فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Background and objectives: Ethnobotanical research is a critical tool for documenting traditional knowledge, yet specialized studies focusing on neonatal and maternal healthcare remain scarce. Maternal-neonatal well-being is fundamental to survival and early development, particularly in rural areas where access to modern medical facilities is limited. The current study addresses this research gap for specific maternal-neonatal healthcare. Methods: Ethnobotanical data were collected during winter (January) and summer (August) of 2025 from 710 married female participants of Punjab, Pakistan. Information was collected using structured and semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Quantitative indices were employed to assess the cultural importance of the plant species. To evaluate data uniqueness, a comparative analysis was performed. Results: Key findings highlighted 30 species including Anastatica hierochuntica L. for labor facilitation and Trigonella foenum-graecum L. as a galactagogue. For neonatal care, Mentha arvensis L. was recorded as a “Ghutti” (pre-lacteal feed) for stomach cleaning and Matricaria recutita L. was used for digestive disorders. Linum usitatissimum L. and Trigonella foenum-graecum shared the highest use value (UV=0.09) and relative frequency of citation (RFC=0.086). The highest informants consensus factor (ICF=0.93) was recorded for gastrointestinal problems in neonates. Comparative analysis revealed low Jaccard’s index (JI=3.0-19.3%) and high novelty percentage (NP=40-86.7%), indicating minimal medicinal overlap and a high degree of regional distinctiveness in maternal-neonatal healthcare practices. Conclusion: This study demonstrated a robust and unique traditional healthcare system for maternal-neonatal care in Punjab, Pakistan. It provides a baseline for future pharmacological research and the need to preserve this undocumented traditional knowledge.