Awareness about the plants as the sources of medicine dates back to many centuries ago (
Ethnobotany is regarded as the study of relationship between plants and humans. This study involved different fields such as environmental history, cultural and political ecology, anthropology, geography and environmental ethics, which can be linked to taxonomy, ecology, nutrition, palynology, conservation biology and pharmacognosy (
Further, the documentation of ethnobotanical information related to local people and folk healers can save these traditions from extinction and help protect natural habitats if the community is informed about the results of ethnobotanical studies, as well as the habitat condition (
Iran includes a rich plant resource with approximately 8000 species, among which about 875 species are known as medicinal herbs (
The residents in different parts of Iran are using various plants for their treatment and pain relief. In this regard, different ethnobotanical studies were conducted in some parts of the country or on special diseases although some parts have not been studied yet due to the vast area (
In addition, few ethnobotanical studies have been done in spite of the diversity of medicinal herbs and the extent of Isfahan province (
An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in Isfahan province with the elevation range between 1700 to 2300 m, 28 °C mean annual temperature, and 300 mm annual rainfall. Isfahan province is situated in the central part of Iran with a population of 5.121 million, based on the 2016 census. This province is a part of Irano-Turanian phytogeographic region, which is located between the Zagros mountain range and the Kavir desert, which involves 107,029 km2 areas with an average elevation of 1600 m. The Zagros mountain chain resides in the western borders of the province. Dalankuh, Darrabid, and Karkas are considered as the major mountains of Isfahan province with the highest peak of 3915 m above the sea level. The Karkas range divides the province into two distinct topographic and climatic areas including the more temperate western and the arid eastern regions. The ethnobotanical information was collected from five villages selected randomly. The villages were located in the north of Golpayegan county and west of Shahin Shahr and Meymeh county (
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Muteh | 1915 | 33° 37′ 33′′ N, 50° 47′ 13′′ E | Shahin Shahr & Meymeh | 898 | 5 |
Looshab | 1780 | 33° 26′ 08′′ N, 50° 46′ 05′′ E | Shahin Shahr & Meymeh | 305 | 9 |
Hasanrobat | 2285 | 33° 24′ 25′′ N, 50° 48′ 37′′ E | Shahin Shahr & Meymeh | 1700 | 7 |
Tikan | 2018 | 33° 20′ 20′′ N, 50° 33′ 20′′ E | Golpayegan | 230 | 3 |
Saidabad | 1777 | 32° 23′ 48′′ N, 51° 08′ 37′′ E | Golpayegan | 1629 | 3 |
Shahin Shahr and Meymeh county have an arid-cold climate with the annual rainfall of 160.5 mm. The typical vegetation of this area includes
Golpayegan has a moderate semi-arid climate and 263.2 mm annual rainfall with the typical vegetation of
Different ethnic groups are living in different parts of Iran like Kurds, Turkmens, Lurs, etc. although the inhabitants in these villages are not related to any definite ethnic group. Some immigrated from Khorasan province during 18th century and they are residing in those villages now (
In order to collect the related information, traditional healers and knowledgeable people known by local communities were interviewed. Snowball sampling technique was used for selecting the participants (
As some were uneducated, the questionnaires were filled by the researchers. The questionnaire included some information related to age, gender, degree of education, local plant names, the plant parts used, uses/ailments treated (Appendix). Each participant was interviewed only once.
In order to identify the plants referred by the participants, they were asked to accompany the researchers to show the plants. However, they were asked to give the address of the mentioned plants when it was impossible due to the distance or old age. Field study and plant collection were done in the spring, summer and autumn in order to assign the exact scientific name of plants during 2016–2017. Further, the plant specimens were determined by using
The ethnobotanical data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2013 software. Table 2 indicates the complete information on the useful plants in the studied areas. Family, scientific name, vernacular name (in Persian language with Golpayegani accent), parts of the plants used, preparation and medicinal effects or edible use were explained.
The number of the uses reported for each plant (NU) were calculated and the frequency of citation (FC) was divided by the total number of informants (N) to provide the relative frequency consensus (RFC,
In the present study, 48 plants, which were traditionally used (i.e. it is used since ancient times), were recorded (
The most used parts of these plants were leaf (45.83%), seed (18.75%), and aerial parts (12.50%). Further, other parts of plants were used by the locals less than 10% (
All informants mentioned
In the studied area, the plants were mostly used by the locals for digestive system problems (25%, 12 plants), sore throat (12.5%, 6 plants), and temperature regulator (10.41%, 5 plants).
Aerial parts of
The seeds in
Some plants were used in local cuisines although most of the cited plants were used medicinally. Further, leaves of
Locals consume some plants like
As for non-medicinal and non-food uses, the seeds of
Long time application of
In the present study, only 48 plants were reported as most of interviewees were too old and they could not remember all the useful plants used with details; although there were some other plants, the names of which were disregarded. In addition, some old inhabitants who were well-informed, refused to participate the survey, which is regarded as a serious problem leading to the disappearance of valuable information as it was explained by some authors in other parts of Iran (
In the present paper, the first ethnobotanical survey of Golpayegan, and Shahin Shahr and Meymeh counties was reported. Asteraceae and Lamiaceae are regarded as the families mostly used by locals. The results were in consistent with those in the previous studies from Isfahan province and other parts of the country (
Nowadays, the migration of locals to nearby cities has increased due to the climate change in recent decades and more droughts. Most of the young locals are living in urban areas, which results in destroying the chain of ethnobotanical data transition from traditional healers to youngers. It seems that some of the valuable information is being disappeared as it is the case in the area under study (
Voucher no. | Family | Scientific name | Vernacular name | Part used | Preparation | Medicinal use | Edible / non-medicinal use | FC | RFC | NU |
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et 18 | Amaranthaceae |
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Ordolok | Aerial parts | Decoction | For sheep tinea* | – | 17 | 0.630 | 1 |
et 1 | Amaranthaceae |
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Salmakeh | Leaf | Decoction | Sore throat | As an ingredient in local foods | 22 | 0.814 | 2 |
et 19 | Amaranthaceae |
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Alaf shoor | Young aerial parts | Cooked | Used with yogurt for heat exhaustion | – | 17 | 0.630 | 1 |
et 2 | Apiaceae |
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Shevid | Seed | Powdered | Cramps | As an ingredient in local foods | 18 | 0.667 | 1 |
et 3 | Apiaceae |
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Zool | Young bark | – | – | As an ingredient in local foods | 13 | 0.481 | 1 |
et 4 | Apiaceae |
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Panje kalagh | Young leaf | – | – | As an ingredient in local potage/eaten with omelet | 25 | 0.926 | 1 |
et 5 | Apiaceae |
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Badian | Seed/leaf | Powdered | Flatus | – | 16 | 0.592 | 1 |
et 6 | Asphodelaceae |
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Sirish | Root | Raw | – | Root juice is used as glue | 20 | 0.741 | 1 |
et 7 | Asteraceae |
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Kasni | Whole plant | Decoction | Diuretic/Detoxifies of body/ relieves itching | – | 23 | 0.851 | 3 |
et 8 | Asteraceae |
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Alaf shirinak | Young leaf | – | Temperature regulator | Eaten with vinegar as temperature regulator | 19 | 0.704 | 1 |
et 9 | Asteraceae |
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Kangar | Petiole | Cooked | Antiseptic/treatment of intestinal worm | As an ingredient in local foods | 25 | 0.926 | 2 |
et 10 | Asteraceae |
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Hovveh | Young leaf | Raw | Temperature regulator/ fungicide agent in yogurt water skin | Eaten as temperature regulator | 21 | 0.778 | 2 |
et 11 | Asteraceae |
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Alk | Young bark | – | – | Chewing as gum | 18 | 0.667 | 1 |
et 12 | Asteraceae |
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Terkh | Leaf | Herbal tea | Flatus | – | 20 | 0.741 | 1 |
et 13 | Asteraceae |
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Shengeh | Aerial parts | Raw eaten | Kidney stone | Eaten with vinegar as temperature regulator | 21 | 0.778 | 2 |
et 14 | Asteraceae |
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Boomadaran | Leaf and flower | Herbal tea | Stomach ache/ cramps | – | 27 | 1 | 2 |
et 15 | Brassicaceae |
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Moocheh | Young leaf | – | – | As an ingredient in local potage | 18 | 0.667 | 1 |
et 16 | Brassicaceae |
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Khake-shir | Seed | – | Seed, cold water and sugar for heat exhaustion/ Threshed seed in black tea for diarrhea and food poisoning | – | 27 | 1 | 2 |
et 17 | Caryophyllaceae |
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Alaf ash | Leaf | – | – | As an ingredient in local potage/ Cooked and taken with yogurt | 16 | 0.592 | 2 |
et 20 | Elaeagnaceae |
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Senjed | Fruit | Raw | Diarrhea | – | 24 | 0.889 | 1 |
et 21 | Fabaceae |
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Teranjebin | Aerial parts | Decoction | – | Temperature regulator | 15 | 0.556 | 1 |
et 22 | Fabaceae |
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Espers | Leaf | Squash | Blood coagulation | – | 20 | 0.741 | 1 |
et 23 | Fabaceae |
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Gavan | Gum | Soak | Cough/ Trichoptilosis/ Hair tonic | – | 27 | 1 | 3 |
et 25 | Juglandaceae |
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Gerdoo | Leaf | Decoction | Diabetes | – | 3 | 0.111 | 1 |
et 26 | Lamiaceae |
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Balangoo | Seed | Decoction | Cold and sore throat | – | 25 | 0.926 | 1 |
et 27 | Lamiaceae |
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Alj-e- shahdaneh | Seed | Powdered with sugar | Menstrual pain/ back ache | – | 15 | 0.556 | 2 |
et 28 | Lamiaceae |
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Gav pooneh | Leaf | Dried | – | Taken with yogurt | 17 | 0.630 | 1 |
et 29 | Lamiaceae |
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Chaiee kuhei | Aerial parts | Herbal tea | Stomach ache | – | 27 | 1 | 1 |
et 30 | Lamiaceae |
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Kakuti | Leaf & flower | Herbal tea | Stomach ache | Dried/ Taken with yogurt | 18 | 0.667 | 2 |
et 31 | Malvaceae |
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Khatmi | Leaf / flower | Soak | Trichoptilosis | – | 23 | 0.852 | 1 |
et 32 | Malvaceae |
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Nan kalaghak | Fruits, flowers, leaves | Raw decoction | Cold and sore throat | Leaves cooked with rice/ As an ingredient in local potage | 25 | 0.926 | 2 |
et 24 | Papaveraceae |
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Shah tareh | Whole of plant | Decoction | Eczema and hand chap | – | 10 | 0.370 | 1 |
et 33 | Papaveraceae |
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Gol sorkhi | Young leaf | – | – | Eaten with vinegar as temperature regulator | 16 | 0.592 | 1 |
et 34 | Plantaginaceae |
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Barhang | Leaf/ Seed | Raw decoction | Infection boil/ Septic sore throat | – | 16 | 0.592 | 2 |
et 35 | Phyllanthaceae |
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Marchoobe | Young leaves and shoots | baked | Used with yogurt to cure heat exhaustion | – | 16 | 0.592 | 1 |
et 36 | Poaceae |
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Margh | Leaf | Chewing raw | Headache | – | 7 | 0.259 | 1 |
et 37 | Poaceae |
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Jo | Seed | Cooked | As an ingredient in local potage for sore throat | – | 27 | 1 | 1 |
et 38 | Polygonaceae |
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Rivas | Petiole | Raw/cooked | Treatment of intestinal worm/ Diarrhea | As an ingredient in local potage/ orally eaten | 20 | 0.741 | 2 |
et 39 | Polygonaceae |
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Torshak | Leaf | Cooked | Cooked as potage for treatment of sore throat | – | 21 | 0.778 | 1 |
et 40 | Portulacaceae |
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Khorfeh | Aerial parts | Raw | Antiseptic/treatment of intestinal worms/ Diarrhea | – | 22 | 0.815 | 3 |
et 41 | Rosaceae |
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Beh | Leaf | Herbal tea | Cramp | – | 17 | 0.630 | 1 |
et 42 | Rubiaceae |
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Lon jas | Seed | Concentrated decoction | – | Painting carpet yarn and texture | 21 | 0.778 | 1 |
et 43 | Salicaceae |
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Footeh | Bark | Powdered | Urine burn of babies | – | 15 | 0.556 | 1 |
et 44 | Scrophulariaceae |
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Goosh khari | Leaf | Smoke | Disinfection of infected wounds | – | 21 | 0.778 | 1 |
et 45 | Tamaricaceae |
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Gaz | Bark | Smoke | Disinfection of infected wounds | – | 19 | 0.704 | 1 |
et 46 | Thymelaeaceae |
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Gazzak | Whole plant | Dried and powdered | Wounds and abscesses | – | 8 | 0.296 | 1 |
et 47 | Zygophyllaceae |
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Seband | Seed | Eaten with water | Food poisoning | – | 27 | 1 | 1 |
et 48 | Zygophyllaceae |
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Ghij | Stem | Smoke | – | Kohl | 20 | 0.741 | 1 |
First name/ Family name of interviewee:
Village name:
Age:
Sex:
Job:
Address and Telephone:
Do you use plants as medicine?
Which native plants do you use as medicine or food?
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………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
For each plant:
1) Vernacular name of plant:
2) In which category is this plant grouped? □ edible, □ medicine, □ fodder, □ other (…......………...)
3) Which part/parts of plant is used?
□ flower, □ root, □ stem, □ bark, □ leaf, □ seed, □ fruit, □ petiole, □ aerial parts, □ whole plant, □ other (……......…...)
4) How is it used? □ fresh, □ dried
5) Describe the preparation of it to use
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
6) If the plant is used as medicine, please describe how to use it and for which disease it is applied
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
7) If the plant is used as medicine, have you ever encountered with any harmful effect?
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