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Rich accessibility of medicinal plants in the study area provides low cost health care for various ailments to local communities. This research report survey was commenced with an aim to document ethnic knowledge regarding the use of folk herbal medicine for various diseases among the local communities of Kaghan Valley. Rapid Appraisal Approach (RAA), semi-structured interviews, personal observations, group discussion with local people and meetings with herbalist were accompanied to acquire ethnomedicinal information. The current study recorded 62 poisonous plants belonging to 60 genera and 36 families. Which was reported by 243 informants (87 females, 137 males and 19 herbal specialists) from research area. The major uses of poisonous plants recorded from area were fish poison, antilice, anthelmintic, abortifacient, antiseptic, purgative and larvicides. Family Solanaceae was the most frequently used family with 6 reported medicinal plants followed by Euphorbiaceae, Papilionaceae and Ranunculaceae (4 each). The major source of herbal medicines was wild herbs (67.74%) followed by wild shrubs (22.58%) and trees (9.67). In plant part used, the whole plant (40.32%) and leaves (25%) were most dominant followed by root (16.12%) and seeds (10 %). These results suggest further phytochemical studies to explore new biological compounds for future drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the relative adverse symptomatic effects and benefits of therapy with oral corticosteroids at doses of 2 mg/kg vs 1 mg/kg daily in children with acute exacerbations of asthma.Methods: Using a questionnaire that addressed symptoms, we conducted a prospective study of the adverse effects and benefits of therapy with prednisone or prednisolone at two dose levels in 86 children who were 2 to 16 years of age with mild persistent asthma during an acute exacerbation and were unresponsive to therapy with inhaled steroids and beta-adrenergic agents. Parents and physicians were blinded to the dose level. Children were assigned to either of the two doses by random allocation. Behavioral side effects were assessed via a questionnaire administered by a physician. Benefits were measured by the resolution of asthma symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, and wheeze) at the completion of the treatment with oral steroids.Results: Behavioral side effects, particularly anxiety (p < 0.02) and aggressive behavior (p < 0.002), were twice as common in patients receiving a dose of 2 mg/kg/d. Benefits were comparable in the two groups. The number needed to harm (ie, the number of patients receiving experimental treatment that would lead to one additional person being harmed vs patients receiving standard treatment) was 6.1 for anxiety, 8.6 for hyperactivity, and 4.8 for aggressive behavior.Conclusions: Because the adverse side effects were greater at the higher dose but the benefits were comparable, we recommend using an oral corticosteroid dose of 1 mg/kg daily for children with mild persistent asthma who present with an acute exacerbation of asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]