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Sacred Plants with Medicinal Uses

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Sacred Plants with Medicinal Uses Bio-Science Research Bulletin Print version ISSN 0970 0889 http://www.bpasjournals.com Online version ISSN 2320 3161 DOI: 10.5958/2320-3161.2021.00003.1 Original Research Article Vol. 37 No. 1, January-June 2021: P.12-16 Sacred Plants with Medicinal Uses R.K. Choudhary ABSTRACT India is a country of farmers and festivals. On every Author’s Affiliation: occasion there is a festival (with various names in different Head, Department of Botany, R.L.S.Y. parts of country) with rituals. Many God and Goddess College, Aurangabad, Bihar 824101, have been worshipped here. Whole plant or plant parts India such as twigs, leaves, bark, buds, flowers, fruit, seeds etc have been utilized by peoples during worshipping. This *Corresponding author: report discussed about eight plant species named as Ficus R.K. Choudhary, religiosa, Prosopis cineraria, Emblica officinalis, Mangifera Head, Department of Botany, R.L.S.Y. indica, Curcuma longa, Oryza sativa, Hordeum vulgare and College, Aurangabad, Bihar 824101, Triticum aestivum and its parts utilized in Aurangabad India district in religious rituals and ceremonies. These plants E-mail: also have medicinal values, used for treatment of various [email protected] diseases. Received on 22.02.2021 KEYWORDS: Plants, Rituals, Medicinal, Diseases. Accepted on 24.05.2021 INTRODUCTION conducted for recording the plant and plants parts utilized in worshipping god and Plants fulfill the basic necessities of human life goddess on different occasions. Local peoples, i.e. Roti, Kapadaaur Makan (Food, Cloth and priest, saint, sadhus, shopkeepers have been Shelter) from ancient period. Peoples utilized contacted during the survey. Author also various plants or its parts in different ways for visited the temples and recorded the utilized keeping himself fit and fine. Purposes of plant parts in form of twigs, leaves, flower, utilization of plants or its parts are obtaining bark, fruit etc. For knowledge about the nutrients, vitamins, fibres, medicines etc. for medicinal uses of these plants and plant parts healthy life in low cost with least or no side Vaidya, Ojha, Guni, herbal shopkeepers were effects. contacted. Various published literature are also concerned. For psychological satisfaction, good health and wealth traditionally man pray the various Enumeration god and goddess in daily life. In religious Data of sacred plants are arranged in rituals like Yagya, Puja, Vrat etc. man utilized following sequences. Botanical name, family, various plants and its parts for protection, vernacular name, availability status, perfection and betterment of life (Dixit 1997, characteristics, medicinal uses and parts Ghate 1998, Pandey 1989, Schultes and utilized for worship. Hoffman 1979, Sinha 1979 and Dhiman 2003). Present paper deals with the use of eight RESULT AND DISCUSSION plants and plant parts utilized to worship the god and goddess by peoples of Aurangabad This report includes about the eight most (Bihar). important plants species used in worship and have much medicinal properties. According to MATERIALS AND METHODS Mahrishi Charak there is no plant without medicinal values same is the belief that if we Regular survey of different regions of use any plant for performing Puja, it has the Aurangabad of Bihar like Deo, Madanpur, potential to improve the health and piece. Amba, Daudnagar, Haspura, Goh, Rafiganj, Obra, Barun, Nabinagar etc. has been Sacred Plants with Medicinal Uses table, Bark of roots and stem are used in 1. Ficus religiosa L (Moraceae, Pipal) dysentery/diarrhea (Joshi et al., 2003). Extract Wild/ planted, large, perennial tree, Dicot, tap from unripe pod, ameliorate artificially- root, erect, branched, simple petiolated leaf induced damage to testes in an animal model with entire margin and acute leaf tip, (Ramalinganam et al., 2020). reticulate venation, hypostomatic and stomata – paracytic and anomocytic. Inflorescence: It is used for worshipping Dusshera (Goddess Hypanthodium. Durga) festival (Edward 1932). Women worship whole plant on Saturday. Leaf Chemical present in stem bark is phenols, utilized to worship shivling (Shankarji). Wood flavonoids, tannins, steroids, alkaloids, Beta- utilized in hawan. Leaf also utilized in sitosteryl- D- glucoside, vitamin K, Lanosterol, Ganesha Puja. n- octacosanol, methyl oleanolate. stigmasterol, lupen-3-one (Sheetal et al., 2008). 3. Emblica officinalis Gaertn (Phyllanthaceae, Amla) In root bark chemicals present are Beta- Wild/planted deciduous tree. Pinnate sitosteryl-D-glucoside (showed hypoglycemic compound leaves. Flowers are unisexual but effect in fasting). both types of flowers i.e. male and female flowers borne on same tree. Colour of flowers Fruit contain protein having the essential are pale green and borne in clusters. amino acids, phenylalanine and isoleucine (Oliver, 1977). All parts of the plant i.e. Root, leaf, bark, flowers, fruits and seeds are used in different Plant showed antiulcer, antibacterial (bark) herbal preparations. antdiabetic, antidiarrhoeal properties used in treatment of skin diseases (leaves) and Fruit is astringent (Kashya) and sour in taste gonorrhea. It is useful in colic, asthma, with sweet, pungent and bitter secondary constipation and whooping cough (Kumari, tastes, have light and dry qualities. It’s post 2016). Leaves are antivenum. It helps in digestive effect is sweet and energy is cooling, regulating the menstrual cycle (Kalpana, 2009, so specially utilized in pitta (Ayurveda). It Chopra et al., 1958). It also used for treatment balancesvata (due to sour taste) and kapha of cancer, inflammation and infectious (due to astringent taste and drying action). It diseases (Uddin et al., 2009). Tender branches may be used as a rejuvenative rasayana to used as tooth brush in high fever. Fruits used promote longevity. It enhance digestion, as laxatives (Shah, 1982). Latex used as tonic. purify blood, treat constipation, alleviate Fruit powder has been utilized to treat asthma, reduced fever and cough, strengthen asthma (Singh et al., 2002, Ananda and heart, stimulate hair growth, enliven the Kunjani 2000). Fruits are purgative and used body and increases intellect. It is beneficial for in heart diseases (Dhiman, 2003). Dried leaf the eyes. Dry fruits have been used to treat powder is mixed with water and taken orally diarrhoea and dysentery. Seeds are beneficial to get relief from body pain (Kumari, 2016). in asthma. In Ayurvedic polyhedral Bark powder is applied to wounds (Joshi et al., formulations, amla is a common constituent. 2003). In Chawanprash, it is the primary ingredient. Liquor from fruits is useful in heart troubles, Whole plant worshipped during Vishnu and indigestion, jaundice and anemia (Kumari, Pitrapuja. Women worship the plant on 2016). The fruit are chief source of vitamin C. Saturday and Shomi Amawasya. It has dietary and culinary uses. It is used in anemia, jaundice, hyperacidity, urinal 2. Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce anomalies, diarrhea, eye inflammation, cough, (Mimosaceae, Shammi) leucorrhea and liver complaints. It possesses Wild/ planted tree with 3-5 m height. antibacterial, antifungal, antiatherosclerotic, Bipinnate compound leaves with 7-14 leaflets. antidiarrheal, antidiabetic, antiviral, Branches are thorned. Small, creamy, yellow antihypercholesterolemia, antioxidant, coloured flowers and pod fruit. It shows antimutagenic, antiulcerogenic, antianemia, tolerance of highly saline and alkaline antiinflammatory, antipyretic, antitussive, condition and act as indicator of a deep water antiatherogenic characteristics. 13 Bio-Science Research Bulletin / Volume 37 Number 1 / January-June 2021 R.K. Choudhary It is hypolipidemic, analgesic, adaptogenic, ceremonies as a number of at least five types immunomodulatory, gastroprotective, of fruits. Wood utilized to prepare prasad hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, during Khai-Nahai, Chhath and other neuroprotective having free radical festivals. Young twigs utilized as tooth brush scavenging, wound healing and snake venom (datwan) before breaking the fasting. neutralizing properties (Baliga and Rao, 2019.) 5. Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae, Haldi, Whole plant worshiped in Akshaya Navami. Turmeric) Fruits are a part of sup during Ardhya of sun Cultivated, annual plant with rhizome in Chhath Puja. (Utilized for propagation and spices). 4. Mangifera indica L. (Anacardiaceae, Aam, It is used in the traditional and folk medicine Mango) for the cure of inflammation, infectious diseases, and gastric hepatic and blood Wild/ planted perennial, branched tree with disorders. Paste of Haldi Powder mixed with tap root system. Leaves are simple with entire small amount of chunna paste and applied in margin and reticulate venation. Flowering swelling parts during chot-moch etc. for (mojar) takes place at the end of winter and restoring normal condition. Small quantity of beginning of spring. Male, female and neutral Haldi powder with milk, intake once a daily flowers borne on same tree. It is the national for protection from bacterial and viral diseases tree of Bangladesh and national fruit of India, like N-Covid 19 etc. Pakistan and Philippines. Fruit is greenish yellow coloured irregular drupe have egg Amajor polyphenol curcumin, extracted shaped, round, oval, heart or kidney shaped fromits rhizome. It has antimicrobial, structure with 8-12 cm length. It’s interior antioxidant, antitumor, antiinflammatory and flesh is bright orange and soft with a large, flat hepatoprotective activities. pit in the middle for location of seed. Common popular varieties
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