Potential Medicinal Plants Used by the Tribal of Deogarh District, Orissa, India

S. C. Sahu*, N. K. Dhal* and R.C. Mohanty**

*Natural Products Department, Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology Bhubaneswar 751 013, Orissa, India **P.G. Department of Botany, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India

KEYWORDS Environment. Ethno Botanical Claims. Traditional Medicine. Health Care

ABSTRACT Plants have been used as a source of medicine since ancient times. These medicines are safe and environmentally friendly. According to WHO about 80% of the world’s population depends on traditional medicine for their primary health care. Currently the Government of India, realising the value of the country’s vast range of medicinal plants, has embarked on a mission of documenting the traditional knowledge. Out of thirty districts of Orissa, Deogarh lying between 21o 31' 53" N latitude and 84o 43' 2"E longitude with a total area of 6702 sq.kms is located in the northern part of the state, suffers from non-utilization of its forest resources though it has vast potentialities. While exploring the various forest pockets of Deogarh district, the authors interacted with different tribes like Gonda, Munda, Kondhs, Kharias and Bhumiji etc. and collected the unexplored bio-resources. The present paper highlights a rich and unique profile of un-utilized resources of the area surveyed, with 40 families belongs to 49 genera and 50 species with correct botanical identification, vernacular names, locality, parts used, doses and mode of administration in respect to different diseases.

INTRODUCTION locked up in the tropical world, interiors of Africa, Asia and Latin America. The local uses of plants Throughout the world, plants have been in as a cure are common particularly in those areas, continuous use in one way or the other for the which have little or no access to modern health treatment of various ailments. In India, the sacred services, such as the innumerable tribal villages Vedas, which date back between 3500 B.C. and and hamlets in India indicates that the depen- 800 B.C., give many references of medicinal dency of traditional societies on the wild collec- plants. One of the remotest works in traditional tions for subsistence needs (Campbell et al. herbal medicine is “Virikshayurveda,” compiled 1997).The indigenous traditional knowledge of even before the beginning of Christian era and medicinal plants of various ethnic communities, formed the basis of medicinal studies in ancient where it has been transmitted orally for centuries India. The Rig Veda, dating between 3500 B.C. to is fast disappearing from the face of the earth due 1800 B.C., seems to be the earliest record available to the advent of modern technology and trans- on medicinal plants. Nearly 80% of the world formation of traditional culture. There is an urgent population depends upon traditional system of need to document the ethno biological informa- health care (Anonymous 1998). Allopathic drugs tion presently existing among the diverse commu- have brought a revolution throughout the world nities before the traditional knowledge are com- but the plant based medicines have its own pletely lost (Rao 1996). Much of this wealth of unique status. Surveys had revealed that 50% of knowledge is totally becoming lost as traditional the top prescription drugs in the USA are based culture gradually disappears (Hamilton 1995). on natural products and the raw materials are Thus, there is now urgency for ethno-botanical research amongst aboriginal people (Maheshwari Address for correspondence: Dr.N.K.Dhal, Scientist, 1983). Department of Natural Products, In recent years, traditional ethno-botanical Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology studies have received much attention due to their Bhubaneswar 751 013, Orissa, India wide local acceptability and clues for new or less- Telephone /Fax: 0674-2584090/91/92/93/94/; known medicinal plants (Tripathi 2000). The 2581635/36/38/39 Extn.411/271(O); 0674-2582142(R), collection of information about natural flora, Mobile: 9437460626, Fax: 0674-2581637 classification, management and use of plants by E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] the people holds importance among the ethno- 54 S. C. SAHU, N. K. DHAL AND R.C. MOHANTY botanists. The local people and researchers face total area of 6702 sq. kms. towards the Northern the challenging task of not only documenting region of the state Orissa (Fig. 1). The study knowledge on plants, but also applying the involves intensive explorations and critical study results of their studies for biodiversity conser- of specimens for 3 years. Regular field trips were vation and community development, with a deep made in such a way so as to cover all the areas of concern and reverence for the vast diversity of the district as regular intervals in different flora that our country enjoys, and with sense of seasons from June 2004 to August 2006. Plant realization about the invaluable therapeutic specimens have been collected in sets of four properties of this phytodiversity. This work both in flowering and fruiting stages. Field concentrates on potential ethno medicinal value observations on phenology, habit, habitat, local of plants commonly used by the tribals of the names, local uses have been recorded in the Deogarh district. field at the time of collection and the supportive plant specimens of folklore claims were collected, METHODOLOGY processed, critically studied, identified consulting the flora of Haines (1921-25), Mooney (1950), Deogarh district is located between 21o 31' Gamble (1915-36), Saxena and Brahamam (1994- 53" N Latitude and 84o 43' 2" E Longitude with a 96) and preserved in the herbarium of IMMT. An

Fig. 1. Map of Deogarh district. POTENTIAL MEDICINAL PLANTS 55 effort was made to crosscheck the folklore claims. DISCUSSION This study involves checking and rechecking of a particular folklore claim by the different dwellers The study provides information on 33 human of the same tribe in different forest pockets. This diseases against which the plants are used by has cleared many doubts regarding the use and the tribes of Deogarh district. The frequency of identity of plant specimens. occurrence of different diseases by the tribals of The details have been provided in table 1 Deogarh district has been clearly mentioned in with correct botanical identification followed by the histograph (Fig. 2).It has analysed that family, vernacular names, locality, parts used, spermatorrhoea and eczema are the frequently doses and mode of administration in respect to occurring diseases and asthma, hydrocoel is not different diseases. to that area.The plants like Cuscuta reflexa against hydrocoel, Uraria picta against sterility, RESULTS Woodfordia fruticosa for irregular menstruation, Gloriosa superba against piles are ethno The data on medicinal plants, which was medicinally very important to the tribals.The collected from inhabitants in and around different people of this region derive immense benefit by forest pockets of Deogarh district, were pooled using herbal medicines for their primary health and analysed. The investigation revealed the care. In Orissa, particularly in Deogarh district medicinal plants of 50 species and 49 genera the medicinal plants available in nature and the belonging to 40 families, which are commonly traditional medicinal knowledge available with the used for various ailments of various tribes (G- tribes are still not explored well which needs a Gonda,Mu-Munda,K-Kondha, etc.) of the area thorough investigation. surveyed. The enumeration and utilization of A number of organizations within India are these plants were mentioned in table 1. Table 2 concerned with maintaining India’s Traditional shows less known medicinal plants of Deogarh Medicine Systems. In addition, there is a wide District. spread development network, and established

Fig. 2. Frequency of occurrence of diseases 56 S. C. SAHU, N. K. DHAL AND R.C. MOHANTY ) is used ) and applied on the one spoonful sugar is Piper longum and applied externally directly twice a day in snake

Piper longum resh root bark decoction is taken twice a plants are boiled and the vapours inhaled fresh root paste is taken in the morning immature seeds are soaked with 250 ml of

boiled 3g leaf paste is applied externally on

fresh root paste is applied twice a day seeds soaked in raw cow milk for over night and leaf and 2g stem is made into paste mixed dried seed powdered mixed with 2g leaf paste of

swelling portion of scortum before sleep for 30 every day for the treatment of Hydrocele. minutes Whole plant paste 2gm grinded with 1g of long pepper ( continuously seven days against eczema. with mustard oil applied against acne. Fresh rhizome paste 5g mixed with 1g dried seed paste of 7 long peppers ( thrice for seven days after food the treatment of joint pain. empty stomach for five days against joint pain. bite on the wound for sucking poison and leaf latex is used in any other wound. Whole The 6g root is used Fresh leaf decoction 5 ml is given once a day in the early morning for ten days against kidney problem. for 30 minutes to get relief from headache administered in empty stomach against spermatorrhoea once a day for 15 days. The decoction is taken after launch and hot water. dinner continuously for 7 days against indigestion. day continuously for one month in empty stomach It is adviced for reducing cholesterol of the body. not to take meat and fish in diet Andrographis paniculata on skin against eczema. Fresh leaf juice 2 ml mixed with common salt 1g is applied drop by twice for a week against conjunctivitis. Half skin preferably before going to bed for 15 days against leucoderma. the seeds is given to women in morning empty stomach once a day for 15 days after child birth to cure stomach disorder Whole plant Rhizome Root 3g Root of 2g Whole plant/ Root/Leaves Leaves Root RootSeed with mixed paste root 3g 5g of Seed 2g White seeds 9g gora Atundi Leaves/StemNirmuli 3g Sweat chandi Kumbhi Solaganthi Arakha Puruni saga Ankula Leaves Pokusunga Leaves Kalamati,10189 Pravasuni, 10073 Amad Kalamati,10083 Kalamati,10069 Kalamati,10147 Dantaribahal,10024 Kudapara,10132 Iswarjata Kudapara,10002 Kulthia Dantaribahal,10140 Kachu bark Root f of ml 5 Kudapara,10194 LOC. and FNKudapara, 10090 VN Kaincho,Runja PU EC Zingiberaceae Cuscutaceae Apocynaceae Baringtoniceae Pravasuni, 10142 Fabaceae Caesalpiniaceae ang. Alangiaceae Roxb. Combretaceae f.) Wlliams. Rubiaceae . (L.) Benth. Willd. Liliaceae L. Asteraceae Kudapara,10064 (L.f.) W (L.f.) L. Papaveraceae Pravasuni A L.G.Don (L (Ait.)R.Br. Asclepiadaceae L Fabaceae L Nyctaginaceae Kudapara,10065 Roxb Roxb. Roxb.

Combretum decandrum Curcuma amada Cuscuta reflexa Catharanthus roseus Careya arborea Borreria articularis procera Calotropis Atylosia scarabaeoides Bauhinia variegata L. Boerhavia diffusa Asparagus racemosus Argemone mexicana Alangium salvifolium Ageratum conyzoides Abrus precatorius Table 1: Use of different plant species by the tribals of Deogarh District. Table 13 14 15 12 11 9 10 6 7 8 5 4 3 2 No. 1 S. PS Fam. POTENTIAL MEDICINAL PLANTS 57 ste of Achyranthes ) is taken twice ) is taken thrice is used by rubbing the Piper nigrum and 2g leaf paste of is administered for fifteen days Zingiber montanum extract of root bark is taken twice a day for and only 2g of the grinded pasty mass taken fresh leaf decoction is taken in empty stomach uber paste mixed with equal amount of seeds stem bark paste is applied over the skin against oung leaves decoction 3 ml mixed with rice bran Costus specious) paste of black pepper ( for twenty days against piles. oil 4 ml is administered in empty stomach for ten days against conjunctivitis. Root paste 5g is taken twice a day after food for seven days against spermatorrhoea. Root paste 5g is taken twice a day after food for seven days against spermatorrhoea. Stem bark paste 3g with 2 ml of lime water is taken twice in empty stomach for fifteen days against rheumatism. leucoderma Atundi Leaf paste 5g mixed with 2g root of (Combretum decandrum) infected portion of skin against scabies. Root paste 10g is administered twice in empty stomach continuously for seven days against eczema. Stem bark paste 5g is given to woman continuously five days in empty stomach as a contraceptive. Abrus precatorius aspera twice a day after meal for twenty days against piles. Root bark decoction 5 ml is taken in empty stomach twice a day continuously for four days to cure blood dysentery fifteen days in empty stomach for disorder once for seven days against typhoid and other fever. Fruit decoction 5 ml mixed with 3g rhizome paste of Ramkedar ( a day for three days before food against blood dysentery. Tuber paste 2g mixed with 4g young leaf of ( against rheumatism. LeavesRoot Y Stem bark Stem bark 6g Leaves Root Stem bark Root pa root 1g with mixed paste root fresh 2g Fruit endu Mayurchulia Bichhamalia Leaves Baicha Nanga-nangalia TuberMuri-muri 2g t Anantamul Mandaro Basango Putus Root bark Sahar Khamba-alu Tuber Saloporni Leaves ml 5 Koradakot, 10059 Kalamati,10045 Deogarh,10006 Koradakot, 10157 Aswatta Koradakot, 10123 Ramadevi,10092 Ramadevi,9995 Koradakot, 9978 Pravasuni, 9988 Pravasuni, 9987 RaiKalamati,10162 bark Root Pradhanpat,9985 ml 10 K Kalamati,10074 LOC. and FN VN PU EC Asteraceae Periplocaceae Acanthaceae Verbenaceae . Flacourtiaceae aculeate (L) Fabaceae Roxb. Ebenaceae L. Convolvulaceae L. Malvaceae Ramadevi,9992 L. (L) R. Br. L. Dioscoreaceae Roxb Dilleniaceae L. Liliaceae Ramadevi,10054 L. (Burm.f.) Merr (L.) var. (L.) var. L. Sterculiaceae Sm. Dilleniaceae L. Moraceae . Helicteres isora Elephantopus scaber Evolvulus nummularis Ficus religiosa Flacourtia indica Gloriosa superba Hemidesmus indicus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Justicia adhatoda Lantana camara (L.) Mold. Dillenia pentagyna Dillenia aurea Dioscorea bulbifera Diospyros melanoxylon DC.Prod Desmodium gangeticum Table 1: Contd.... Table 26 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 29 30 18 17 19 20 16 S. PSNo. Fam. 58 S. C. SAHU, N. K. DHAL AND R.C. MOHANTY Asparagus is made into paste and and prescribed twice a day and prescribed twice a day in is taken twice a day after food and lime water (1ml) is taken twice a and 5g of sugar boiled in decoction of stem bark with 1g common root paste mixed with 2 ml lime water and fresh root along with 1g of Azadirachta indica ecoction of root 3ml mixed with 2g leaf paste Decoction of leaf (3ml) mixed with paste (2gm) Piper nigrum day after food for a week against enlarged scrotum. 6ml decoction of root is used for increase sexual interaction between male and female. About 20g of fresh root is boiled in 1 liter water till to be one fourth of its volume. 3 ml this decoction along with 2 ml of honey is taken orally in empty stomach twice a day for 15 days against spermatorrhea. Stem bark paste about 5g is administered once a day continuously for three month against piles. Pasty mass of leaf 3g grinded with 2g stem bark schleihcera oleosa empty stomach for ten days continuously against eczema. 10g of fresh root is boiled in 5 ml mustard oil and slowly messaged over the body in bed time only for half an hour for fifteen days against leucorrhoea. Only 4 ml of the decoction orally 250 ml of water. administered for 10 days against spermatorrohea. About 2g of fresh root paste along with 5 ml cow urine is taken orally in empty stomach once the morning for fifteen days to have relief from leucorrhoea. Decoction of leaf 4 ml is taken twice continuously for five days against sore throat. after food as a medicine against viral infection. salt and 1 ml of honey is taken twice a day in empty stomach against cold, cough and fever. racemosus taken twice a day for indigestion. of Root juice 5 ml mixed with 2g of root paste Hemidesmus indicus for fifteen days against sexual disorders. of honey is given to children twice a day for three days after food against viral fever. Root Root Stem bark Leaves Root RootRoot 5g Whole plant The 10g whole plant RootRoot D Root 1g Bariari Leaves Muturi Rohini Sahada Kuchila Chintamula Kanaka champa Kusum Chirarita Leaves Mahajala Kirkichi Kalara Kamini Gangaseoli Stem bark 3 ml Dantaribahal, 10128 Pradhanpat, 10052 Kalamati,10064 Deogarh,10056 Dantaribahal, 10134 Pradhanpat, 10075 Pradhanpat, 10187 Dantaribahal, 9986 Kalamati,10070 Koradakot, 9997 Koradakot, 10111 Pradhanpat, 10036 Pradhanpat, 10094 LOC. and FN VN PU EC vaceae Dantaribahal, 10009 eliaceae ygodiaceae Smilacaceae Sterculiaceae Mimosaceae Oken Sapindaceae (L.) Sp. Strychnaceae L. Oleaceae L. Cucurbitaceae Roxb. (L.)Sw. L L. Plumbaginaceae Gamble. (L.) Jack. Rutaceae (Lour.) (Lour.) (Roxb.)A.Juss. M L. Scrophulariaceae Lour. Moraceae Burm. f. Mal Smilax macrophylla Soymida febrifuga asper Streblus Strychnos nux-vomicaL. Pterospermum acerifolium Schleichera oleosa Scoparia dulcis Sida acuta Willd Sp. Lygodium flexuosum Lygodium Momordica charantia Plumbago zeylanica Mimosa himalayana Murraya paniculata Nyctanthes arbor-tristis Table 1: Contd.... Table 41 42 43 44 37 38 39 40 31 33 36 32 34 35 S. PS Fam. No. POTENTIAL MEDICINAL PLANTS 59 in the early and 5g rhizome Phoenix sylvestris are made into paste and applied Andrographis paniculata fresh leaf juice is taken with 200ml toddy claims) dried seed grinded with 2 ml honey and given to Curcuma longa women twice a day continuously for one month against post natal complications. of for one week to get relief from joint pain. (sap) obtained from Decoction of leaf 3 ml mixed with common salt 2g is taken in empty stomach once a day for one month to cure from acidity in stomach The 5g leaf is made into paste mixed with 10ml of jada oil and is taken once a day against asthma. The 3g flower is made into paste and taken once a day in empty stomach to sterile women for one month for pregnancy. Equal proportion (4g each) of leaves mixed with leaves of morning on empty stomach and at noon for 2-3 days for irregular menstrual Leaves of ml 10 SeedLeaves 5g Flower Leaves Kulathio Gulochi BichhuatiKrushnaparni Leaves Begunia Deogarh,10053 Dhatuki Kalamati,10077 Kalamati,10074 Dantaribahal, 10011 Kalamati,10049 Deogarh,10067 LOC. and FN VN PU EC ythraceae Fabaceae Menispermaceae L.) Kurz, J.Asiat. L (L.) Pers. L. Euphorbiaceae L. Verbenaceae (Jacq.)Desv.ex DC. (Jacq.)Desv.ex Fabaceae Tephrosia purpurea Tephrosia Tinospora cordifolia Tinospora fruticosa ( Woodfordia Tragia involucrata Tragia Uraria picta negundo Vitex (Willd.) Hook.f. & Thoms. Table 1: Contd.... Table 45 46 50 47 48 49 Names; PU; Parts used; EC; Ethnobotanical Vernacular VN; (PS; Plant species; Fam.; Family; LOC.; Locality; FN; Field Numbers; S. PS Fam. No. 60 S. C. SAHU, N. K. DHAL AND R.C. MOHANTY

Table 2: Less known medicinal plants of Deogarh gamut of new and novel modern medicines, is district facing slow and natural death as these commu- S. Scientific Names Disease/Condition nities are eventually oriented more towards No. modern medicine as they believe it gives a quick 1 Abrus precatorius Stomach disorder remedy, while it is paradoxical to see the modern 2 Alangium salvifolium Conjunctivitis 3 Argemone mexicana Eczema world of late, focusing more on alternative 4 Atylosia scarabaeoides Indigestion medicine which has herbal base predominantly. 5 Boerhavia diffusa Kidney problem Presently, very few elders in the tribal community 6 Careya arborea Joint pain practice herbal cure, while the young and current 7 Combretum decandrum Acne 8 Curcuma amada Joint pain generation knows little or nothing about the 9 Dillenia pentagyna Blood dysentry traditional herbal medicines. If this trend conti- 10 Gloriosa superba Piles nues, a few years from now, there will not be even 11 Hemedesmus indicus Eczema a single elder member in tribal community who 12 Plumbago zeylanica Leucorrhoea 13 Soymida febrifuga Spermatorrhoea knows traditional knowledge on medicinal plants 14 Streblus aspera Piles to welcome an ethno-botanist with “EVERY- THING GREEN IS MEDICINE”. pharmaceutical industry and a wealth of botanical CONCLUDING REMARKS experts in the country. Until now, however, there has been little effort to document the volume and Information on uses of 50 species of 40 impact of national or international trade in India’s families for different diseases gathered during medicinal plants (Ganesan and Kesavana 2003). field trips are presented in this paper. This According to the latest figures, it costs around information was checked with available literature 800 million dollars to put a new drug on the market. (Kirtikar and Basu 1980; Pal 1980; Chopra et al. When companies manufacture a product based 1982; Jain 1995). Most of the ethno-medicinal on traditional knowledge and convert it into a information provided in this study is new, as they medicine, they “acquire” a product, which is worth have not been reported earlier. Although these a few hundred million dollars (Jain 1986). A USA herbal remedies and their efficacy is claimed to based top pharmaceutical companies like be high; detail clinical study is needed for better MERCK, RANBAXY and SHAMAN are the utilization of ethno-bio-resources. classical examples. Such is the enormous potential hidden in these plants gifted by Nature (Ahmad ACKNOWLEDGEMENT et al. 2003). After lengthy discussions with the local doctors practicing siddha, Ayurveda and Authors are thankful to the Director, IMMT, unani (Indian alternative medical systems), it was Bhubaneswar for their valuable and consistent learnt that these plants listed by the authors in support and guidance during this work. this investigation are very much used by them in making various formulations for a variety of REFERENCES ailments. From the enumeration study, it is obvi- ous that the tribes of Deogarh district, who either Ahmad M, Khan MA, Qureshi RA 2003. Ethno botanical work as labourers or cultivate crops such as Paddy, study of some cultivated plants of Chhuch region Mandia, Jhoar and mostly depend on forest and (District of Attock). J Hamdard Medicus, 4(3): 15-19. the forest products to sustain their livelihood. Anonymous 1998. Medicinal Plants, Their Bioactivity, The tribals inherit rich traditional knowledge Screening and Evaluation. New Delhi: Center for about the flora investigated and apply this Science and Technology of the Non-aligned and knowledge for making crude phytomedicines to other Developing Countries. cure infections as simple as cold to as compli- Campbell BM, Luckert M, Scoones I 1997. Local-level valuation of savanna resources: A case study from cated as cancer. These crude herbal medicines Zimbabwe. Economic Botany, 51(1): 59-77. are based not only on traditional knowledge but Chopra RN, Chopra IC, Handa KL, Kapur LD 1982. also on rituals and beliefs. It is observed with a Indigenous Drugs of India: 2nd Edition (Reprinted), sad note that this traditional knowledge which New Delhi: Academic Publishers. formed the basis for origin of not only alternative Gamble JS, Fischer CEC 1915-36. Flora of Madras Presidency. Dehradun: Bishensingh & Mahendrapal medicine but also paved way to evolution of a Singh. POTENTIAL MEDICINAL PLANTS 61

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