Date.30-08-09

Research on Medicinal Plants of Dir Kohistan at Sheringal High Altitude Research Centre

Currently the interest in antimicrobials from plants has been emerging because plants are the sophisticated source of novel and environmentally safe antimicrobial agents. According to a report subjected by the WHO (World Health Organization), 20,000 plant species are currently in use for medicinal purposes and are the valuable sources of pharmaceutical products. It is estimated that till 1970, 84% of Pakistani population was dependent on traditional medicines while an estimated 80% of the rural population of Pakistan still depends on traditional medicines for their primary health care needs. Pakistan has a very rich tradition in the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various ailments, based predominantly on the Unani system of medicine, which dates back to the Indus valley civilization.

Recently, there has been an increased interest in the investigation of natural materials as sources of new antimicrobial agents, because multiple drug resistance has developed due to indiscriminate use of commercial drugs. As only a very small fraction of the known flora of the world has been evaluated for the presence of antimicrobial constituents so the efforts are necessary to investigate plants for the discovery of antimicrobial drugs.

Dir Kohistan is the mountainous and remote area of Dir Upper, surrounded from all sides by high mountains and is gifted with tremendous natural biodiversity, where most of the population is dependent on medicinal plants. The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan has established a Research Centre at Sheringal of Dir Upper, to enable the exploration herbal potential of the area. Currently the scientists of the research Centre are working on the investigation of medicinal plants to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the essential oils, crude extracts and natural compounds of medicinal plants of high altitudes of Dir Kohistan.

Prof. Dr. Jahandar Shah, Vice Chancellor of the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University has been a keen interest in strengthening research activities at the Research Centre. Previously the Governor N-WFP, Mr. Owais Ahmed Ghani visited the Research Center. He showed interest in medicinal plants and appreciated the research activities at the remote area of our country. The researchers of the Centre have been published and presented research papers national as well as international journals and seminars. Currently a paper entitled as” Antifungal Activity of Extracts and Essential Oils of Medicinal Plants from Dir Kohistan of Pakistan” has been accepted in international Annual Congress at Shanghai, China. Encouraging the participation of the researchers in such an international seminar as a speaker encourage the researchers in achieving novel discoveries and an opportunity to learn or share expertise and innovations.

Abdul Khaliq JanLecturer Chemistry (Pharmacy Department),Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University, Dir Upper, NWFP