Traditional Phytotherapy of Balaghat District, Madhya Pradesh, India
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Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 10 (2), April 2011, pp. 334-338 Traditional phytotherapy of Balaghat district, Madhya Pradesh, India SP Jain *, Sarika Srivastava, J Singh & SC Singh Department of Botany & Pharmacognosy Division,Cental Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants, Lucknow-226015, Uttar Pradesh, India E-mail: [email protected] Received 26.05.09; revised 22.03.10 Madhya pradesh, the largest state of India, is the home of many tribals and harbour a number of plants species in their forest areas. Nearly one fourth of the total population of the state is inhabited by tribals such as Baigas, Gonds, Korku , etc. tribes. An ethno-medico-botanical survey among different tribal pockets of Balaghat district, viz. Gangulapara, Lamta, Laugur, Langi, Baihar, Bithali, Lalbarra, etc. was carried out during the year 2007-2008 and folklore information was collected on 50 medicinal plants species belonging to 50 genera and 31 families with the help of tribal medicine men. Out of 50 plants, 15 predominant plants used in refractory diseases such as cancer, malaria, rheumatism, liver disorders and respiratory diseases, etc. These uses are not reported in earlier published literatures. Keywords: Phytotherapy, Balaghat, Madhya pradesh, Tribals, Ayurveda IPC Int. Cl.8: A01D 4/04, A01D 4/34, A01D 4/50, A01D 20/46, A01D 9/01, A01D 7/31, A01D 20/16, A01D 11/00 Plants play a significant role not only in day to day knowledge in healthcare management and development livelihood of human being but also in economic of new and novel medicaments, the present development and health management system in form of investigation has been taken up. 1 traditional and modern medicament . The importance Balaghat district is situated in the southern part of traditional systems of medicine that provide health of Jabalpur division of Madhya pradesh(MP) and service to 75-80% of world's population has been occupies the South eastern region of the Satpura and realized in developing countries like India since time 2 Upper Wainganga Valley. The district spans over immemorial . The dominant Ayurvedic system of a degree from21° 19' to 22° 24' North and 79° 31' to medicine of India has been in vogue for over 300 yrs. 81° 3' East. It is bounded by Mandla district of Nevertheless, the folk and ethnomedicines particularly Madhya pradesh to the North, Dindhori district to the in rural and tribal areas of India are still playing a great Northwest, Rajnandgaon district of Chhatisgarh state role in treatment of diseases but now the traditional of the east, Gondiya and Bhandara district of knowledge and practices are disappearing and losing Maharashtra state of South, and Seoni district of their intrinsic values at an alarming rate due to one or Madhya Pradesh to the West. The Wainganga and its other reasons in various ethno-medico-botanical rich tributaries are the most importantrivers in the district. countries of the world. Some of the reasons for The town of Balaghat is on the Wainganga, which vanishing such invaluable knowledge /wealth are said flows North and South through the district and form to be shrinkage of forest areas and disappearance of the part of the boundary with Seoni district. The indigenous culture and practices due to adoption of modern life style. A major bulk of folk or Bagh, Nahra and Uskal rivers are trbutaries of the ethnomedicines remained endemic to certain regions or Wainganga. The Bawanthadiand Bagh rivers define communities in the concerned countries of the world. the boundary with Maharashtra.The total area of the However, due to lack of communication of district is about 9,245 km2 and about 4840 km2 of intermingling and breeding of ideas and varying way of the area is covered with forest which is mainly life, many of these earlier remedies survived only by inhabited by Baiga, Gond & Korku. word of mouth from generation to generation 3. The Balaghat district is divided in two divisions, Keeping in view, the importance of such invaluable viz. North Balaghat & South Balaghat. The area is ——————— rich in plants wealth owing to its ecological *Corresponding author diversitiesand forest types, viz. Southern moist JAIN et al .: TRADITIONAL PHYTOTHERAPY OF BALAGHAT DISTRICT 335 deciduous mixed forests, Southern tropical moist confirmed with the help of live plant specimens, deciduous teak forests, North tropical moist deciduous regional and local floras 15-17 . sal forests, Bamboo forests and Saja forests. All plant specimens collected, during the survey Although ethno-medico-botanical work of different are deposited in the Herbariun of Central Institute areas of Madhya Pradesh have been carried out by of Medicinal & Aromatic plants (CIMAP),Lucknow many workers 7-14 . Since, there is no intensive and (UP ),India ,with accession numbers. extensive studies have been carried out and reported The plants are enumerated in alphabetical order in of this region, an attempt has been made to collect, Table 1, along with their family, local name, parts collate and document the vanishing knowledge of the used, uses in diseases/ ailments and mode and medicinal properties of the plants by different tribes frequency of administration, etc. of Balaghat district, the treatment of various human diseases and ailments. Result and discussion First hand information on uses of 50 plant species Methodology belong to 31 families for different diseases, collected The various tribal areas of Balaghat district from the tribals of Balaghat district of MP have been covered in the present studies include: Barasiwani, presented in this paper. In most of the case (29%) roots Birsa, BIthali, Gangulapara, Katangi, Kirnapur, and rhizome were used for curing ailments followed by Lamta, Laugur, Langi, Lalbarra, etc. The survey was stem and stem bark (24%); (16%) leaves; (14%)fruits, conducted in different seasons during 2007-2008. In and(5%)whole plant. Seeds, gum, and latex were the field studies, medicinal uses of plants were collected least used plant parts. The crude drugs are usually used with the help and interview of traditional medicinal in the form of decoction, infusion and poultice. practitioner (TMP), age-old people and tribal The indigenous community prefers such plants, viz. medicine men actively engaged in ethno medicinal Roots of Kudo (Holarrhena pubescens ) for the practices. Most of them belong to families, which still treatment of malaria and piles; whole plant of have a strong connection with traditional agriculture Bhuineem ( Andrographis paniculata ) for chickenginia and medicinal practices for their livelihood. Data and malaria; fruit of Bhatkataiya ( Solanum were also collected through interviews and queries virginianum ),whole plant of Guma ( Leucas and were immediately recorded in the field notebook. cephalotes ) and fruit pulp of Amaltas ( Cassia fistula ) All remedies used to treat a given ailment were also for asthma; root of Bhainsatar (Flemingia cross checked and enumerated to identify the most strobilifera ) for tonic and aphrodisiac properties; popularly used medicinal plant species. rhizome of Kevakand (Costus speciosus ), stem-bark The identity of each plant species collected and of Haldu ( Haldina cordifolia )and leaves of Harsingar mentioned by the interviewers were verified and (Nyctanthes arbor- tristis ) for rheumatism; seeds of Table 1 ―List of plants used as traditional phytotherapy in Balaghat district Plant name/ Family/ Local Name Diseases/Ailments Uses Achyranthes aspera L. Amaranthaceae/ Chirchita Dog-bite Infusion of roots used internally for three days. Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa Rutaceae/ Bel Stomachache Fresh Leaves chewed in the on empty stomach. Alangium salvifolium L.f. Alangiaceae/ Ankol Snakebite A poultice of stem bark is externally applied. Ampelocissus latifolia (Heyne ex Roth) Planch. Kidney, heart Infusion of rhizome is taken internally. Vitaceae/ Dhotto disease, diabetes Anogeissus latifolia Wall. ex Bedd. Combretaceae Hernia A poultice of stem bark is externally applied. Dhura Andrographis paniculata L. Acanthaceae Intermittent fever, Malarial Infusion of whole plant taken internally for seven Chhota Chirayata fever days. Argyreia nervosa Bojer Convolvoulaceae/ Kidney stone, boils Infusion of leaves used internally; poultice of leaves Samendra phal applied externally. Boerhavia diffusa L. Nyctaginaceae/ Patharchatta Urinary disorder Infusion of roots used internally. Boswellia serrata Roxb. ex Colebr. Rheumatism Sciatica Fresh gum chewed with betel leaf in rheumatism. Burseraceae / Salai Decoction of stem bark taken with cow’s milk for seven days in sciatica. (Contd.) 336 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 10, NO 2, APRIL 2011 Table 1 ―List of plants used as traditional phytotherapy in Balaghat district—Contd. Plant name/ Family/ Local Name Diseases/Ailments Uses Butea monosperma Taub. Fabaceae/ Tesu Haemostatic, Decoction of stem bark is given internally after child Fertility, vitality birth. Fresh gum taken internally for fertility and vitality. Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb. Caesalpiniaceae/ Malarial fever, Gastritis Infusion of seed powder is given internally. Karanj Celastrus paniculatus Willd. Celastraceae/ Joints pain, Infusion of seed oil is applied externally in joints Malkangini weakness of bone pain. Leaf decoction is given internally in weakness. Cissampelos pareira L. Snakebite & scorpion bite Decoction of root is given internally Karupath Cassia fistula L. Caesalpiniaceae/ Amaltas Urinary disorders, Poultice of Fruit pulp is applied externally. Infusion pneumonia, respiratory of fruit is applied