PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTIDIABETIC EVALUATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN TRADITIONAL HEALING PRACTICES IN WAZIRISTAN

Abstract

This study identified, studied, and assessed medicinal plants historically employed for managing diabetes mellitus in Waziristan, Pakistan, where dependence on herbal treatments persists due to limited access to modern healthcare. An ethnobotanical survey was performed with local healers and community members, revealing 20 plant species from 15 families, predominantly Fabaceae, Apocynaceae, and Rhamnaceae. Leaves constituted the predominant plant part utilized (45%), succeeded by roots, seeds, and fruits. Phytochemical screening of five frequently referenced species Withania somnifera, Caralluma tuberculata, Ziziphus jujuba, Acacia modesta, and Trigonella foenum-graecum revealed the presence of bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, and glycosides in diverse proportions. The antidiabetic assessment, utilizing blood glucose measurements in experimental models, demonstrated substantial glucose reduction, with W. somnifera (30.9%), C. tuberculata (26.8%), and T. foenum-graecum (24.0%) exhibiting the most pronounced activity, in contrast to the control (0.9%). These findings validate conventional wisdom and demonstrate the therapeutic potential of indigenous medicinal plants for diabetes treatment. Additional pharmacological and clinical investigations are necessary to identify active compounds, clarify mechanisms of action, and examine the advancement of plant-derived antidiabetic treatments.