Phytotherapeutic uses of indigenous medicinal plants of Samahni area to cure Mycodermal infirmities prevailing in district Bhimber of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

Human being has been facing different types of diseases since his emergence on the planet. Microbial infection is the most prevalent and dominant for causing various infirmities in the man. Fungi are one of the major microorganisms which cause severe dermal diseases in human being. In this study, different villages of Tehsil Samahni District Bhimber of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan were selected as model units and open-ended and close-ended interview methodology was used. The collected data was compiled and analyzed using dedicated statistical tools. The research revealed that indigenous people believe and use medicinal plants (MPs) to cure mycodermal diseases using phytotherapeutics which are considered better than allopathic prescriptions. In this research work, methanolic extract of two famous MPs: Allium sativum (garlic) and Azadirachta indica (Neem) were used to check their efficacy to kill skin mycopathogens. About 56 Indigenous informants (29 male and 27 female) recommended these plants as the best herbal therapy to cure the dermal mycotic infirmities. The fidelity level of Azadirachta indica was higher (15) than Allium sativum (10). The prevalent mycotic infirmities of the area were tinea, athlete's foot, jock itch, ringworm and many other infection of skin, hairs, beard and scalp. The leaf methanolic, extract of Azadirachta indica depicted minimum inhibitory conc. (MIC) of 17.5 +/- 0.80mm while Allium sativum produced MIC of 18.5 +/- 0.50mm as compared with control value of 20.0 +/- 0.52mm. MeOH fraction of Azadirachta indica leaf and Allium sativum clove depicted MIC values of 16.5 +/- 1.85mm and 18.7 +/- 0.90mm, respectively against fungus Epidermophyton floccosum. The extract of two plants showed good MIC against Malassezia furfur which causes mycosis, pityriasis (tinea) infirmities. The herbal phytotherapeutics are recommended for cure of fungal skin diseases and optimization of homeopathic drug dose is required for better efficacy and treatment.