An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Ballakayati (Erbil, North Iraq)

Abstract

This study aims to identify wild plants used for medical purposes by local people of the Ballakayati district of Erbil in North Iraq, and to determine the local names and uses of those plants. The study was carried out for approximately 3 years between 2016 and 2018. During this period of time, 85 plant specimens were collected. Demographic characteristics of the participants, names of the local plants, used parts of these plants and their preparation methods were investigated and recorded. In the literature analysis of the plants used in this study, 85 plants were found to be used for medicinal purposes while 3 plants were not found in the literature records. Local plant names differ due to local dialects in North Iraq. Locals benefit from the wild plants growing in their districts. In this area, it was found that locals use 85 plants from 38 families for curative purposes. The medicinal plants were used for the treatment of many diseases, mostly for the treatment of a cold, shortness of breath, and heart and gastrointestinal diseases. It was determined that the plants we identified in this study were used directly or as infusion or decoction. The most considerable medicinal plants were Mentha longifolia (L.) L. subsp. noeana (Brig.) Briq. (UV:0.38), Urtica dioica L. (UV:0.38). Furthermore, plants used for medicinal purposes are dried and stored for using them in winter. The medicinal use of Rhaponticum repens (L.) Hidalgo and Tanaceturn polycephalum Sch. Bip. subsp. argyrophyllum (K.Koch) Podlech. that we found in this area were recorded for the first time. Different use of those plants were observed in this study.