An Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants in Sonebhadra District of Uttar, Pradesh, India with Reference to Their Infection by Foliar Fungi
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Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 6(14), pp. 2727-2746, 16 April, 2012 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/JMPR DOI: 10.5897/JMPR10.895 ISSN 1996-0875 ©2012 Academic Journals Full Length Research Paper An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Sonebhadra District of Uttar, Pradesh, India with reference to their infection by foliar fungi Archana Singh and N. K. Dubey* Centre of Advanced Study in Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, India. Accepted 6 January, 2012 Sonebhadra district is one of the less studied regions of India for its ethnobotanical values. The present paper synthesizes the first report related to the documentation of ethnomedicinal plants of Sonebhadra district and their infection by foliar fungi. Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews and field observations. Correct identity of the plants was done with the help of relevant flora. Fungal organisms were identified on morphotaxonomic bases. The use of 143 medicinal plants belonging to 56 angiospermic families, by the tribal communities of Sonebhadra district has been documented. Out of 143 medicinal plants, 31 were found infected by different species of foliar fungi viz. Pseudocercopsora, Alternaria, Cercospora, Passalora, Corynespora, Mycovellosiella, Veronia and Dreschslera. Documentation of indigenous knowledge used for cure of different diseases by the tribes of the area can be used as basis for developing management plans for conservation and sustainable use of ethnomedicinal plants of the area. The report on foliar fungi infecting medicinal plants may draw attention of pharmaceutical firms and responsible sectors for proper care of the traditionally used medicinal wealth of the area. Key words: Ethnobotanical, medicinal plants, indigenous knowledge, foliar fungi, Sonebhadra district. INTRODUCTION Plants, since times immemorial, have been used virtually The traditional systems of medicine are still very effective in all the cultures as a source of medicine. The particularly in rural areas of India for the treatment of widespread use of herbal remedies and healthcare various ailments (Singh and Singh, 2009). India, with its preparations from traditionally used plants, as those glorious past of traditional medical system and use of described in ancient texts such as the Vedas and the different plants, is one of the eight major centers of origin Bible, has been traced to the occurrence of natural and diversification of domesticated taxa (Siva, 2007). products with immense medicinal properties in the cure of India is also one of the world's twelve mega diversity human diseases and in the development of different countries. types of medicines for public health. The country enjoys the benefits of varied climate, from According to World Health Organization (WHO), as alpine in Himalayas to tropical wet in the south and arid in many as 80% of the world's people depend on traditional Rajasthan state. Such climatic conditions have given rise medicine for their primary healthcare needs (Singh et al., to rich and varied biodiversity of medicinal plants in the 2010; Dubey et al., 2004). Moreover, there are considera- Indian subcontinent (Dubey et al., 2004). According to the ble economic benefits in the development of indigenous all India coordinated project sponsored by the Ministry of medicines and in the use of medicinal plants for the Environment and Forest New Delhi, 40% of 18,000 treatment of various diseases (Azaizeh et al., 2003). recorded flowering plants have ethnomedicinal value; and scientific validation of these plants can very well prove them as a potential source of new drugs (Pushpangadan, 1997). *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: Medicinal plants should be free from microbial infection 91-9415295765. in general and fungal infection in particular because in 2728 J. Med. Plants Res. Figure 1. Location map of study area (Sonebhadra district) in Uttar Pradesh, India (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:India_ Uttar_Pradesh_locator_map.svg.http://wikiflex.wikispaces.com/file/view/Uttar_Pradesh.png/133903651/Uttar_Pradesh.pnFig. 1. Location map of study area (Sonebhadra district) in Uttar Pradesh, India g.http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/uttarpradesh/roads/sonbhadra.htm). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:India_Uttar_Pradesh_locator_map.svg the mosthttp://wikiflex.wikispaces.com/file/view/Uttar_Pradesh.png/133903651/Uttar_Pradesh.png of the cases fungi infecting the leaves of use these plants for cure of their different diseases. The medicinal plants directly affect photosynthesis by climatic conditions of the area are congenial for the reducinghttp://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/utta the productivity and formation of secondaryrpradesh/roads/sonbhadra.htm growth of different foliicolous fungi and for the infection of metabolites. In addition, the fungal infection also the medicinal plants of the area. sometimes degrades the quality of medicinally important So far the area is not properly surveyed for the active principle (D’Aulerio et al., 1995; Chutia et al., 2006; documentation of ethnomedicinal plants and the foliar Pati et al., 2008; Shivanna and Mallikarjunaswamy, fungi infecting them. Hence, in the present piece of 2009). investigation for the first time an effort has been made to Moreover, the pathogenic micro-organisms can also document the ethnobotanically used medicinal plants of produce different types of toxins during pathogenesis, Sonebhadra forests and the foliicolous fungi causing which may alter the nature of the active principle leading diseases to them. to serious health hazards instead of curing the diseases. Foliicolous fungi causing diseases to medicinal plants MATERIALS AND METHODS may thus play a very important role in curative potency of traditionally used herbal raw materials. Sonebhadra Study site forests are located within North – Eastern Uttar Pradesh The area under investigation for ethnomedicinal studies (Figure 1) in Northern region of India. The area exhibits a great falls under district Sonebhadra, U.P. India and came into existence diversity with large number of medicinal plant. The area in 1989 after division of district Mirzapur. It is situated on Vindhyan comprises different types of ethnic races who traditionally plateau and Kaimur range lying between 24°42' N to 25°3'55' N and Singh and Dubey 2729 83°3' 24" E to 83°22'55" E, covering an area of 6788 Km. It is symptomatology. Thereafter, the scrap mounts of infected tissue present in the extreme south east of the state and is bound by were prepared in lactofuchsin (Carmichael, 1955), lactophenol- Mirzapur district to the northwest, Chandauli district to north, Bihar cottonblue (Purvis et al., 1966) and glycerin separately. The slides State to the northeast, Jharkhand state to the east, Chhattisgarh were studied promptly but carefully under the compound state to the south and Madhya Pradesh state to the west. microscope. The fungi were identified tentatively with the help of Climatically, the area is of dry tropical type. The summer available literature. Some of the fungi could be identified right up to temperature ranges between 21.5 to 42°C and winter between 10 the species level and some up to the level of genera only. to 17.5°C. Specimens representing maximum developing stages of The temperature in summer may reach up to 45°C and in winter symptoms of each type of sample were spread on the blotters below 5°C (up to 2°C). The average annual rainfall is 1065 mm. bearing collection number and date. The whole stock of such The forest is of tropical dry deciduous type covering an area of blotters was pressed in the herbarium press under gentle pressure 2447 Sq. km (Dense Forest – 1078 SQ. Km., open Forest – 1369 in beginning. Side by side the blotters of partly pressed specimens SQ. Km). The tribal inhabitants of this area are Agaria, Baiga, brought in the press from collection cramps were also changed. Dhangar, Chero, Painika, Gond, Kharwar,Dharkar and Kol. This was followed by periodic release of pressed specimens out side and change of their blotters at short intervals till completely pressed and dried. While changing the blotters the collection Survey of the area and collection of ethnomedicinal number, date etc were carried out to the new set. information The specimens studied tentatively were again studied in detail for final confirmation of their identity and rectification of the discrepancies, if any kept in the host parasite list. Separate mounts The extensive ethnomedicinal studies of the area were conducted of scraps and freehand sections of infected tissue were prepared in during the period 2009 to 2010 with the help of tribal people and lactophenol cotton blue mixture (for permanency of stain), village medicine-men of the area. Regular trips were made during lactofuchisin (for best transperency and better staining of walls and 2009 to 2010 in different seasons in different parts of the area to septa) and glycerin (for making correct compararive study of collect and observe different ethnomedicinally important pigmentation indifferent structures of the fungi). The slides were angiospermic plants. Information regarding ethnomedicinally made semi permanent by ringing them with nail polish (Dade, 1968) important plants of the area was collected through interviews with and were preserved for further use. 14 persons aged between 43 and 71, who had the traditional Whenever necessity arose the mounts of freeze, microtome knowledge of plants. sections were also prepared. Now,