Ethnobotanical and antibacterial study of Primula plants traditionally used in the indigenous communities of Western Himalaya, Pakistan

BACKGROUND: The upper belt of Azad Kashmir is a hilly, mountainous, and remote area where the indigenous communities mainly believe in traditional medicines for the treatment of different ailments. This study aimed to conserve scientifically and culturally important medicinal knowledge of Primula species in Azad Kashmir, Western Himalaya, Pakistan. The additional objective was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of these plants against pathogenic bacteria. METHODS: The ethnomedicinal data of Primula species was explored by conducting structured interviews with 40 informants of the study area, especially asking about the medicinal uses of Primula species. The indigenously used Primula species were further analyzed for their antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria by using disc diffusion assay supplemented with a more robust minimum inhibitory concentration assay. RESULTS: Ethnomedicinal data revealed that indigenous communities living in upper regions of Azad Kashmir use 5 Primula species for the treatment of various disorders. The highly cited disease category was ophthalmic disorders. P. denticulata and P. macrophylla were the most cited plant species with higher use reports such as 104 and 93, respectively. One or more extracts of different parts of Primula species showed a noteworthy antibacterial activity against one or more tested bacteria. CONCLUSION: This study provides novel information regarding several categories of traditional uses and antibacterial activity of Primula species in Azad Kashmir, Western Himalaya. The need for novel and more effective drugs derived from natural products is more important than ever, making future studies on herbal remedies both justified and urgently required.