Available online at www.ij pbr.org ISSN: 2394 - 3726 Int. J. Phar. & Biomedi. Rese. 201 5, 2 (2): 34-40 Withania Coagulans (Stocks) Dunal – A Rare Ethnomedicinal Plant of the Western Rajasthan Desert Isha Pandey 1 and Krishnendra Singh Nama 2 1Dept. of Biochemistry, Jhalawar Medical College, Jhalawar, Rajasthan 2Dept. of Life Science, Career Point University, Kota (Rajasthan) *Corresponding Author E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT The present paper deals with Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dunal commonly known as “Indian cheese maker” or “Vegetable rennet”, “Paneer doda, Paneer patta” is a ethnomedicinal plant distributed in East of the Mediterranean region extending to South Asia. In Northern India, the fruits are being used for the treatment of diabetic patients. The other uses of the plant are hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, cardiovascular, sedative, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, anti- tumor, immune-suppressive, cytotoxic, antibacterial and antifungal properties. The aim of the present paper to give correct identity against commonly occurring useful plant of this genus Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal . Besides this, the paper also deals with correct botanical name, synonyms, local names, morphological characters, ecological notes, distribution, flowering and fruiting time, significant notes, uses, phytochemistry, causes of rarity, conservation, etc. Key words : Withania coagulans, Ethnomedicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological properties, ex-situ multiplication. INTRODUCTION The genus Withania Pauquy is having 10 species in the world, mostly in America and Africa; 2 species in India i.e. Withania coagulans (Stocks) Dunal and Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. The W. coagulans is having very limited distribution that is only in N. India, while W. somnifera is a common weed and also cultivated for its various uses and found throughout India. Both species are quite distinct and can easily be identified by morphological, anatomical and phytochemical characters. Now a day there is a growing focus on the importance of medicinal plants in the traditional health care system in India, because of various advantages over the synthetic drugs. The plants are used in medicine since antiquity. Much of medicinal plants are documented and are used successfully to treat different ailments. One of these plants which is used to treat various diseases is Withania coagulans (Stock) Dunal - a rare plant of the Western Rajasthan desert. The plant is also important for the property of coagulating milk, possessed by its fruits/berries; they are extensively used locally for this purpose in North-West India and adjoing countries. The milk coagulating properties is due to presence of an enzyme. The plant particularly fruits; leaves and roots are also locally used in the treatment of the various diseases. The present paper deals with correct botanical name, synonyms, local names, morphological characters, ecological notes, distribution, flowering and fruiting time, critical notes regarding identify of the plant, uses, phytochemistry, and causes of rarity, conservation and recommendation for the scientific multiplication in the nature. STUDY AREA The western sandy plain or Rajasthan desert covering a total area of about 1,96,150 sq. km spread over the districts of Sri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Jodhpur, Churu and parts of Nagaur (96%), Jalore (88%) Jhunjhunu (69%), Sikar (65%), Pali (45%) and Ajmer (9%). Physiographically, it is the eastern extention of Saharo-Thar desert covered by shifting and stabilized sand dunes. Copyright © 2015; IJPBR 34 Pandey, I. & Nama, K.S. Int. J. Phar. & Biomedi. Rese. 2015, 2 (2): 34-40 ISSN: 2394 – 3726 The western 2/3 part extending over Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Churu, western parts of Nagaur and western 2/3 parts of Barmer and Jodhpur districts are covered by shifting and stabilized sand dunes of various types, magnitude and orientation like longitudinal, barkhan, transverse etc. This sandy plain tract is also known as “Marusthali” . The rocky outcrops are also common feathers, particularly in Barmer, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur districts, where elevated areas of Jurassic and Eocene rocks appears through sandy surface. The high temperature, low humidity, windstorms and less than 250 mm average rainfall are the common climatic feathers in the W. Rajasthan desert. MATERIAL AND METHODS Since last three years, many botanical collection tours have been undertaken by the authors in the different seasons of the years in the Western Rajasthan desert to collect the plant in the nature and also collect the ethnobotanical information by the local people of the area. The plant specimens collected have been made the voucher herbarium specimens as per the International herbarium techniques. The herbarium specimens have been identified by Scientist of Botanical Survey of India, Arid Zone Regional Centre, Jodhpur (Rajasthan) and consulted the herbarium of BSI Jodhpur (BSJO) and the herbarium, Botany Department, JNV, University, Jodhpur (JAC). The fruits of the plant have also been verified from the local markets and tradesmen. The fruits available in the local markets are mostly adulterated with the commonly occurring Withania somnifera , which is a common weed and extensively cultivated in the area and adjoing states, particularly Madhya Pradesh. The “Sindhi” community in particular extensively uses the plant in their daily life as “Paneer making plant” and against diabeties and in wound healing. OBSERVATION AND RESULT The present study deals with a solitary species Withania coagulans belonging to the family Solanaceae, which is a rare vulnerable plant species in the Rajasthan desert and is commonly used as “Paneer making plant” and as medicines against diabeties, in would healing and other diseases by the local people in the area. Withania coagulans (Stock) Dunal (Synonym: Punneria coagulans Stocks) Family : Solanaceae. Hindi names: Paneer-bandh, Punir, Punirbandh, Akri, Binputakah, Paneer-doda, Paneer- dodi, Paneer- bed English: Indian Cheese maker, Indian Rennet. Plant character: Branched undershrubs upto 1 m tall; branches and leaves rigid, grayish-green-white, stellate-tomentose. Leaves leathery, elliptic-ovate to elliptic-lanceolate, obtuse, entire, petiolate. Flowers polygamous-dioecious, i.e. unisexual. Male flowers: calyx cupular-campanulate, lobes acute, stellate- tomentose; corolla exceeding calyx, stellate-tomentose outside, yellowish within; stamens reaching upto the top of corolla-tube, with glabrous filaments. Female flowers: stamens sterile, included in corolla tube; ovary ovoid, glabrous; style glabrous; stigma mushroom shaped, 2-lamilate. Fruits berry, 1.0-1.25 cm across, globose, red, smooth, surrounded by the enlarged fruiting calyx, which are rough, scurfy- pubescent outside. Seeds ca 2.5 mm across, ear-shaped, brownish, minutely rugose-reticulate. Fl. and Fr.: November - April. Found in dry, hot and stony/rocky habitats, rare, not common. Distribution: Distributed in East of the Mediterranean region extending to South Asia i.e. Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan (Sind and Baluchistan), Nepal and India, upto 1700 m. In India, it is found in (North-West India) Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan. In Rajasthan it is sporadically distributed in Barmer, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur districts of Western Rajasthan desert and it is not common, categorized as “vulnerable species” by Pandey, et.al., [1]. In Western Rajasthan desert the fruits are extensively used as emetic and diuretic; also have milk coagulating properties for making cheese, that’s why the plant locally known as “ Paneer-bandh or Paneer-Pata or Paneer-doda ”. Copyright © 2015; IJPBR 35 Pandey, I. & Nama, K.S. Int. J. Phar. & Biomedi. Rese. 2015, 2 (2): 34-40 ISSN: 2394 – 3726 Significant notes: Withania coagulans (Stock) Dunal can be identified from Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (is a common weed and cultivated for its roots, in some parts of Rajasthan (Nagaur, Pilani) and Madhya Pradesh (Manasa, near Indore) for its medicinal properties) by having stems and branches more or less rigid, grayish-green-white or ash in colour; fruits enclosed tightly within a coriaceous, pubescent fruiting calyx and plants polygamous-dioecious i.e. flowers unisexual; while in W. somnifera – stems and branches not rigid, green in colour; fruits loosely enclosed in a membranous fruiting calyx and plants bisexual i.e. flowers bisexual. The same may be summarized in key form also: 1a. Plants unisexual. Stems and branches more or less rigid, grayish or ashy-green-white in colour. Fruits tightly enclosed within rough, scurfy, coriaceous, pubescent fruiting calyx…………………………………………………………………………….. W. coagulans 1b. Plants bisexual. Stems and branches not rigid, green in colour. Fruits loosely enclosed in a membranous fruiting calyx………………………………………………………W. somnifera Besides taxonomic distinction between the above two species phytochemically and anatomically also both can be identified. The roots of Withania coagulans , characterized by the isolated groups of non-lignified cells in the xylem-tissues, microsphenoides of calcium oxalate in the phelloderm cells and triseriate medullary rays; while these characters are not found in the roots of Withania somnifera . Thus in the local markets the very commonly occurring species Withania somnifera fruits are being adulterated freely by the tradesmen with the fruits of W. coagulans , as there is less distinction in the fruits of both the species. The fruits of W. coagulans are locally used in “Paneer making”