Abstract

Objective: Different types of studies have indicated an increased risk of obesity and other related diseases in Pakistan. This study examines the rich availability of anti-obesity plants among the local communities. This is the first ethnobotanical study to document folk remedies for the treatment of obesity and overweight disorders in Northern Pakistan.
Methods: Field trips and interviews were carried out for documentation of ethnomedicinal data from local communities of the study area. Information on age, gender, education, anti-obesity medicinal plants, their common name, other diseases and psychosomatic behavior related to obesity was collected. The data was quantitatively analyzed using descriptive statistics and Family Importance Value (FIV) and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC).
Results: A total of 77 medicinal plants from 38 families were reported against obesity and overweight. Fruits were commonly used plant part and extract was the common mode for herbal preparations while oral intake was the common route of administration. The significant species based on the values of RFC was Trachyspermum ammi (0.291) while the significant family regarding FIV was Fabaceae (5.20).
Conclusion: The current knowledge is novel and could be further exploited by carrying phytochemical investigations which may lead to the isolation and characterization of novel agents for the obesity treatment which could improve healthcare systems.

Keywords: Anti-obesity; Medicinal plant; Obesity disorders; Northern Pakistan