Natural Product Radiance, Vol. 8(1), 2009, pp.73-76 Explorer: Research Paper

Folk medicines used by the Moran of , district, , Dilip Kalita1* and Phukan Bonoranjan2 1Botany Department, Dibru College, -786 003, Assam, India 2Institute of Pharmacy, Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh-786 002 *Correspondent author, address: NEER, Sishu Kalyan Kendra Path, Lachit Nagar, Dibrugarh–786 001 E-mail: [email protected]; Phone: 0373-2322910 Received 26 February 2008; Accepted 22 August 2008 Abstract part of Assam. The area covered by the It is well known that from the time immemorial large numbers of plant species are used district extends roughly from 27° 14' to by the mankind for the treatment of different kinds of diseases. The herbal folklore of the Moran 27° 59' N latituide and from 96° 15' to of of Assam is very rich hence, an attempt has been made to study and document 96° 1' E longitude. The district is bounded uses and methods of applications of various plants for different diseases. During present study from North by and treatment of 10 diseases namely acidity, anemia, blood poisoning, constipation, diabetes, gout, from South and East rheumatism, piles, stomach pain and tetanus were paid attention and noted medicines applied to cure them. A total number of 19 such medicinally important plant species are reported in this by Arunachal Pradesh and West by paper. . The total area of the Keywords: Moran, Folk medicine, Brahmaputra valley, , Tinsukia district, Assam. district is 3676.4sq.km and is divided into three subdivisions, viz. Tinsukia, IPC code; Int. cl.8— A61K 36/00, A61P 1/04, A61P 1/14, A61P 19/02, A61P 19/06, A61P 7/12. and Margherita. The soil of Tinsukia district is mainly alluvial, deposited by the Introduction Assam is one of the Indian states 90°E 91° 92° 93° 94° 95° 96° which is situated in the North East corner 28° o 30 60 90KMS of India. The state is located between 90°-

P R 96° East longitude and 22°-28° North A D A J I latitude. The state is surrounded by Bhutan M E L E A H S and Arunachal Pradesh in the North, 27° H D DIBRUGARH C H A A R U N Nagaland and in the East, B H A R U T A N and in the South, and U T P Y H M A Bangladesh, Tripura and B RA E L in the West. Only a narrow strip of L 26° V A sub-mountain region of Himalayas N A G A L A N D connects Assam with Indian main land. M E G H A L A Y A HILL There are two main rivers of Assam, AREA Brahmaputra and Barak which divide the STUDY 25° BARAK AREA state in to two regions, namely VALLEY M A N I P U R Brahmaputra Valley and Barak Valley. The B A N G A L A D E S H M I Z O R A M two valleys geographically separated by T R I P U R A hilly portion of Assam which include Karbi Anglong and North Cachar hills districts. 24° The Tinsukia district is situated in southern part of the Brahmaputra and in the eastern Map of Assam showing the Tinsukla district

Vol 8(1) January-February 2009 73 Explorer: Research Paper

A pair of Moran Folk A typical Moran house river Brahmaputra and its tributaries. The ethnobotanical lore of the suggested by Mitra2. For authentic Relatively long rainy season, high humidity Moran is very rich. They use many plant identification of collected plant species and moderate to high temperature are species in their daily life as medicines, Flora of Assam Vol. I-IV3, Flora of British suitable factors for luxuriant growth of food, dye, for building house, preparation India Vol. I-VII4 were consulted. The plants the vegetation in this district. The natural of household articles, etc. They also use collected were added to herbarium of the vegetation of the district can be divided some plant species in their rituals and Botany Department, Dibru College, into the monsoon forest, with an festivals. There was no systematic Dibrugarh. admixture of evergreen and deciduous ehnobotanical works on the Moran of Folk medicines used for the forests, the grasslands and swamp growth. Tinsukia district till the beginning of this treatment of different diseases along with The Moran is one of the major ethnic century. The Moran people depend on their common names, family, voucher groups of Assam which belongs to more nature for their primary health care specimen number (VSN) and methods of backward classes (MoBC). They speak because of poor transport facility to go in preparations and doses are enumerated Assamese and mainly confined in Tinsukia town, costly treatments. Also they believe below. district. Few Moran’s villages are found that medicinal plants available in their in Dibrugarh, , Sivasagor, , area are equally effective as modern Enumeration Lakhimpur districts also. They are medicines are. Acidity: One teaspoonful of leaves extract 1 Mongoloid in origin and their main of Madar, Erythrina stricta Roxb. occupation is cultivation. They cultivate Methodology (Fabaceae), (VSN-3251) is given twice paddy, mustard, pulses, different varieties The study was conducted in daily for three days. One teaspoonful of vegetables, etc. The cash crops of this 2007-2008. A number of Bejes (local leaves extract of Amlakhi, Emblica ethnic group are Kamala (Citrus medicine men) and Bejinis (local officinalis Gaertn. (Euphorbiaceae) reticulata Blanco), Chah (Camellia medicine women) were contacted and (VSN-3250) also given twice daily for five sinensis Linn.), Tamul (Areca medicinal information was collected. days for the same. Four teaspoonful leaves catechu Linn.), Pan (Piper betle Efforts have been made to see the plants extract of Bahok, Adhatoda zeylanica Linn.), etc. The Moran follows in wild and collected plant specimens syn. A. vasica Nees. (Acanthaceae) (VSN- patriarchic family system and maintains with their reproductive parts. The 3252) mixed with equal amount of honey joint family culture. They are followers botanical collection and herbarium is given thrice daily for a week for the of Sri Sri Anirudha Dev of . techniques followed here are those treatment of acidity.

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Anemia: Half cup fruit extract of Gout: Six leaves of Bhang, Cannabis Bhang are also applied over the affected E. officinalis mixed with two spoonful sativa Linn. (Cannabinaceae) (VSN- area. Fried flowers or young leaves of honey and half cup of water is given to 3227), half inch root of Churat, Tragia M. oleifera are given to take for the take once daily for a fortnight. If not cured involucrata Linn. (Euphorbiaceae) same purpose and finely crushed flower after one week the above mentioned dose (VSN-3266), half inch rhizomatous steam or young leaves can also be applied over is repeated. One cup extract of edible of Ada, Zingiber officinale Rosc. the affected area. portion of Gajar, Daucus carota (Zingiberaceae) (VSN-3272), three fruits Linn. (Apiaceae) (VSN-3261) mixed with of Pipoli, Piper longum Linn. Results and Discussion one cup of leaf extract of Palang, (Piperaceae) (VSN-3255), five fruits of In the present paper information Spinacia oleracea Linn. Jaluk, Piper nigrum Linn. on 19 different plant species is given. Out (Chenopodiaceae) (VSN-3249) is also (Piperaceae) (VSN-3281) are finely of these 15 species belong to Dicotyledons used once daily for fifteen days. crushed separately and mixed properly to and 4 belong to Monocotyledons. It is make four pills and given to take twice noticed that both wild and cultivated Blood poisoning: Half cup fruit extract daily for fortnight. plant species are used for preparation of of Karela, Momordica charantia folk medicines by the inhabitants of study Linn. (Cucurbitaceae) (VSN-3276) mixed Piles: Decoction of leaves of Moringa area. During preparation of folk with one cup water is taken once daily oleifera Lam. is applied twice daily over medicines only one plant species or more for one week. The fried leaves of the affected area for fortnight in alternate than one are used. Sometimes same plant Mahaneem, Azadirachta indica A. day. Meat, fish, egg, spice should be species is used for treatment of different Juss. (Meliaceae) (VSN-3265) are also used avoided during the treatment. diseases, as for example E. stricta is with lunch for a week for the same purpose. used for treatment of acidity, diabetes and Rheumatism: Two teaspoonful extract of rheumatism. E. officinalis is used for Constipation: Three or four seeds of flowers of E. stricta mixed with half the treatment for acidity and anemia. Bakul, Mimusops elengi Linn. cup of cow’s milk is given to take once Along with plant materials animal based (Sapotaceae) (VSN-3274) are given twice daily for fortnight. One teaspoonful products such as milk, honey, etc. are also daily for a week. Half teaspoonful latex extract of Dubariban, Cynodon found to be useful. of Chatiyana, Alstonia scholaris R. dactylon Pers. (Poaceae) (VSN-3279) Traditional and indigenous Br. (Apocynaceae) (VSN-3259) is taken mixed with equal amount extract of systems of medicine persist in all over the once daily for three days. rhizome of Haladhi, Curcuma world. Ethnomedicobotanical study of the domestica Valeton. (Zingiberaceae) primitive tribes has gained popularity in Diabetes: Very young twenty leaves of (VSN-3293) and small amount of developed as well as developing countries. Bhaluka bah, Bambusa balcooa common salt is also added just before the So far no record on the plants used as Roxb.(Poaceae) (VSN-3226) are finely use. The preparation is taken once daily folk medicines by the Moran’s of Assam crushed and boiled in two glasses of water for one month. is available; this is evidently the first record for few minutes, filtered and given to take of the ethnomedicinal plants used by this once daily for a month. One teaspoonful Stomach pain: Five seeds of Kumura, ethnic group. Some of the medicinal plants root extract of E. stricta is also given to Benincasa hispida (Thunb.)Cogn. used by these people like Z. officinale, take once daily for a month for the same (Cucurbitaceae) (VSN-3296) are crushed E. officinalis, P. nigrum and purpose. Extract of six leaves of finely and taken once daily for five days. C. domestica are being used for Nayantora, Catharanthus roseus preparation of Ayurvedic medicines by G. Don (Apocynaceae) (VSN-3275) is also Tetanus: Two teaspoonful leaves extract some Pharmaceutical companies5. More used once daily for a week for the of C. sativa is given to take once daily over some species mentioned in this paper treatment of same disease. for five days. Finely crushed leaves of are also reported in some earlier works

Vol 8(1) January-February 2009 75 Explorer: Research Paper by various authors e.g. B. hispida in 3. Kanjilal U N, Kanjilal P C and A, Flora of people of Area, District, burn injury, A. zeylanica in chronic Assam, Vol I- V, Govt. of Assam, Shillong, Assam, India, Plant Arch, 2006, 6(2), bronchitis, C. dactylon for cut injury, India, 1934-40. 667-670. P. longum for diseases of respiratory 4. Hooker JD, Flora of British India, Vol I-VII, 12. Nath SC, Dutta ML and Purkayastha J, Ethno- tract, A. indica in skin diseases, London, 1872-1897. medico botany of the Shyams of Assam, India, P. nigrum in tuberculosis, E. In: Medicinal Plants, Ethnobotanical officinalis in scurvy, E. stricta as 5. D, Ethnobotanical study on Mishing Approach, PC Trivedi (ed), Agrobios (India), anthelmintic, Z. officinale in cold and community of Sonitpur, Lakhimpur and Jodhpur, India, 2006, 243-250. Dhemaji districts of Assam, Ph. D. Thesis, 15 cough , C. domestica in liver diseases University of Guahati, Assam, India, 1998. 13. Rahman A, Jalil A, Basumatary SK and Ahmed and M. oleifera in epilepsy and in bone M, Study of some common medicinal plants fracture6-17. 6. Kalita D and Boissya C L, Some Folk uses of used by Adivasi (Saontal) people of Plants by Mishings Tribal of Assam, district of Assam, Plant Arch, 2006, 6(2), Vasundhara Conclusion , 2000, 5, 79-84. 603-605. Since the uses reported in this 7. Nath SC, Diversity of the higher plants of 14. Devi M, Some plants of Fabaceae family used paper are quite different from earlier medicinal value growing in North East India in Ethnomedicine in Assam In: Ethno reports, the biochemical analyses and in relation to conservation and sustainable medicinal plants of India, PC Trivedi (ed), pharmacological studies of these plants use, J Assam Sci Soc, 2000, 41(4), Aavishkar Publishers, Distributors Jaipur 267-288. India, 2007, 162-179. may bring some new scientific information of immense ethnopharmacological 8. Kalita D and Deb B, Some folk uses of plants 15. Nath SC and Borah T, Folklore medicinal uses interest. by the of Brahmputra valley, of some plants in district of Assam, Environm Biol Cons, 2002, 7, 29-32. Ethnomedicinal plants of India, In: PC Trivedi (ed), Aavishkar Publishers, Distributors, References 9. Bhardwaj S and Gakhar S K, Ethnomedicinal Jaipur, India, 2007, 51-59. 1. Baruah S, Moran Janagusthi Aru plants used by the tribals of Mizoram to cure Madhyazugio Ashomar Sanskriti Aru cuts and wounds, Indian J Trad 16. B, Medicinal plants among the Bodo Rajnoitik Buranjit Teulukar Bhumika, Knowledge, 2005, 4(1), 75-80. tribe of Assam, In: Ethnomedicinal plants of In: Moran - Motak Samaz Sanskriti, India, PC Trivedi (ed), Aavishkar Publishers, D Moran, Bengmora Prakashan, Tinsukia, 10. Khumbongmayum AD, Khan ML and Tripathi Distributors, Jaipur, India, 2007, 60-67. Assam, India, 2007, 18-29. RS, Ethnomedicinal plants in the sacred groves of Manipur, Indian J Trad Knowledge, 17. Kalita D and RL, Some folk medicines 2. Mitra J N, An Introduction to Systematic 2005, 4(1), 21-32. from Lakhimpur district, Assam, Indian J Botany and Ecology, The World Press Private Trad Knowledge, 2008, 7(3), 414-416. Limited, Culcutta, India, 1934. 11. Deka SJ, Ahmed M and Deka SP, Survey of medicinal plants used by Tribal(Lalung)

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