Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 5(3), July 2006, pp. 310-313

Ethnomedicinal knowledge among Tharu tribe of Devipatan division

Akhilesh Kumar*, D D Tewari & J P Tewari Post Graduate Deportment of Botany, MLK (PG) College, 271 201, E-mail: [email protected] Received 21 December 2004; revised 19 December 2005

Rich phytogenic diversity and Tharu tribal population characterize Devipatan division situated in Terai belt of Uttar Pradesh. Tharu tribe endowed with vast knowledge of medicinal plants have strong believes in supernatural powers (magicotherapeutic properties) of plants in the treatment or prevention of various ailments. An attempt has been made to document the ethnophytotherapeutics and folk claims. Key words: Ethnomedicine, Folk medicine, Medicinal plants, Terai region, Tharu tribe, Uttar Pradesh IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A61P1/02, A61P1/16, A61P11/00, A61P15/00, A61P15/06,A61P17/02, A61P27/00, A61P27/02, A61P29/00, A61P29/02, A61P31/00, A61P33/02, A61P33/06, A61P39/02

Indigenous remedies have originated directly or Devipatan division is very rich in forest resources. indirectly from folklore’s rituals, magic, and The total forest cover of the division is 1,75,399 ha. superstitions1. The practice of oral tradition is still According to 1991 census, the Tharu population in prevalent among the tribes. In Devipatan division, the Devipatan division was 24,670, distributed in districts Tharu tribe uses many plant species for healthcare (6,110), (3,340) and Balrampur practices and have enormous knowledge about their (15,180). The Tharu population was negligible in medicinal usage. The knowledge, which is mostly . They live along Indo-Nepal border in undocumented, is transmitted orally from generation a number of forested villages. to generation2-9. Since due to various reasons, both natural resources and Tharu culture are depleting at Methodology an alarming rate, therefore, there is urgent need to Extensive and intensive survey during 2000-2003 explore and document this unique and indigenous was made in Tharuhat (Tharu areas) of Devipatan knowledge before it is lost forever. Keeping this in division covering 46 villages to collect the mind, the present study was undertaken for ethnomedicinal information and herbarium documentation of ethnomedicinal knowledge of specimens. All the ethnomedicinal information and Tharu tribe. associated folk claims were collected either by Gonda, Balrampur, Shravasti and Bahraich districts contacting the local healers (Guruwa), village constitute Devipatan division in Northeastern Terai headmen, elderly persons having through knowledge belt of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Devipatan was named of plants and plants based remedy. Knowledgeable after goddess Pateswari Devi, a famous Siddhipeeth persons were interviewed and various ethnobotanical described in Garun Puran9. Devipatan division lies aspects, i.e. utilization, domestication, conservation and phytoworship practices for each plant were between 26° 48′ and 29° 24′ N and 81° 30′ and 82° recorded. The collected plant specimens were 40′ E and comprises 14,229.10 Km2 (4.83%) area of deposited in the PG Department of Botany, MLK PG Uttar Pradesh. Devipatan division is bounded by College, Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh10-16. territory of Nepal in North, Basti division in East, by division in South and by division Enumeration in West (Fig. 1). Shivalic range of Himalaya in North During present study, 31 ethnomedicinal claims and river Ghaghra in West and South makes the were documented. These ethnomedicinal claims are natural boundary of the division. enumerated alphabetically according to their botanical ______name followed family, vernacular names and *Corresponding author utilization. KUMAR et al.: ETHNOMEDICINAL KNOWLEDGE OF THARU TRIBE OF DEVIPATAN DIVISION 311

Achyranthes aspera L. (Amaranthaceae); Latzeera, Bacopa monnieri (L) Penn. syn. Herpestis monnieri (L) Lahchichira HBK (Scrophulariceae); Brahmi Uses: Pills made from leaves and gur (jaggery) are Uses: A poultice of boiled plant is applied given orally twice a day in intermittent fever. Root is tied externally on child chest to cure cough. with the left side of woman hair for easy delivery. Root piece is worn in right ear to keep scorpions Brassica campestris L. (Brassicaceae); Sarson away. Root is tied in the waist to cure dysentery. Uses: 5 gm seed with Lohbaan is used to fumigate victim suffering from evil eyes. Aegle mormelos (L). Corr. (Rutaceae); Bel Uses: Twig with fruit intact is hung on the southern Butea monosperma (Lamk.) Taub. (Fabaceae); Palas wall of home after delivery to keep evil spirits away. Uses: Bath of dried flowers soaked in water is Wood is kept burning at the door of delivery room to taken as preventive measures against sunstroke. protect the new born and mother from evil spirits. Calotropis gigantea (L.) R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae); Allium cepa L. (Liliaceae); Piyaz Safed Madar, Akahuwa Uses: Bulb extract prevents from sunstroke. Uses: Two and half leaves are put on forehead of woman for easy delivery. A. sativum L. (Liliaceae); Lahsun Uses: 7 bulb lets are touched with sty one by one to Datura metel L. (Solanaceae); Dhatoora cure sty of eye. Uses: Seeds wrapped into cloth made into belt and tied on waist of pregnant woman to prevent abortion. Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae); Neem Uses: Wood fumigation is used as protective Euphorbia antiquorum L. (Euphorbiaceae); Sehund measures against abortion. Tree trunk embraced 7 Uses: Latex is applied over navel to achieve easy times makes scorpion poison ineffective. delivery. 312 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 5, No. 3, JULY 2006

Emblica officinalis Gaertn. syn. Phyllanthus emblica Syzygium heyneanum wall. (Myrtaceae); Kat-Jamun, L. (Euphorbiaceae); Aonwala Rai- Jamun, Madanua Uses: A small piece of twig is worn into neck to Uses: Stem bark decoction is used against cure toothache. sunstroke.

Holoptelea integrifolia (Roxb.) Planch. (Ulmaceae); Tamarindus indica L. (Caesalpiniaceae); Imli Chilbil Uses: Tender twigs made into ring are worn into Uses: Stem bark is tied on arm to cure hydrocoel. left index finger of woman for easy delivery.

Loranthus longiflorus Desr. (Loranthaceae); Banda Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers. Uses: Plant protects children from eyes evil. (Menispermaceae); Gurch, Giloy Uses: Aerial roots pieces are worn around neck to Launaea procumbens (Roxb.) Ram. & Raj. cure jaundice and snakebite. (Asteraceae); Bangobhi Uses: Leaf paste is applied over forehead of Trianthema portulacastrum L. (Aizoaceae); children during fever. Gadapunna Uses: Root is tied in left hand to cure malaria. Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae); Aam Uses: Inflorescence is massaged on hands on as Xanthium strumarium L. (Asteraceae); Kuthuru protective measures against scorpion sting and Uses: Leaf is tied at left hand wrist to cure malaria. snakebite. Seeds are worn around children neck to cure chronic conjunctivitis and inflammation of eye. Mimosa pudica L. (Mimosaceae); Chhui-mui Uses: Root is put upon head of weeping sleepless Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk. (Rhamnaceae); Ber, Bair child for quick relief. Uses: Leaf is touched 7 times with sty by one to cure sty of eye. Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L. (Oleaceae); Harsinghar Uses: Leaf; paste is applied on forehead of children Discussion in fever. From earliest times people have made use of plants for their basic needs, sustenance, medicare and Nymphaea pubescens L. (Nymphaeaceae); Chota livelihood. Some plants used by people are cultivated, Kamal while others grow in wild conditions. The Tribals Uses: Root is tied on waist of pregnant woman to depend predominantly on plants for food, clothing, avoid abortion. housing, medicine, oil, agricultural implements, art & crafts, and a host of other requirements17. Tharu tribe Ocimum canum Sims. (Lamiaceae); Bantulsi has superstitious believes on some plants and 31 plant Uses: Chopped stem pieces are worn around neck species were found to be tied/worn on the body parts to cure respiratory problems. to cure various ailments. Plant species were also used to prevent abortion, achieve easy delivery, eye, gastric Ocimum sanctum L. (Lamiaceae); Tulsi and respiratory problems, fever, antidote for snake Uses: Leaf paste is applied over navel of the mother and scorpion bites, sunstroke, arthritis, hydrocoel, to protect the baby in womb from evil eyes. toothache, cough, dysentery, jaundice, induce sleep and sexual power. It is hoped that chemical analysis Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae); Andi, Rendi of these plants and their pharmacotherapeutics will Uses: Slightly worm leaf coated with mustered oil provide much needed lead for further research and is applied externally on chest and stomach to cure new drug development. pneumonia.

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