Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 10 (2), April 2011, pp. 354-357

Some ethnomedicinal plants used by the tribe of district ,

KL Meena * & BL Yadav Department of Botany, MLV Government College, 311 001, Rajasthan E-mail: [email protected] Received: 27.11.2008; revised: 29.04.2010

The paper enumerates the ethnomedicinal uses of 35 plant species belonging to 34 genera and 27 families used by the Garasia tribe of in Rajasthan . Information on the medicinal uses gathered from the tribals together with their botanical identity, local name and mode of administration are presented.

Keywords : Garasia tribe, Ethnomedicine, Rajasthan

IPC Int. Cl.8 : A61K36/00, A61P1/10, A61P1/14, A61P5/10, A61P11/04, A61P19/00, A61P29/00, A61P31/02, A61P33/00, A61P39/02

Rajasthan is situated in the North-western part of general way of life is to a large extent similar to between 23° 30 ′ - 30° 11 ′ N latitude & 69° 30 ′- those of Bhils. Rajasthan has 121939 78° 17 ′ E longitude and covers an area of 3, 42, 239 sq constituting 2.91% of the total scheduled tribes km which is 10.4 % of the countries total area. Sirohi population1. district is situated in the Southwest of Rajasthan state A perusal of literature revealed that significant between the parallels of 24 o 20 ′ - 25 o 17 ′ North latitudes contribution has been made by several workers on and 17° 16 ′ - 73°10 ′ East longitudes (Fig.1). It is ethnobotany in India 2-7. In Rajasthan, these studies characterised by dry climate with the hot season have been carried out by various botanists from somewhat milder than in the adjoining district to the different parts of the state 8-22. However, the North and North-west of the state. The maximum ethnomedicinal studies on Garasia tribes are scantier. temperature is 34°C and minimum (-) 3.4°C. Total Therefore, an attempt has been made here to collect annual rainfall is 73.23 cm. The tribal dominated area the recent information about plants used by tribals of the district harbours vast diversity of vegetation. In in their traditional healthcare system. The study is the Rajasthan, quite a handful of tribal communities based on interviews with local tribals living in this reside in every hook and corners of the states. The region and entirely dependent on the plants occurring tribals, namely Meena, Bhil, Sahariya, Garasia, around them. Domor and Kathodia residing in the district of , , , Pratapgarh, Methodology , Sirohi, and Pali districts of Rajasthan. Field trips conducted with the local medicine men. Majority of the tribal population fall below poverty Generally tribals, who know about the herbal medicine line. The Garasia tribe are the main dwellers of these do not want to give all the information because they forests. The surrounding plants of these people form an believe that when the medicinal plant is disclosed its integral part of their culture and the information about medicinal properties will be lost. For this reason, the traditional medicinal plants gets passed on from information collected from the tribals is an important generation to generation through oral talk or folk aspect of ethnobotanical study. The peoples who can songs. provide information about medicinal plants, were Garasia derive their name from Sanskrit word consulted and includes for authenticity about medicinal "Gras" which means a morsel or subsistence. Their properties of plants the information collected during —————— fieldwork were verified at different places through *Corresponding author different informants and in different seasons. Each of MEENA & YADAV: ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY THE GARASIA TRIBE OF RAJASTHAN 355

the plant species recorded have been collected with the time of flowering and fruiting and the traditional help of the informants and photographs were taken. methods of drugs administration in different ailments The species were identified with the help of authentic are being presented. During the study, 35 plant literature 23-25. The voucher specimen was deposited species belonging to 34 genera and 27 families have in the Herbarium of Department of Botany, MLV been recorded and these plants are being used by Government College, Bhilwara. Garasia tribes of district Sirohi of Rajasthan to treat their ailments such as injuries, wounds, cuts, fever, Enumeration diarrhea, ulcers, swelling, bone fractures, potency, In the enumeration, data on medicinal uses are anti-poisons, skin care, asthma, cough & cold, by arranged alphabetically, each by its botanical names using fresh as well as dried plant material. Still, they followed by name of family and local names are firmly believe in the traditional way of treatment of enumerated in Table 1. The data on ethnomedicinal various ailments by using medicinal plants rather than plants such as the botanical name, local name, family, modern medical treatment.

Table 1―Ethnomedicinal plants used by the Garasia tribes

Plant name/ Family/ Uses local name Alangium salvifolium (L.f.) Wangerin One glass stem bark decoction is given once a time to cure snakebite. Alangiaceae Ankol Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. Fresh leaf pulp is tied as bandage on deep cuts for early healing. Liliaceae Gwarpatha Annona squamosa L. Root paste is applied on the swellings of snakebite as well as scorpion bite; root Annonaceae Hitaphar bark decoction is given to cure scorpion bite. Anogeissus latifolia (Roxb.ex DC.) Wall. ex Guill & Fresh bark is chewed to cure cough; gum is used during winter season as well as Perr. Combretaceae Dhawari after delivery in the form of laddu. Arisaema tortuosumate Schott Fresh tuber decoction with curd is taken in the morning to cure laryngitis in Araceae Akal kara children. Bombax ceiba L. Bombacaceae Sibal Decoction of Bombax ceiba stem bark and Abelmoschus esculentus root is taken orally by males to regenerate fertility. Boswellia serrata Roxb. ex Cocls. Fresh fruits or dried fruits crushed on stones and is taken with 1 hen egg to cure Burseraceae Salar scorpion bite. Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taubert. Fresh stem bark gum is taken to cure diarrhoea. Papilionaceae Khankara Capparis decidua (Forsk.) Edgew. Fresh root juice is applied to nose to cure headache. Capparaceae Kair Cassia fistula L. Caesalpiniaceae Dhedia Fresh or dried fruits are kept below pillow to keep away the dreadful dreams, mango fruits are kept in the flowers of Cassia fistula for reducing their bitterness. Chlorophytum tuberosum (Roxb.) Baker Fasciculated dried roots are used in the preparation of laddu with gum of Liliaceae Dholi musali Anogeissus latifolia; laddu are taken during winter season to cure general debility. Fresh tubers are eaten by shepherd children for sweet taste; as tonic against indigestion. Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. Hypoxidaceae Root extract mixed with diluted curd (chhachh) is taken to cure diarrhoea. Moosli Curcuma amada Roxb. Zingiberaceae One fresh inflorescence is smelled as well as rubbed on head to cure headache. Shankariya Cyperus rotundus L. Cyperaceae Sinya Five to ten fresh stems are chewed and juice is sucked orally to treat the water snakebite. Dendrophthoe falcata (L.f.) Etting In bone fracture, the bones are readjusted and tide over the fractured organ with Loranthaceae Doodhi the leaves; leaf decoction is given for dewormification the cattle stomach. Dioscorea bulbifera L. Dioscoreaceae Fresh tuber decoction is given to cattle to cure stomach pain. Vahrikand Ehretia laevis Roxb. Ehretiaceae Bark juice given just after delivery relives delivery pain; leaf paste is applied on Tambolan the cuts for early healing. Enicostema axillare (Lam.) Roynal Gentianaceae One to two drops of juice of fresh leaves is applied in eyes to cure insect bite. Kiramari Erythrina stricta Roxb. Papilionaceae Juice from fresh or dried flowers is given orally for abortion. Kesuri (Contd.) 356 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 10, NO 2, APRIL 2011

Table 2―Ethnomedicinal plants used by the Garasia tribes ―Contd Plant name/ Family/ local name Uses Euphorbia hirta L. Euphorbiaceae Kalia Latex is applied on pimples to cure from pimples. Feronia limonia Swingle Rutaceae Kaitha Leaf decoction is used for children bath for curing skin diseases; fresh mature fruits are eaten to keep stomach free from disease. Grewia abutilifolia Vent. ex. Juss Tiliaceae In bone fracture, root decoction is given orally to human beings as well as to Gangchi animals. Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch Leaf decoction is used for bath for curing skin diseases; fresh leaf paste is applied Ulmaceae Sil, Kanjeri below the rotten hoofs to kills the germs in animals. Ipomoea aquatica Forsk. Convolvulaceae Boiled fresh leaves are taken orally to cure the fractured bone. Rassa patti Launaea procumbens (Roxb.) Ramayya & Rajagopal Warmed leaves are tide around the neck during night to treat goitre. Asteraceae Lampri Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Forsk.) Decne. Stem sap is applied on mouth ulcers. Asclepiadaceae Khimp Madhuca indica J.F. Gmelin Sapotaceae Mori Fresh leaves are used as a bandage on muscular injury. Bread prepared from dried corolla mixed with wheat flour is eaten with butter to cure weakness. Maize grains mixed with corolla are given to ox to cure weakness. Seed oil is laxative and is also applied to itchy skin. Miliusa tomentosa (Roxb.) J. Sinclair (Fig. 2) Fresh and mature fruits are given for during summer to cure weakness in Annonaceae Ubiya children. Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L. Oleaceae Tomati, Hanti Crushed leaves are applied on skin to cure ringworms of the pinna (outer ear). Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre Papilionaceae Dried seeds powder dissolved in ten litre of water is used to wash hairs to kill Karngia lice. Soymida febrifuga (Roxb.) A. Juss. Meliaceae Fresh or dried bark is boiled in water till the colour of water turns yellow; bark is Rohini tied and extract is applied on the affected part. Leaves are given to goat for lactation. Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. Combretaceae Fruit powder is given to cure stomachache. Leaves are eaten by goats to increase Bahira lactation. Terminalia catappa L. Combretaceae Hadria Fresh bark juice is sucked with nose to cure cough and cold. Toona ciliata Roem. MeliaceaeMolla, Bhurla Fresh leaves tied on stomach as bandage of a pregnant lady reduces swelling on stomach during pregnancy. Wattakaka volubilis (L. f.) Stapf (Fig. 3) Fresh root juice is taken to cure fever headache cough cold and vomiting during Asclepiadaceae Bhainsa dodi fever.

Figs. (1-3) ―Map of the study area; 2. Miliusa tomentosa; 3. Wattakaka volubilis. Discussion negligence from both sides (tribal as well as Efforts were made for collecting ethnobotanical Government), cost of allopathy and have deep faith of information from Garasia tribals dominated district these communities in their old treatise and traditions. Sirohi of the Rajasthan by organizing field visits. It is interesting to note that some plants have their During the survey, medicinal value of the plants was new medicinal uses. This plants like Alangium discussed with different age group at different salvifolium, Annona squamosa, Boswellia serrata and localities of the district. Persons above 50-60 yrs of Cyperus rotundus are used to cure snake as well as age had more traditional knowledge about medicinal scorpion bite, respectively. Some species such as plants. These tribals are dependent upon herbal Arisaema tortuosumate, Bombax ceiba, Butea practices due to lack of communication and monosperma, Cassia fistula, Curcuma amada, MEENA & YADAV: ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY THE GARASIA TRIBE OF RAJASTHAN 357

Dioscorea bulbifera, Enicostema axillare, Feronia 5 Abbas JA, El-Oqlash AA & Mahasneh AM, Herbal plants in limonia, Launaea procumbens, Nyctanthes arbor- the traditional medicine of Bahrain, Econ Bot, 46 (1992) 153. 6 Mannandher NP, An inventory of some herbal drugs of tristis and Wattakaka volubilis are used in laryngitis Myagdi district Nepal, Econ Bot, 49 (1995) 371. in children, to increase fertility in men, diarrhoea, 7 Hedge R, Suryaprakash S, Achoth L & Bawa KS, Extraction dreadful dreams, headache, stomachache in cattle, of non-timber forest products in the forest of Biligiri Rangan insectbite, stomachache in human being, goiter, Hills India: 1 Contribution to rural income, Econ Bot, 50 ringworm and fevers, respectively 7-22. This is (1996) 243. 8 Singh GS, A contribution of ethnomedicine of district clearly prove that most of plants are remained of Rajasthan, Ethnobotany, 11 (1999) 97. undocumented ethnobotanically. On the other hand, 9 Sebastian MK & Bhandari MM, Medico-ethnobotany of Mt some of the well known plants reported from the Abu, Rajasthan, J Ethnopharmacol, 12 (1984) 233. treatment of various diseases in different part of India 10 Sebastian MK & Bhandari MM, Medicinal plant lore of Rajasthan, Bull Med Ethnobot Res, 5 (3-4) have also been reported from district Sirohi Rajasthan (1988) 133. to have same or similar uses11. The study prove that 11 Joshi P, Ethnobotany of the Primitive Tribes in Rajasthan, tribals of this localities are not only adept in using (Printwell, ), 1995. plants specifically occurring in this region. Report of 12 Singh V & Panday RP, Medicinal plant lore of the tribals so many new uses clearly underlines the importance of eastern Rajasthan, J Econ Taxon Bot, 1 (1980) 137. 13 Katewa SS & Arora A, Some plants of folk medicine of of such study in all tribal residing districts. The Udaipur district, Rajasthan, Ethnobotany, 9 (1997) 48. findings of this study can provide useful leads for 14 Katewa SS, Chaudhary BL, Jain A & Galav PK, Traditional pharmacological, conformation of these reported uses uses of plant biodiversity from Aravalli hills of Rajasthan, which might in time become useful for mankind. Indian J Tradit Knowle, 2 (2003) 1. 15 Trivedi PC, Ethno-medicinal plants of Rajasthan State India, In: Ethnobotany, (Aavishkar Publishers & Distributors, Acknowledgement Jaipur), 2002, 412. Authors are highly thankful to all the tribal 16 Sharma NK, Ethno-medico-religious plants of Hadoti Plateau (SE Rajasthan) - A Preliminary Survey, In: Ethnobotany, informants for their cooperation and help during the edited by Trivedi PC, (Aavishkar Publishers & Distributors, study. Help rendered by Shree Jetha Ram Ji, Laxman Jaipur), 2002, 394. Ram Ji, Limba Ram Ji, Modan Ji, Nana Ram Ji, Ram 17 Jain A, Katewa SS & Galav PK, Some Phytotherapeutic Chandra Ji, Salira Ram Ji and Vikram Ji is thankfully claims by tribals of southern Rajasthan, Indian J Traditional Knowledge, 4 (3) 2005, 291. acknowledged. Thanks are also due to Shri Bhanwar 18 Hamilton A, The People and Plants Initiative, In: Singh Ji Meena, Additional Superintendent of Police; Ethnobotany: Methods and Manual, edited by Martin GJ, district Sirohi for his cooperation during these studies. (WWF International, Chapman & Hall, London) 1995, 10.

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