M Akmal Siddiqi

Bio: M Akmal Siddiqi is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Nitrogen fixation & Rhizobia. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 2 publications receiving 11 citations.

Reflections on the taxonomy and distribution of medicinal flowers of pakistan

Abstract: A literature search was conducted to determine the medicinal flowering plants found in Pakistan and used as remedies for various disorders or diseases. The taxonomie position, distribution and flowering period of these plants are described to facilitate their collection at blooming. There are 95 species belonging to 85 genera and 43 plant families. Most of the species belong to Fabaceae and Asteraceae (17 and 13 species respectively), followed by Malvaceae (7 species), Lamiaceae (6 species) and Boraginaceae (4 species). Apocynaceae and Rosaceae contained 3 species each. It is important for the sustainability of Pakistani medicinal plant industry to consolidate the plant-resource database and explore the national and international markets for its medicinal flora. It is imperative that large scale cultivation projects be implemented and that priority species of the medicinal plants be salvaged. Pakistan also needs expanded research efforts into cultivation, production and conservation of medicinal plants. Institutional linkages are urgently needed between all the Pakistani research and development organizations dealing with medicinal and aromatic plants.

Rhizobial competition and enhancing rhizobial colonization in the legume rhizosphere using a systemic fungicide

Abstract: The inoculation of legumes with effective rhizobia or bradyrhizobia represents an inexpensive alternative to the use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers, whose prices have risen due to the high cost of energy involved in their production. These fertilizers are also pollution hazards. The process of symbiotic biological nitrogen fixation requires that the host crop be adequately nodulated by the specific root-nodule bacteria effective in nitrogen fixation. Not all the strains of Rhizobium or Bradyrhizobium that can produce nodules on a given host are able to use N2 rapidly and efficiently. Nonetheless, selection of an effective (i.e. N2-fixing) strain is a prerequisite for any crop to be inoculated. A second important characteristic is the competitiveness of the strain. Unfortunately, effectiveness and competitiveness are generally mutually exclusive and are not dependent upon each other. Little information exists on the effects of systemic fungicides on symbiotic nitrogen fixation or nodulation. It has been reported that the systemic fungicide benomyl increased the relative abundance of nodules formed by the inoculated strain, the number of added rhizobia on the root, the total N content, and the percentage N of soybean plants grown in four soils when the seeds were inoculated with a benomyl-resistant strain of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. It was also found that oxamyl (a basipetally translocated fungicide) applied to the seeds, foliage, or both increased the yield, N content, percentage N, and weight of nodules, pods, and grains along with the number of nodules formed by the inoculated strain when soybean seeds were inoculated with oxamyl-resistant Rhizobium japonicum.

Medicinal plants research in Pakistan.

Abstract: Out of about 258,650 species of higher plants reported from the world; more than 10% are used to cure ailing communities. Beside many known drugs (e.g.tubocurarine, reserpine, aspirin and morphine etc) are discovered based on traditional knowledge. Majority of the people in Pakistan rely on medicinal plants to find treatment for their minor, even in some cases major diseases. Some wild plants are now being commonly used e.g. Ephedra, Artimisia, St. John’s wort,Hippophae beside some that have been domesticated e.g. Garlic, Ginseng and Cumin etc. There is a local market system (Pansara) specifically dealing with medicinal plants business in Pakistan and several plants are exported. Plants having active constituents are used to treat various ailments in both human and animal. In most instances, certain plant species are considered specific for a particular illness but occasionally they have mixed usage. Women, followed by children, are identified as the principal collectors of medicinal plants. Due to over-collection, several species have gone extinct in the Hindukush-Himalayan regions. Local collectors, vendors, herbal drug dealers and others are the ones who threaten the flora of Pakistan contribute (though unknowingly) to the extinction of some and bringing others to the brink of extinction. Though medicinal plants from wild are important source of income for local communities, but if not properly managed, this may lead to the destruction of habitat and in return extinction of species. There is therefore, a need to find ways to harvest medicinal plants sustainably from the wild, train local collectors (in proper collection techniques, train the people in growing medicinal plants, and remove some of the middlemen from the trading chain. In the present article, an effort was made to review the status of medicinal plants research in Pakistan. Key words: Medicinal plants of Pakistan, research and development, conservational issues, marketing, problems and prospects.

Taxonomic perspective of plant species yielding vegetable oils used in cosmetics and skin care products

Abstract: A search conducted to determine the plants yielding vegetable oils resulted in 78 plant species with potential use in cosmetics and skin care products. The taxonomic position of these plant species is described with a description of vegetable oils from these plants and their use in cosmetic and skin care products. These species belonged to 74 genera and 45 plant families and yielded 79 vegetable oils. Family Rosaceae had highest number of vegetable oil yielding species (five species). Most of the species were distributed in two families (Anacardiaceae and Asteraceae) containing four species each, followed by seven families (Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae, Clausiaceae, Cucubitaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae and Lamaceae) containing three species each of oil yielding plants. Five families (Apiaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Malvaceae, Rubiaceae and Sapotaceae) have two species each of vegetable oil yielding plants. Two monocotyledonous families Arecaceae and Poaceae contained three species each of oil yielding plants. Remaining 28 vegetable oil yielding species were distributed in 28 plant families, which included two species of gymnosperms distributed in family Cupressaceae and Pinaceae. These vegetable oils are natural and can be used as the base for mixing ones own aromatherapy massage or bath oil, or if preferred can be used as ready blended massage oils or bath oils. Apart from their medicinal value, vegetable oils have heat contents approximately 90% that of diesel fuel and are potential alternate fuel candidates. By combining the skills and efforts of biologists, food scientists, plant breeders and oil companies it may be possible to develop reasonably priced vegetable oils with enhanced levels of functional ingredients. With growing trend of using vegetable oils in food preparation and body and skin care, the health benefits in reducing heart disease and body and skin ailments could be substantial. Key Words: Taxonomy, vegetable oils, uses, cosmetics, skin care products. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.4(1) 2005: 36-44

Ethnomedicinal uses of plant resources in Gilgit-Baltistan of Pakistan

Abstract: A survey was conducted to collect information regarding medicinal and traditional uses of the plant resources from northern areas of Pakistan. Plant species were collected from Gahkuch area, District Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan province, Pakistan. A total of 35 plant species belonging to 27 families were found to be commonly used for various medicinal purposes. Among these, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1, 1 and 1 species belonged to families Asteraceae, Cupressaceae, Lamiaceae, Solanaceae, Papilionaceae, Rosaceae and Leguminosae, respectively. Most of the people in the area still depend on herbal medicines for treating different diseases, including asthma, cough, tonic, abdominal pain, jaundice, diarrhea, cancer, headache, diabetes, muscle pain, fever, skin infections, worms, wounds, broken bones, blood pressure, tuberculosis, swellings, anemia, joint pains, inflammation, dyspepsia, arthritis and rheumatism etc. Majority of the medicines prepared by the medicinal plants were taken in direct form, paste form and/or powder form. In some cases, the whole medicinal plants are used while in some other cases, either fruit or leaves/stem or flowers are used as medicine. Besides the use of plants to treat different human diseases, many livestock such as sheep, buffalo, goat and horse were also being treated with herbal medicines. Other than medical use, medicinal plants were also found to be used as fuel, fodder and vegetable/food by local peoples. The people aged 60-80 were found to be the most knowledgeable regarding use of medicinal plants as compared to the younger ones. The major threats to the medicinal palnts of the area were overgrazing, cutting, natural disater and exploitation. Key words: Gahkuch, Ghizer, Gilgit-Baltistan, ethnobotany, ethnomedicine, medicinal plants, traditional uses, diseases.

Regional trade of medicinal plants has facilitated the retention of traditional knowledge: case study in Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan

Abstract: The ethnic groups in Gilgit-Baltistan have been utilizing local resources in their centuries-old traditional healing system. Most tribes within these ethnic groups still rely on traditional healing systems. We aim to understand the current status, uses, and abundance of medicinal plants, associated traditional knowledge, and trade. The study incorporated over 300 local community members (70% men and 30% women) in focused group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and homework assignments for 8th to 12th grade students to document traditional knowledge (TK) in six districts in Northeast Pakistan. We calculated various indices such as informant consensus factor, use value, relative frequency of citation, and CoKriging. These indices, along with repetitively used medicinal plants, were used to analyze differences in studied locations. Most of the community members still rely on traditional medication in the study areas. However, we found the highest number of medicinal plants used in Skardu and Gilgit compared to other districts and these two districts also represent trade centers and a highly populated area regarding medicinal plants. Results indicate connection amongst the surveyed villages signifying mixing of knowledge from different sources, with certain areas more influenced by traditional Chinese medicine and others more by Ayurveda and Unani. TK is mostly retained with elder community members; however, those directly linked with market value chain retain rich knowledge on traditional use of the medicinal plants from the region. Major trade centers in the region also coincide with a high density of medicinal plant occurrence, knowledge, and higher utilization. Therefore, with the increasing trade in medicinal plant in the region, there is potential for rejuvenation of this knowledge and of plant use in the region.