Natural Product Radiance, Vol. 5(4), 2006, pp. 319-322 Explorer: Research Article

Folk medicines for some diseases prevalent in of , Dilip Kalita1* and Bikash Deb2 1Botany Department, Dibru College, – 786 003, Assam, 2 Institute of Pharmacy, Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh – 786 002 * Correspondent author, E-mail : [email protected] Received 2 August 2005; Accepted 20 March 2006 Abstract Methodology

An attempt has been made to prepare a list of folk medicines invariably used by Bejes The study was conducted during (medicine men) and Bejinis (medicine women) for treating 10 different diseases namely 2004-2005. A number of bejes and abdominal pain, abscess, allergy, amebiasis, asthma, backache, fungal infection of nail, lice control, piles and pinworm infection which are prevalent in some rural areas of Lakhimpur district of bejinis were contacted and medicinal Brahmaputra valley, Assam. Information on twenty two plant species is given in this paper for information was collected. Efforts have further studies. been made to see the plants in wild and Keywords : Folk medicines, Bejes, Bejinis, Brahmaputra valley, , Lakhimpur, Assam. collect plant specimens with their IPC code; Int. cl.7 — A61K 35/78 reproductive parts. Herbarium sheets were prepared according to conventional herbarium technique9 and identification Introduction the Lakhimpur district are mainly of specimens was done with the help of cultivators. Fertile alluvial soil, high to Flora of Assam10 and deposited in the Lakhimpur district is situated in moderate temperature, heavy rainfall, herbarium of the Botany Department, eastern corner of Assam. The district high humidity are suitable factors which Dibru College, Dibrugarh, Assam. Folk- lies between 26°48′and 27°53′ northern help luxuriant growth of the vegetation in medicines used for the treatment of latitude, 93°42′ and 94°21′ eastern this region. Different varieties of rice, different diseases by the rural people of longitude. The mighty river Brahmaputra pulses, vegetables, fruits, oil seeds and Lakhimpur are enumerated below. touches all along the southern and South other plants used as spices, condiments, (Folk medicines Sl. No. 1, 2, 7 eastern boundary of the district. The fumitories and masticatories are the main are collected from local medicine men district is bounded on the North by crops of this region. People of this region of the Kalitas; 3, 5, 6 from the Ahoms; and on the East by are economically very backward. About 90 4, 10 from the Chutiyas; and 8, 9 from district of Assam. district per cent families depend on agriculture the tribe). of Assam stands on the South and Sonitpur for their livelihood. The ethnobotanical district is on the West. The Lakhimpur lore of the rural people of Lakhimpur 1. Abdominal pain: Three spoonful leaf district abounds many small and large district is very rich. Several ethnobotanical extracts of Narasingha, Murraya ethnic groups. The non-tribal ethnic studies have been done in this area1-8. koenigii (Linn.) Speng. (Rutaceae) groups are the Kalitas, the Keuts, the Plants have major role in the is taken orally thrice a day until cure. Ahoms, the Chutiyas and the Koch- daily life of people of this area and they Three spoonful leaf extract obtained Rajbanshis and the main tribal ethnic have strong belief in both plant and animal from equal amount of leaves of groups are the Mishings, the Deuris and based folk medicines. However, due to Machandari, Houttuynia cordata the Sonowal Kacharis. Assamese is the lack of proper communication system Thunb. (Saururaceae) and Purai, main and connective language of this linking villages with towns, folk medicines Basella alba Linn. (Basellaceae) is region. The people of the rural areas of becomes main choice for primary health care. also taken in similar manner until cure.

Vol 5(4) July-August 2006 319 Explorer: Research Article

Houthuynia cordata Murraya koenigii

Authors with a local medicine woman

Euphorbia neriifolia

Centella asiatica

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2. Abscess: Stem exudates of Hiju, and three fruits of Hilikha, of rhizomatous stem of Ada is given Euphorbia neriifolia Linn. Terminalia chebula Retz to take twice daily for a week. After (Euphorbiaceae) and leaf exudates of (Combretaceae) are crushed finely removing the outer portion of Pategoja, Kalanchoe pinnata with a pinch of black salt and given modified root of Mula, Raphanus (Lam.) Pers. (Crassulaceae) are to take twice daily for a week. sativus Linn. (Brassicaceae) is used by Kalitas by applying over the allowed to insert in the rectum and affected area three times a day for 6. Backache: Tubers of Alu, kept as such for whole night. Next three days. Leaf extract of Jatuka, Solanum tuberosum Linn. morning the used portion is removed Lawsonia inermis Linn. (Solanaceae) is crushed finely and and the area is cleaned with extract (Lythraceae) after slightly boiling is applied over the affected area. of rhizomatous stem of Mula. It is applied over the affected areas thrice repeated every week until cured. daily until cure. 7. Fungal infection of nail: Leaves of Kanibih, Croton tiglium Linn. 10. Pinworm infection: Three leaves 3. Allergy: The extract obtained from (Euphorbiaceae), Tuloshi, or seven seeds of Gulnemu are young leaves of Bhadailata, Ocimum sanctum Linn. crushed and given to take orally early Paederia foetida Linn. (Lamiaceae), Neem, Azadirachta in the morning for several days. About (Rubiaceae) is mixed with edible indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae) and ten matured seeds of Amita, Carica portion of rhizomatous stem of rhizomatous stem of Nohoru and papaya Linn. (Caricaceae) are also Nohoru, Allium sativum Linn. Halodhi, Curcuma domestica given to take orally early in the (Liliaceae) and given to take once Valeton (Zingiberaceae) are crushed morning with empty stomach for five daily for three days. finely and applied over the infected days. nail for whole night. If it is not cured The extract obtained from the leaves in one dose the same is applied next Conclusion of Pochotia, Vitex negundo month also. Linn. (Verbenaceae) is also applied In the present paper information over the affected area twice daily for 8. Lice control: Leaves of on 22 different plant species is given; out five days in the treatment of allergy. Mahavringoraj, Wedelia of these, 19 plant species belong to chinensis Merr. (Asteraceae) are Dicotyledons and 3 are Monocotyledons. 4. Amebiasis: Four-teaspoonful leaf crushed and applied over the scalp It is noticed that both wild and cultivated extracts of Bor manimuni, for half an hour. The process is plant species are used for the preparation Centella asiatica (Linn.) Urban repeated in four days intervals for a of folk medicines by the inhabitants of (Apiaceae) mixed with small amount month. Fruit of Datura, Datura study area. Some of the medicinal plant of common salt is given to take orally metel Linn. (Solanaceae) is applied species used by these people like, thrice daily until cure. Fruit juice of in the same manner. The juice Curcuma domestica, Allium Gulnemu, Citrus limon (Linn.) extracted from the leaves of sativum, Ocimum sanctum, Burm. f. (Rutaceae) is also used in Pategoja is also applied over the Zingiber officinale, etc. are being used similar manner. scalp for 15 minutes for the same for the preparation of Ayurvedic medicines treatment. It is repeated at 5 days by pharmaceutical companies8. Moreover 5. Asthma: About 10g root of Robab intervals for a month. some of the plant species mentioned in tanga, Citrus maxima (Burm.) this paper are also reported in some earlier Merrill (Rutaceae), 5g of 9. Piles: Edible portion of a ripe fruit works by various authors. As for example rhizomatous stem of Ada, Zingiber of Am, Mangifera indica Linn. C. domestica and O. sanctum are officinale Rosc. (Zingiberaceae) (Anacardiaceae) with a small amount reported for the treatment of diarrhoea

Vol 5(4) July-August 2006 321 Explorer: Research Article in cock and hen and dysentery in human 8. Dilip, Ethnobotanical study in Mishings beings11, 12, A. sativum and Paederia community of Sonitpur, Lakhimpur and foetida for bone fracture13, Basella Dhemaji districts of Assam, Ph.D. Thesis , , Assam, India alba in the treatment of epilepsy and C. 1997. domestica in pimples14. Since the uses reported in this 9. Mitra JN, An Introduction to Systematic Botany paper are different from earlier reports, and Ecology, The World Press Pvt. Ltd. the biochemical analyses and Kolkata, India, 1974. pharmacological studies of these plant 10. Kanjilal UN, Kanjilal PC and Das A, The Flora species may bring some new scientific of Assam, Vols. I-V, Publication Division, information of immense ethno- , Shillong, India, pharmacological interest. 1934-1940. 11. Boissya CL and Kalita Dilip, Some folk References medicines used by the Mishings tribal of Assam for controlling animal disease, Vasundhara, 1. Jain SK and Dam N, Some ethnobotanical 1998, 3, 63-65. notes from North Eastern India, Econ Bot, 1979, 33, 52-56. 12. Kalita Dilip, Ethnobotanical notes on the Sonowal Kacharis of Brahmaputra Valley, 2. Boissya CL and Mazumdar R, Some Folklore Assam, Vasundhara, 2001, 6, 21-32. claims from Brahmaputra valley (Assam), Ethnomedicine, 1980, 6, 139-145. 13. Kalita Dilip and Deb Bikash, Some folk-uses of plant by the Sonowal Kacharis of 3. Borthakur SK, Medicinal Flora of Karbi Along Brahmaputra Valley, Assam, Environ Biol (Mikir Hills, Assam) with special reference to Conserv, 2002, 7, 29-32. Ethnobotany, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Gauhati, Guwahati, Assam, 1980. 14. Kalita Dilip, Manashi Dutta and Nazim Forid Islam, Few plants and animal based folk 4. Hajra PK and Baishya AK, Ethnobotanical notes medicines from , Assam, on the Miris (Mishings) of Assam, In : Indian J Trad Knowledge, 2005, 4(1), Glimpses of Indian Ethnobotany, by SK Jain 81-85. (Ed), Oxford and IBH Publishing Co., New Delhi, 1981.

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