BULL. BOT. SURV. Vol. 43, Nos. 1-4 : pp. 195- 197,2001

ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS USED AGAINST DIABETES AT DISTRICT IN ORISSA (INDIA)

S. K. SEN,N. B. PRADHANAND L.M.BEHERA*

Department of Botany. Panchayat College. Bargarh

ABSTRACT

This paper deals with 11 plant species of ethnomedicinal value used to manage diabetes by the people residing in the forests of Barapahad and in Bargarh district, Orissa. The data presented in this paper has been collected by personal contact with different medicine men. Voucher specimens are deposited in the herbarium of Botany Department, Panchayat College, Bargarh, Orissa.

INTRODUCTION Bargarh district is situated between latitude 20°40' and 2 1°49' North and longitude plants play as a bebeen 82045' and 83048' East, me district role in human life. Rural people and forest is enrich with wonderful and .valuable dwellers are utilizing medicinal plants for medicinal plants mostly found in the hills of preventive and curative purpose of various ailments. Barapahad and Gandhamardan. The Barapahad is situated towards the north-east Diabetes is a disease due to of Bargarh district and is extending over an physiological disorders, That is why millions area of 347 km2. Debrigarh Sanctuary is a of people are suffering from diabetes all over part of the hills, The Gandhamardan hills the world. A number of plants or plant parts are mentioned as antidiabetic agents in extend over an area of 300 km2 and located various literatures like Indian Medicinal in south-eastern part of the district. In 1963, Plants (Kirtikar and Basu, 198 l), The Useful G. Panigrahi describe Gmdhamardan as the Plants oflndia (Ambasta et a[. 1992), realGandhamardanofRamayanaepicfame Medicinal Plants (Jain, 1994), Glossary of and reporetd to 220 medicinal plants species Indian Medicinal Plants (Chopra et al. 1996). with their medicinal value from this area. Date of receipt : 20/10/2000. Date of acceptance : 22/02/2001. *P. G. Deptt. of Botany, Rajendra College. Bobngir. BULLETIN OF THE BOTANICAL SURVEY OF INDIA [Val, 43

MATERIALS AND METHODS The seeds (red variety) are crushed in a iron mortar and pestle. The power (1-2 tea- Ethnobotanical field studies were con- spoonful) with lemon juice (112- l teaspoon- ducted in different villages during 1992-1996. hl) is taken with warm water once daily in The traditional healers, kabirajas and vaidyas empty stomach for 2 1 days. belonging to the tribe 'Kondha' and 'Gondl and other ethnic communi'ties were contacted 5. Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre. (Fabaceae) for information regarding medicinal uses of "Karanj" . the plant species. The plant species collected during the field studies are preserved in the The flowers (120 gm) are boiled to ob- herbarium of Botany Department, Panchayat tain a decoction. The decoction (40-60 ml) is College, Bargarh. taken once daily in empty stomach.

A list of 1 1 plants used to manage diabe- 6. Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) R. Br. ex tes are enumerated here in alphabetical order Schultz (Asclepiadaceae) "Gudmari". with their botanical names, families, local names and uses. The leaves (12g) of the plant and the leaves (12g) of Syzygium cumini are boiled 1. Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr, ex Roxb. together in two cups of water. The decoction (Rutaceae) "Bel". (half a cup) with honey (1 teaspoonhl) is Fresh leaf extract (15 ml) with honey (1 taken in the morning for one month. The leaf teaspoonful) is taken thrice daily for one extract (1 teaspoonful) and the fruit powder month. (1 teaspoonful) of Trigonella foenum- graecunz is taken twice daily before meals. 2.Ananus comosus (L.) Merr. (Bromeliaceae) "Sapri" . 7. Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae) "Am". Ripe hitjuice (half a cup) is taken daily. The leaf powder (5g) is taken once daily in empty stomach. 3. Azadirachta indicrr A. Juss. (Meliaceae) "Leem" 8. Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) Fresh leaf extract (5 to 25 ml) with honey "Mirnga" The root decoction (1 tea- (5 to 10 ml.) is taken once in the morning. spoonhl) is taken twice daily.

4. Cicer arietinum L. (Fabaceae) 9. Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. 'lTiasicharia". (Fabaceae) "Bija". 20013 SEN, PRADHAN AND BEHERA : ETHNOMEDICMAL PLANTS IN ORISSA

The wood powder (1 kg) is boiled in 16 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS litres of water to obtain a decoction. It is fil- tered and the filterate is boiled again to get a The authors are thankful to Mr. B. N. paste. It is dried and powdered. The powder Hota, D.F.O., Afforestation Division, (250 mg) is taken twice daily. Bolangir and Mr. P. Sahu of Botany Dept., Panchayat College, Bargarh for their kind 10. Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels help during the survey, collection of speci- (Myx-taceae) "Jamu". mens and preparation of herbarium.

The seed powder (3g) is taken thrice a REFERENCES day. The fresh leaf extract (6ml) is taken twice daily. AMBASTA,S.P., K. RAMACHANDRAN,K. KASHYAPA 11. Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers. AND"R. CHAND.The Useful Plants of India. Pub- (Menispermaceae) "Gulchi". lication and Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi, 1992. The stem (30g) and the fruit (30g) of PhyIlanthus emblica are boiled together. The CHOPRA,R.N., S.L. NAYARAND I.C. CHOPRA.G~os- decoction (60 ml) with a pinch of turmeric sary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Repn. Edn.) powder is taken twice daily. National Institute of Science Communication CSIR., New Delhi, 1996. DISCUSSION JAM,S.K. Medicinal Plants (Rqn. Edn.) National The ethnobotanical study of Bargarh dis- Book Trust, India. New Delhi, 1994. trict reveals that both Barapahad and Gandhamardan hills are with rare and valu- KIRTIKAR,K. R. AND B. D. BASU.Indian Medicinal able medicinal plant resources and need ad- Plants (Repr. Ed.) Vol. 1-4. ~ajOffset Press, equate conservation (Sen & Pradhan, 1999). Delhi, 1981. This paper deals with 1 1 plant species used in diabetes by the tribals and other ethnic PANIGRAHI,G. Gwharmardan Ptubat bt.i~sa-~Po- communities of Bargarh district. The method tential source of imwrtmt indigenous! drug. of uses and doses administered reported in Bull. Reg. Res. Lab. Jammu. 1 : 1 i 1 1 16.1963. this paper are restricted to the tribals and other ethnic communities. The'process of extrac- SEN,S.K. AND N.B. PRADHAN.Conservation of tion of the active principles of these plants Ethnomedicinal Plants of Bargarh District in should be standarised for safe uses. Orissa. Ad. Plant Sci. 12(1) : 207-2 13, 1999,