Hundred Common Forest Medicinal Plants of Karnataka in Primary Healthcare
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Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 9 (1), January 2010, pp. 90-95 Hundred common forest medicinal plants of Karnataka in primary healthcare Shiddamallayya N*, Azra Yasmeen & K Gopakumar Regional Research Institute (Ay), Ashoka Pillar, Jayanagar, Bangalore 560 011Karnataka E-mail: [email protected] Received 16 January 2007; revised 30 October 2008 The hilly regions of Western Ghat in Karnataka supported to have several thousands of medicinal plants along with other rich flora and fauna. It also helped to develop traditional knowledge and folklore of medicine to cure various diseases and ailments. This knowledge is used by supplier, agents and pharmaceuticals to exploit the rich forest resource in the form of raw drugs. The collection of drugs from natural condition is helping to generate employment to the families, which are living below the poverty line in the cover of forest. From the available, commonly available and regular in use medicinal plants of forests were selected for the study. Information was collected from local people, Vaidyas , physicians and literature about plant name, family, local name, Sanskrit name, parts used and uses to cure various health related problems Keywords: Folklore, Forest, Healthcare, Medicinal plants, Traditional knowledge IPC Int. Cl. 8: A61K36/00, A61P1/08, A61P1/10, A61P1/16, A61P5/00, A61P5/50, A61P9/14, A61P11/00, A61P17/00, A61P29/00, A61P39/02 India is one of the twelve centers of mega diversity areas Methodology of the world with two biodiversity hotspots, viz. Western Medico-ethnobotanical survey work was carried Ghat and Eastern Ghat 1. India is also blessed with rich out in ten districts of southern region and one district and diverse heritage of cultural traditions. Few are of northern region of Karnataka, viz. Mysore, associated with the use of wild plants as medicinal herbs. Most of common medicinal plants are found in the forest. The use of medicinal herbs is still a traditional, continued by ethnic communities who are living in undulating planes and at foothills of dense forests. From ancient times in India, the importance of herbal and folk medicines in the treatments of various ailments are well known. Traditional knowledge of human health and medicines has recently become a major global concern 2. In India, about 3,000–3,500 medicinal plants are used by traditional healers 3,4 . Most of these are found growing wild in different climatic regions of the country. The tribal and rural populations of India are to a large extent dependent on medicinal plants for healthcare 3. The Karnataka state lies between 11 0 10 and 18 0 25 N latitude and 74 0 10 and 750 35 E longitudes (Fig.1). It has total land area of 1, 92,204 sq km. The total forest area of the state is 35,365 sq km, which is about 18.4% of the total geographical area. The hilly ranges of Western ghats runs from North to South along a narrow belt of over 300 km coastal line in the West. It enjoys a monsoon tropical climate and the rainfall ranges from 150-750 cm in the heavy rainfall zone of the Malanad region, viz. Agumbe. _____________ Corresponding author Fig 1 Location map of survey area SHIDDAMALLAYYA et al .: MEDICINAL PLANTS OF KARNATAKA IN PRIMARY HEALTHCARE 91 Table 1 Common forest medicinal plants of Karnataka Plant name/Family Local/ Sanskrit name Uses Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet. Shreemudre/ Whole plant in inflammation, urinary diseases; bark diuretic; Malvaceae Atibala leaf in piles. Acacia nilotica (v) Willd. Karijali/Babbula Bark in wounds, haemorrhage, dental disorders and skin Mimosaceae diseases. Fruit in cough, dysentery and piles. Acalypha indica L. Kuppi/ Whole plant in toothache, loss of appetite, cough, burns, Euphorbiaceae Aritta manjarie piles, skin eruptions, ear and urinary diseases. Achyranthes aspera L. Uttharani/ Root in piles, difficult labour, eye disease, wounds and Amaranthaceae Apamarga jaundice. Seed in sinus, ear disease, renal problems and stomach disorders. Acorus calamus L. Baje/ Vacha Rhizome in diarrhoea, epilepsy, headache, wound, eye Araceae disease, piles, indigestion, acid gastritis, heart disease, rat poisoning, mental elements, psychosis and typhoid. Adhatoda zeylanica Medic. Aadu soge/ Leaf in diarrhoea, dysentery, glandular tumours, fever, Acanthaceae Vasaka vomiting. Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr. Bilva pathre/ Fruit in diarrhoea, stomach disorders, jaundice, vomiting, Rutaceae Bilva obesity, deafness, eye diseases, pediatric diseases, fever, digestive problems and piles. Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. Bilihindeesoppu/ Root in cough, sore throat, diabetes, wounds, piles, cardiac Amaranthaceae Paashan bedha diseases, pain. Albizia lebbeck (L.) Willd. Hombage/ Bark in boils; flower as antidote for snakebite, food poisoning Mimosaceae Bhandi and dental disorders. Seed in wound caused by insects and spider and eye troubles. Aloe vera L. Lole sara/Kumari Leaves in piles, vomiting and blood disorders. Liliaceae Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br. Maddale/ Leaf in beri beri; flower in bronchial asthma; latex in ulcers, Apocynaceae Saptaparna tumors and swelling. Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R.Br. Honagone/ Whole plant in an intellectual-promoting, night blindness, Amaranthaceae Matsyaksi leprosy and fever. Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall. Nela bevu/ Whole plant in cholera, diabetes, influenza, itches and piles. Acanthaceae Bhoonimba Areca catechu L. Adike mara/ Fruit in intrinsic hemorrhage, nerve system diseases, worm Arecaceae Guvaaka infection, dental diseases and constipation. Asparagus racemosus Willd. Aashadi/ Root in diarrhoea, cough, piles, fever, defects in vision, Liliaceae Shatavari epilepsy, urinary diseases, hyperacidity, diseases of nervous system, gastritis, diabetes and cough; leaf in skin diseases. Azadirachta indica A.Juss. Bevu/Nimba Whole plant in piles, wound, skin diseases, eye diseases, Meliaceae toothache and antiseptic. Bacopa monnieri (L.) Penn. Neeru brahmi/ Whole plant in insanity, epilepsy, pox, improves intelligence, Scrophularaceae Brahmi fever, cough and inflammations. Bauhinia variegata L. Kempu kanchivaala/ Root in obesity; bark in pox and ulcers; flower in dysentery, Caesalpinnaceae Kaanchanaara piles, goiter and cough. Boerhavia diffusa L. Adkaputtana Whole plant in asthma, urinary disorders, piles, anemia, Nyctaginaceae gida/Rakthapunarvava cardiac diseases, stomach disorders. Callicarpa tomentosa (L.) Murray. Dodda naathada gida/ Bark in skin troubles and fever; flower: in diseases of nervous Verbenaceae Mashandari system and haemorrhage. Calotropis gigantea (L.) R. Br. Ekkada bida/Arka Root in piles; leaf in spleen disorders; latex in cough. Asclepiadaceae Cardiospermum helicocabum L. Bekkin toddin beru/ Root in nervous diseases, piles and cardiac diseases; leaf in Sapindaceae Karna spota lumbago, and glandular swellings. Cassia auriculata L. Avarike/Aavarthaki Root in skin troubles; seed in eye troubles and diabetes. Caesalpinnaceae Cassia fistula L. Kakke/ Whole plant in fever, cardiac disorders, jaundice, wounds and Caesalpiniaceae Aragvadha accidental wound. Cassia occidentalis L. Dodda thagse/ Root in cough and scorpion sting; leaf in asthma; seed in skin Caesalpiniaceae Kasamarda diseases. Contd. 92 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 9, NO. 1, JANUARY 2010 Table 1 Common forest medicinal plants of Karnataka Contd Plant name/Family Local/Sanskrit name Uses Cassia tora L. Gandu thagse/ Leaf in ring worm and other skin diseases. Caesalpiniaceae Chakramarda Catunaregam spinosa (Thunb.) Tiruv. Maggaare/ Fruit in diarrhoea, dysentery, pain, tymphanitis and bronchial Rubiaceae Madana asthma. Centella asiatica (L.) Urban. Ondelga/ Whole plant in cough, voice disorder, intellect promoting, Apiaceae Brahmi boils, jaundice, leprosy, psychosis, brain tonic, vomiting and mental disorders. Cissus quadrangularis L. Mangarvalli/ Stem in fracture, infertility, scurvy, and piles. Vitaceae Asthisamhrta Cleome viscosa L. Kadu sasive/ Whole plant in stomachache, urethral discharges, tumours, Capparaceae Karnasphota inflammations, skin diseases, malarial fevers, cough and blistering. Clerodendrum serratum (L.) Moon. Gantu gharangi/ Leaf in bronchial asthma, cough, piles, goiter and burning Verbenaceae Bharangi sensation; root in accidental wound. Clitoria ternatea L. Shanka pushpin/ Root in mental disorders, goiter, snake poison, toothache and Fabaceae Aparjita eye disease. Crotolaria juncea L. Sanna senabu/Sana Leaf in obesity and blood disorders; seed in skin diseases. Fabaceae Cyclea peltata (Lam.) H.K.f. and Thoms. Paduvala balli/ Root in pain, sprue, cardiac diseases, hydrocele, burning Menispermaceae Patha sensation and poisoning. Cymbopogan citrates (DC.) Stapf. Majjige hullu/ Oil in pyrexia, distaste, carminative, stomachache, vomiting, Poaceae Bhoosthrina arthritis and nervous stimulant. Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Garike/Durva Whole plant in bleeding piles, skin diseases, wounds, scabies, Poaceae ring worm and vomiting. Datura metal L. Kari ummatti/ Leaf in boils, skin diseases and antispasmodic; flower in Solanaceae Dhatura cracks in feet; seeds in rabies. Eclipta prostrate (L.) L. Garuda soppu/ Oil in graying of hair. Asteraceae Bhringaraja Erythrina variegata L. Haalivaana/ Root in urine retention, diabetes and sterility; root bark in Fabaceae Paaribhadra dysentery; leaves in worms, acid gastritis and arthritis. Euphorbia thymifolia L. Kolu kalli/ Leaf in bleeding piles, ring worm and eruptive boils. Euphorbiaceae Dughika Evolvulus alsinoides L. Vishnu kranthi/ Whole plant in hair growth, sterility in female,