Abstract
Ethnobotanical indigenous knowledge provides the base for formulation of alternative drugs and fulfills primary health care needs. There is not much data documented and published regarding use of traditional polyherbal formulations in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. Present research provides valuable ethnopharmacological information about the use of polyherbal traditional medicines. Data was collected from 2016-2018 through questionnaires' survey of local communities in their native languages. Total 150 informants (100 females and 50 males) were selected for polyherbal ethnomedicinal information based on their experience. Plant species were collected, identified, and deposited in Kohat University of Science and Technology, herbarium. Data was further analyzed by using various ethnobotanical indices i.e., Frequency Citation, Relative Frequency Citation and Use Value. Ethnographic data showed that females' participants were more inclined towards traditional medicines. A total of 50 different mixtures of plants belonging to different families were documented. Most of the recepies were used for gastrointestinal ailments followed by respiratory ailments, weight loss, obesity, and reproductive complaints. Dominant plant families were Apiaceae, Zingiberaceae, Leguminosae, Lamiaceae and Rosaceae. Powder and decoction methods were the best for crude drug preparation and fruit was the dominant plant part in these polyherbal therapies. Traditionally used polyherbal formulations provide alternative source of medicines with synergistic/additive effects and less toxicity. Polyherbal mixtures are useful to treat acute and common complications by reducing their symptoms and diseases cycle. The study diverts the attention of chemists and pharmacologists to produce novel and effective medicines from natural sources. The study also provides a link between industries, policymakers, and local people for the conservation of threatened flora and its associated indigenous knowledge. There is a dire need to provide scientific base of these polyherbal traditional mixtures through In vitro and In vivo hypothesis.