel fruit, coriander fruit, Anethum sowa and sugar are mixed and ground together to make powder for dyspepsia and abdominal pain	As required	Twice a day after meal	D. I. Khan
Fumaria indica  (Hausskn.) Pugsley; Fumariaceae	Shahtera	H	P	W	Wh. pl	It is used in aches and pains, diarrhea, vomiting	As needed	As needed	Kohat
Lycium barbarum  L.; Solanaceae		S	P	W	L	Extract from leaves is effective in curing bloody diarrhea and vomiting	As needed	As needed	Bannu
Malva neglecta Wallr.; Malvaceae	Panerak	H	P	W	Sh	Stomach pain			Lakki Marwat
Malva parviflora  L.; Malvaceae	Puskay	H	P	W	L	Decoction of leaves is used for stomach problem. It is also used as laxative	Not used	As needed	Karak
Melia azadirachtaL.; Meliaceae	Dharek/Bakain	T	P	C/W	L, F	Leaves and fruit decoction is used to remove intestinal worms	Little amount is given, more dosage cause vomiting	As needed, more dosage cause vomiting	Lakki Marwat
Mentha longifolia (L.) L.; Lamiaceae	Villanay, podina	H	A	C	Wh. pl	Fresh leaves are boiled in water with green tea mixed some sugar to cure diarrhea	2 tea spoons after 3 hours for 1 day	4 tea spoons after 3 hours for 1 day	Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Karak D. I. Khan
Nasturtium officinale R. Br.; Brassicaceae	Termera	H	P	W	Wh. pl	Leaves are taken orally for constipation	As needed	As needed	D. I. Khan
Opuntia dillenii  (Ker Gawl.) Haw. Cactaceae	Kunda thur	S	P	W	L, F	Ripened fruit is boiled in water add some sugar and take orally for constipation	As needed	As needed	D. I. Khan
Opuntia monacantha  (Willd.) Haw. Cactaceae	Chnutarthar	S	P	W	Wh. pl	Digestion help			D. I. Khan
Oxalis corniculata L.; Oxalidaceae	Tarookay	H	P	W	L	Extract juice from fresh leaves use orally against stomach troubles	As needed	As needed	Bannu
Phyllanthus  emblica; Phyllanthaceae	Amla	T	P	W	F	Effective in diarrhea dysentery			Kohat
Punica granatum L.; Punicaceae	Anar	T	P	C	F	Outer covering of fruit is dried and crushed and powder is taken with water for diarrhea	One table spoon daily for 2-3 days	One table spoon daily for 2-3 days	D. I. Khan
Rosa indica L.; Rosaceae	Gulab	S	P	C	Fl	Flower are mixed with sugar put in sun place take orally with water and fennel for vomiting and dyspepsia	2 g twice a day	5 g twice a day	D. I. Khan, Bannu, Kohat
Saccharum officinarum L.; Poaceae	Gana	S	A	C	St.	Stem extract is useful in indigestion	Twice a day	Twice a day	D. I. Khan, Lakki Marwat Bannu
Sisymbrium irio  Linn.; Brassicaceae	Shonopy	H	A	W	L	Leaves are used for stomach problems	As needed	As needed	Karak
Solanumsurattense Burm. F; Solanaceae	Manraghonay	H	B	W	F	Fruit is dried, crushed and powder is taken for abdomen pain and gas trouble	As needed	As needed	Bannu, Kohat
Tordylium  nodosum L.; Apiaceae	Hoso beta	H	A	W	Wh. pl	Intestinal worms			Bannu
Withania  coagulans (Stocks) Dunal; Solanaceae	Khapyanga, Paneer	H	A	W	F, L	Fruits are crushed, mix with salt and take orally with water for gastric and abdominal pain. Fruits are stained in water and taken. Extract of leaves is used	Twice a day for 2-3 days	Thrice a day for 3-4 days	Karak, Kohat, D. I. Khan, Lakki Marwat, Bannu
Woodfordia  fruticosa  (L.) Kurz; Lythraceae	Dhawai	S	P	W/C	Fl	It is used in diarrhea, dysentery, ulcers, and UTI			Kohat
Ziziphus jujuba Mill.; Rhamnaceae	Jangli bera	T	P	W/C	F	Roast the fruit and eat for the treatment of stomach problems. Take 5 grams of root powder and 7 pieces of black pepper, grind and mix used to cure diarrhea and abdominal pain	Small amount twice a day	400 mg thrice a day for 3 days	Bannu, D. I. Khan, Lakki Marwat
Ziziphus  nummularia; (Burm. f.) Wight & Arn.; Rhamnaceae	Bair	T	P	C	F	Decoction of leaves and bark is used in dysentery	As needed	Take orally thrice a day for 3-4 days	Bannu, D. I. Khan, Kohat

T: tree, S: shrub, H: herb, P: perennial, A: annual, B: biennial, W: wild, C: cultivated, F: fruit, L: leaves, Fl: flower, Wh. Pl: whole plant, St: stem, Sh: shoot, Ba: bark, S: seed, R: root, Rh: rhizome, Po: pods, and Bu: bulb.