Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 5 (2), April 2006, pp. 217-219

Ethnomedicinal practices among Khonds of Visakhapatnam district,

V L N Rao, B R Busi, B Dharma Rao, Ch Seshagiri Rao, K Bharathi & M Venkaiah* Department of Anthropology and *Department of Botany, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530 003, Andhra Pradesh E-mail: [email protected] Received 4 March 2005; revised 12 May 2005

The paper provides information on 11 medicinal plants belonging to 10 families, used by Khonds for treatment of various ailments. The local names, method of preparation and administration of medicine are mentioned. Khonds largely depend on herbal medicines for primary healthcare and the prevalent ethnomedical system is attributed to their cultural framework.

Key words: Ethnomedicine, Medicinal plants, Khond tribe, Andhra Pradesh IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A61P1/12, A61P1/16, A61P15/04, A61P25/08, A61P39/02

Health and disease are measures of the effectiveness Methodology with which human groups, combining cultural and The paper is based on the data collected on biological resources, adapt to their environment1. ethnomedicinal practices among Khonds during April Every culture irrespective of its simplicity and 2004-October 2005. Four ethnomedicinal specialists complexity has its own beliefs and practices (Guravagadu) were identified from the study villages concerning diseases. The culture of a community of Chintapalli mandal, Visakhapatnam district. determines its health culture2. Health problems and Detailed interviews were conducted and data was practices of any community are profoundly influenced collected on the nature and use of medicinal plants in by interplay of complex social, economic and political curing various ailments. The specimens were factors3. Due to the belief in supernatural elements collected in their natural form, mounted using and religion in matters concerning health, the tribals standard techniques and transported to the are almost invariably found to repose faith in diviners headquarters for conducting taxonomic classification. or the traditional medicine men, sorcerers and Additional information is collected on the shamans. However, tribals are not averse in accepting socioeconomic, religious and cultural aspects, western medicine, whenever available4. ethnomedicinal practices, etc. Ethnomedicine deals with those beliefs and practices Andhra Pradesh has relatively high concentration relating to health and disease, which are the products of tribal population, i.e. 41.99 lakhs with about 33 5 of indigenous cultural development . Few studies are scheduled tribes. They constitute 6.31 % to the total available on tribal health from such as on population. Andhra Pradesh stands seventh position in Jaunsaris, health & hygiene among rural populations India and first in southern peninsula with regard to of India, personal & environmental hygiene among scheduled tribes population12 . The area selected for & tribes of , & Orissa, the present study is a part of Paderu ITDA (Integrated health culture among Saharias of Rajasthan, Tribal Development Agency) area of Visakhapatnam ethnomedicine among Savaras of Orissa and on district. The major tribal groups inhabiting the study ethno-medical practitioners among Khonds of area are Konda Savara, Gadaba, Khond, Porja, 6 11 Orissa - . Konda Reddy, Konda Dora, Bagatha, Valmiki, Jatapu, Mali, Konda Kammara, Mukha Dora, Kotiya, 13 ______Koya, etc. . Khond, classified, as primitive tribal * Corresponding author group chiefly inhabit in the densely wooded hill 218 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 5, NO. 2, APRIL 2006

slopes in the scheduled areas of Srikakulam, Ethnomedicine or folk medicine systems were Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam districts of Andhra developed in the context of physical environment and Pradesh. the sociocultural milieu of the respective communities. The magico-religious specialist of the Results and discussion Saora is called Kudanboi, who is also a specialist in It is observed (Table1) that indigenous treatment is ethnomedicine10. Among Savaras, medicine prepared available among Khonds for various ailments such as from the seeds of sitagur or custard apple is used for snakebite, blood motions, induced abortions, delayed treatment of jaundice, scabies is treated with a deliveries, epilepsy, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhoea, medicine prepared by mixing neem (Azadirachta paralysis, etc. The herbal specialist Guravagadu indica A. Juss.) and karanja (Carissa carandas Linn.) seasonally collects medicinal plants and plant oil in different proportions10. Neem and karanja oil products from their natural habitat, prepare decoctions are also used for treatment of rheumatism. For the and paste with the mixture of leaves, tubers, stem, treatment of tuberculosis, medicine prepared out of root, flower or buds, and administer the respective Capparis zeylanica Linn., Terminalia bellirica Roxb., medicine in appropriate dose to the patients. The Emblica officinalis Gaertn. and patala garuda duration of treatment is usually one week for common (Corrallocarpus epigaeus Benth. ex Hook. f), a snake ailments, to two weeks for other diseases. Due to poison neutralizer is used. rampant deforestation, green cover is fast The study conducted on ethnomedicinal disappearing even in tribal areas, and the practitioners among Khonds indicate the presence of ethnomedicinal specialists face difficulty in locating seven different types of medical specialists such as the medicinal plants in their vicinity. Seasonal general practitioners, traditional bonesetters, availability of some selective medicinal plants is also specialists in the treatment of diseases among observed to influence the native treatment. children, poisonous bites, epilepsy, dental care, Table 1⎯ Plants used for medicinal purposes S No Botanical name Local name Uses 1 Sansevieria roxfurghiana Dumparasu ossoh Snakebite; 1-2 % of the paste prepared from leaves and root Schult. f. (Lilicaceae) is applied on the affected portion of the body three times a day for three consecutive days. 2 Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. Bandibissah Osso ottawakuccha Blood motions; all parts of the plant are used in the (Nyctaginaceae) preparation of paste which is administered once in a day for three consecutive days. 3 Crinum asiaticum Linn. Ejayathi leaf Abortion; leaf is placed laterally on the underside of the head (Amaryllidaceae) for a certain period of time to cause abortion. It will also facilitate easy delivery. Leaf is sometimes placed over the ear of the pregnant woman till she delivers the baby. Prolonged placement of the leaf will result in hemorrhage and ultimate death of the person. 4 Piper longum Linn. Pippallla chettu Katti ossoh (Piperaceae) 5 Desmodium gangeticum Ubbu chettu Katti ossoh Epilepsy or fits; plant parts mixed, ground to prepare paste is DC. (Fabaceae) administered once a day for three days. 6 Mimosa pudica Linn. Gorriaya Sawali katti ossoh (Mimosaceae) 7 Oberonia ensiformis Podhu Jaundice; root, tuber and leaves are used in preparing a paste, Lindl. (Orchidaceae) which is swallowed. It also improves RBC count of blood and provides fairer skin. 8 Orthosiphon rubicundus Upaka ossoh (Wuledi chettu) Vomiting & Diarrhoea; paste is prepared from tuber dried Benth. (Lamiaceae) Single tuber into tablets and administered daily once in divided doses till the control of the disease. 9 Vernonia cinerea Less. Netturu ossoh Paralysis; paste is prepared using all parts, applied regularly (Asteraceae) on the affected regions of the body till the disease is cured. 10 Bixa orellana Linn. Jarka Buds & flowers are used for colouring of food materials. (Bixaceae) 11 Asparagus racemosus Parehepuri ossoh Bheemudu Tubers and leaves are used to control shivering in patients Willd. (Liliaceae) dumpa suffering from fever. RAO et al.: ETHNOMEDICINAL PRACTICES AMONG KHONDS OF ANDHRA PRADESH 219

infertility and abortion. The major diseases reported medicinal plants used by Khonds for treatment of among Khonds include leprosy, gonorrhoea, major various other diseases prevalent among them. ulcers, paralysis, mental problems and snakebite11. Among Jaunsaris, dried petals of banafshah flower Acknowledgement (Viola pilosa Blume) and podina (Mentha arvensis The financial assistance provided by University Linn.) are used for treatment of fever6. For the Grants Commission, New Delhi to the senior author treatment of stomachache/rheumatism and arthritis, (VLNR) for the research project is gratefully Hedychium spicatum Buch.-Ham. boiled in water and acknowledged. mixed with jaggery is used. Bronchitis is treated with ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) along with namak References (salt). Ginger is also used for the treatment of 1 Leiben R W, Medical Anthropology, in: Handbook of Social dysentery. Juice of nilkanthi leaves (Chrozophora and Cultural Anthropology, ed J J Honigman, (McNally prostrata Dalz.) mixed with butter is used for the College Publishing Company, Chicago), 1973,87-92. treatment of scabies. Juice of nilkanthi is also used for 2 Banerjee D, Poverty, Class and Health Culture in India, treatment of earache. The bark of bimal tree (Grewia (Prachi Prakashan, New Delhi),1982. 3 Sahu S K, Social dimensions of health of tribals in India – A oleifera Lam.) is used for treating bone fractures. The case study of Oraons of Orissa, in: Tribal Health: Socio- mixture prepared out of sondi (Moringa cultural Dimensions, ed B Chaudhury, (Inter- India pterygosperma) is used for treatment of Publications, New Delhi), 1986. scorpion/snakebite. 4 Chaudhury B, Medical Anthropology in India with special 9 reference to tribal populations, in: Tribal health: Socio- The ethnomedicinal study conducted on Saharia cultural dimensions, ed B Chaudhury, (Inter-India indicates the use of neem leaves (Azadirachta Publications, New Delhi), 1986. indica A. Juss.) along with basil leaves (Ocimum 5 Hughes Charles C, Ethno-medicine, in :International sanctum) for treating stomachache and eye Encyclopedia of Social Sciences, ed David Sills, (Crowell infection. The branch of Ber tree (Ziziphus jujuba Collier and Macmillan),1968. 6 Rizvi S N H, Health practices of the Jaunsaris: A socio- Mill.) is used for brushing teeth and for cure of cultural analysis, in: Tribal Health: Socio-cultural toothache. Saccharum sps. is used to cure fever. Dimensions, ed B Choudhury, (Inter-India Publications, New Nagphani (Cactus sps.) is used for curing of Delhi), 1986, 223-246. wounds, cough and cold. Leaves of datura (Datura 7 Hasan K A, The Cultural frontiers of health in village India, (Manaktalas, Bombay), 1967. stramonium Linn.) are used in asthma. The paste of 8 Ghosh B N, Personal and environmental hygiene in the the bark of mahua (Madhuca indica J.F.Gmel.) is remote villages: Some experiences in West Bengal, Bihar used in the cure of ulcers. Babool leaves (Acacia and Orissa, Man in India, 75(3) (1995), 283-299. nilotica Delile) are used in the treatment of 9 Misra P, Ecology, Culture and Health: A Primitive Tribe, conjunctivitis. Turmeric solution (Curcuma (Serials Publications, New Delhi), 2004. 10 Behura N K, Health culture, ethno-medicine and modern domestica Valeton) is used in the treatment of skin medical services, Anthrop Surv India, 52 (2003), 27-67. diseases like scabies and eczema while its paste 11 Majhi Jagannath and Sharma B V, Ethno-medical mixed with lime is used for curing fractures. practitioners and their clients among the Khonds, Man in The present study on 11 medicinal plants used by India, 84(1&2) (2004), 99-107. 12 Nagendra Kumar V, Prasad O S V D, Mohan S, Khond tribes for the treatment of various ailments can Ananthasayanam Raju M, Imtiaz Ahmed and Vijaya Kumar possibly be used as a potential source for making V C, Nutritional status and Household food security among herbal medicines against some diseases and can be tribals of Andhra Pradesh, A P Tribal Development Project treated as a document for preserving the Area, A Report submitted to I F A D, Rome, (Tribal Cultural ethnomedicinal knowledge for posterity. Further, Research &Training Institute, Hyderabad), 1998. 13 Mohan Rao K, Socio-cultural profile of tribes of Andhra studies in this direction are needed in future to Pradesh, (Tribal Cultural Research & Training Institute, document the information on other available Hyderabad), 1993.