Present research work is based on Ethnobotanical and nutraceutical investigation of wild edible fruits and vegetables of Lesser Himalayas, Pakistan. Ethnobotanical information was obtained through informed consent semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, market survey and focus group conversation from different areas of Himalayan region of Pakistan. The plant samples were analysed for nutritional components, phytochemical constituents and antioxidant potential. A total of 80 wild edible plant species including 35 fruits and 45 vegetables were investigated. Inhabitant of the area used 50 medications based on wild edible fruits and 51 recipes based on wild edible vegetables to cure various ailments along with other ethnobotanical uses i.e. fooder, fuel, making agricultural tools, furniture, sheltering, fencing and as hedge plant etc.  Moraceae and Papilionoideae were most quoted botanical families of wild fruits and vegetables. Morus nigra showed highest mean culture importance values (mCI) within top ten fruit plants, followed by Morus alba, Olea ferruginea, and Berberis lyceum. While among vegetables Ficus carica was most cited species, followed by Ficus palmate and Bauhinia variegata, and Solanum nigrum. Juglans regia and Cichorium intybus showed highest nutritional potential in fruits and vegetables, respectively. Potassium metal exhibited highest average levels, followed by Ca and Mg, while lowest levels were observed for Li, Cd and Cr in the fruit and vegetable samples. Significantly higher phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols, ascorbic acid contents and antioxidant activities were observed in Phoenix dactylifera and Juglans regia (Fruit), and Origanum vulgare, Amaranthus viridis, and Ficus palmate in vegetables. Mostly random and broad distribution of the nutrient, selected metals and phytochemical contents was found in the fruits and vegetables. Antioxidant activities revealed significant correlation with most of the phytochemical contents. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed significant anthropogenic contamination of the selected metals in the fruits and vegetables mostly contributed by transportation activities, industrial emissions and domestic waste. Most of the wild edible plant species in the study areas have no protection, but acquisition of economic benefits such as genetic improvement of existing crops from their wild ancestors and nutritional requirement from these wild edibles might promote local people’s interest in the conservation and maintenance of these important and threatened species. Further exploration is still required to investigate useful and toxic compounds, pharmacological study; skill training in home gardening, biotechnological techniques to improve yields and income generation through large scale promotion of these wild edible fruits and vegetables. 

Arshad Mehmood Abbasi (PhD-Post Doc.) is working as Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences at COMSATS University, Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus- Pakistan. Dr. Abbasi received his PhD in Ethnobotanical and Nutraceuticals aspects of plant species of Lesser Himalayas, Pakistan from Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad Pakistan in 2013. Dr. Abbasi research is mainly focused on: ethnobotany, nutraceuticals, medicinal and food plant resources and phytochemistry. To date Dr. Abbasi has authored 90 research articles (IF = 170) and 4 Book Chapters. Dr. Abbasi has also two international books in his credit: “Medicinal Plant Biodiversity of Lesser Himalayas-Pakistan” and Wild Edible Vegetables of Lesser Himalayas: Ethnobotanical and Nutraceutical Aspects published by Springer, USA in 2012 and 2015, respectively. So far, Dr. Abbasi has been awarded three outstanding research awards by Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, Best researcher awards (2017 & 2019) by host University and foreign expert certificate by Chinese Government along with many other certificates. Dr. Abbasi is also serving as volunteer editor and reviewer of several journals of international repute including Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicines, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Journal of Herbal Medicine, Food Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Biology, European Journal of Medicinal Plants, Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine and Pakistan Journal of Botany among several others. Dr. Abbasi is also member of International Society of Ethnobiology; Society of Ethnobiology, University of North Texas, USA; American Chemical Society (ASC) and Institutional APIFP Champion: Asia Pacific Institute of Food Professionals.