Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 5(3), July 2006, pp. 327-330 Medicinal knowledge system of tribals of Nandurbar district, Maharashtra H M Patil & V V Bhaskar* VN College, Shahada, District Nandurbar, Maharashtra; Department of Botany, PSGVP Mandal’s A S C College, Shahada, District Nandurbar, Maharashtra Email: [email protected] Received 4 February 2005; revised 10 May 2005 The paper reports 33 tribal medicinal preparations for curing different ailments. It includes 10 preparations for 6 types of skin diseases, 3 preparations for 2 types of eye diseases, 2 for tuberculosis, 5 for piles, and 13 for other diseases. Need has been emphasized for putting the tribal knowledge system of Nandurbar to validation test by pharmacologists. Keywords: Ethnomedicine, Folk medicine, Maharashtra, Medicinal plants, Nandurbar district, Tribal medicine IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A61P1/02, A61P1/04, A61P1/08, A61P1/10, A61P9/14, A61P11/00, A61P11/10, A61P15/00, A61P15/06, A61P15/06, A61P17/00, A61P17/14, A61P27/02, A61P27/14, A61P27/16, A61P29/00, A61P31/00,A61P33/02, A61P35/00 Ethnobotanists, all over the world, have been actively remained mostly unexplored15. The Satpuras in Ma- working to collect, document and conserve the harashtra extend across Dhule and Nandurbar dis- indigenous medicinal plants. In the last two decades, tricts. Of these, Nandurbar district comprises more many reports on medicinal plants have been published tribal population and two of its six talukas (Tahsils), from the states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, viz. Dhadgaon and Akkalkuwa are found on Satpura Northeastern hill states and Orissa, owing to large hills. As much as 80% of the population of these talu- tribal population of the regions1-8. Voluminous work kas is tribal. The prominent tribes inhabiting these on tribal medicine has also been published, in which tropical dry deciduous forests are Bhil, Pawara, Ko- medicinal plants without giving details of preparation kani, Mavchi, Gavit and Dhanka. Usually, tribal of medicine have been described9-11. The knowledge community has the knowledge of medicinal and other of traditional herbal medicine is very important for uses of the plants growing in the forests; tribal doctors the people who generate it. While the rural house (Vaidu, Maharaj or Bhagat) specifically know the holds remedies can be obtained easily, the medicinal exact preparation of the medicine and its administra- plant knowledge of tribals living in forests and hill tion to the patients. In the present paper, herbal medi- areas is not available so easily. For this reason, the cine preparations for curing some prominent health ethnomedicinal documentation of tribal health system disorders by the tribal Vaidus in Nandurbar district will be of great advantage to our biochemists, have been enumerated. pharmacists and biotechnologists to develop potential medicine for the treatment of several dreaded Methodology diseases. Eighty per cent of the rural population still Frequent visits to the tribal villages called, Padas depends on herbal/tribal medicine for their in the forests of Toranmal, Navapur, Dhadgaon, Ak- 12,13 treatment . kalkuwa and Taloda regions of the district were made Maharashtra being the fifth largest tribal populated during the yrs 2001-2003. A close association was state, 47 tribal communities reside in hilly regions of maintained with the people to understand their in- the state14. Western Ghats and Satpura hill ranges digenous knowledge systems. Tribal Vaidus were fre- provide natural inhabitation for these tribals. While quently interviewed and their medicinal preparations much of the ethnobotanical work reported from this were closely watched. A gathering of the Vaidus was state was from western Ghats, the Satpura hill ranges also arranged to ensure cross checking of the informa- —————— tion. Only those medicines, which were accepted and *Corresponding author followed by most of the Vaidus have been presented 328 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 5, No. 3, JULY 2006 in the paper. The medicinal plants collected were latifolia Roxb.) and Sag (Tectona grandis L.) in a identified with the help of the established closed container is collected and applied to the entire flora16-18. The names of the Vaidus have also been body or affected parts until cured. (Chandrasing, provided (in parenthesis) as the original reference for Legapani). the source of the medicine. 2.4 Psoriasis Enumeration Hot infusion prepared from stem pieces of Gulvel [Tinospora cordifolia (Wild.) Miers.] is given to the 1 Eye infections patient. In addition, stem powder is applied over the 1.1 Conjunctivitis affected areas in the morning and evening for 6-7 Leaf paste of young saplings of Salai (Boswellia days. (Chandrasing, Legapani). serrata Roxb.) applied over the cloth is put over in- fected eyes around the head at night till cured. (Suklal 2.5 Scabies Pawara, Toranmal). One drop of gum solution from Paste prepared from stem ash of Bajri (Pennisetum Pivala Dhotra (White flower of Datura innoxia Mill.) typhoides Rich.) mixed with til oil (Sesamum orien- prepared is put only once at night. (Chandrasing, Le- tale L.) is applied over the affected area for 6-7 days. gapani). (Rama Gavit, Dab). Decoction of stem pieces of Gul- vel [Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers.] isgiven to 1.2 Night blindness the patient. Stem powder is also applied over the af- Eyes are covered with the paste of Moglierand fected area in morning and evening for 6-7 days. (Jatropha curcas L.) and Chandrajyot (Jatropa gos- (Chandrasing, Legapani). Neem (Azadirachta indica sypifolia L.var. elegans Muell.) leaves for 2-3 days. A. Juss.) bark paste is applied daily over the affected Behda [Terminalia belerica (Geartn.) Roxb.] seed oil area at night for relief. (Sayalibai, Itwai). is applied on the skull at night. (Suklal Pawara, To- ranmal). 3 Boils Root powder of Jangli kand [Tacca leontopeta- 2 Skin diseases loides (L.) O. Ktze.] mixed with til oil (Sesamum 2.1 Leucoderma orientale L.) is applied over the boils 1 or 2 times at Paste of Ghatbor [Zizyphus xylopyra (Retz.) night. (Chandrasing, Legapani). Tuberous roots of Willd.] leaves and Dhotra (Datura innoxia Mill.) Baman kand [Drimia indica (Roxb.) Jessop] crushed flowers is applied on the patches for 5-10 days. Medi- on stone is applied over boils for 2-3 days at night. cine works well during early stages of the disease de- (Chandrasing,Legapani). velopment. (Suklal Pawara, Toranmal). Root paste of Jangli bhendi [Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medik. 4 Toothache subsp. tetraphyllus (Roxb.ex.Horn.) Borssum] pre- Pills prepared from the bark powder of Chilar pared on stone is applied on patches till cured. (Suklal [Caesalpinia decapetala (Roth) Alst.] are applied on Pawara, Toranmal). infected tooth at night. (Gunjarya Patil, Kakadda). 2.2 Measles 5 Earache Two spoonfuls once a day of Jangli keli [Ensete Two to three drops of powdered tubers of Kali superbum (Roxb.) Cheesm.] seed powder along with musali (Curculigo orchioides Gaertn.) mixed in 25 ml milk is fed to infants and children for 2 days. (Uttam til oil (Sesamum orientale L.) is put in the affected ear Kokani, Kholghar, Nandurbar). for 2-3 days. (Pahadsing, Toranmal). 2.3 Eczema 6 Stomachache Paste of Udkata (Echinops echinatus Roxb.) seed Powder of immature fruits of Jangli keli [Ensete powder mixed with coconut oil is applied on infected superbum (Roxb.) Cheesm.] in a cup of water is taken patches. After sometime, a mixture of Bajra for about 15 days in morning and evening in chronic (Pennisetum typhoides Rich.) flour and besan (gram case, and for 7 days in normal case. (Chandrasing, flour, Cicer arietinum L.) is applied and washed with Legapani). Whole plant of Aghada (Achyranthes as- water after 1-2 hrs. The treatment is continued till pera L.) crushed and soaked in a glass of water is cured. (Deoram Padvi, Valheri). Oil extracted from taken twice a day for 2 days. (Chandrasing, Lega- heating of a few stem pieces of Sisoo (Dalbergia pani). PATIL & BHASKAR: TRIBAL MEDICINAL KNOWLEDGE OF NANDURBAR, MAHARASHTRA 329 7 Headache flowered Dhotra (Datura innoxia Mill.) and Bottle Two to three drops of a mixture prepared from 1-2 gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] fruit gm seed powder of Aghada (Achyranthes aspera L.) powder mixed in til oil is used for external application mixed in a cup of water and boiled for 10-15 min is till cured. (Lalsingh Khetya Pawara, Lakadihanuman). put in nostrils at night for 6-7 days. (Shivaji Gavit, 1-2 pieces of Fang [Rivea hypocrateriformis (Desr.) Haldani). Choisy.] roots crushed, soaked in half glass of water for 4-5 hrs is given to the patient for 7 days at night. 8 Fever (Pahadsigh, Toranmal). Aghada (Achyranthes aspera A spoonful of powder or a pill prepared from L.) leaf paste is applied externally at night until relief. leaves and stem pieces of Gulvel [Tinospora cordifo- (Chandrasing,Legapani). Leaf paste of Kurchul lia (Wild.) Miers.] is taken with a cup of water twice a (Erythrina suberosa Roxb.), Papada [Holoptelea in- day for 7 days. (Chandrasing, Legapani). Whole plant tegrifolia (Roxb.) Planch.] and Tobacco (Nicotiana or roots of Aghada (Achyranthes aspera L.) crushed tobacum L.) crushed and mixed (in equal proportions) and soaked in water for 3-4 hrs is taken twice for 2 is applied externally at night until relief. (Mohan Sada days. (Chandrasing, Legapani). Thakre, Amlad). 9 Cough and common cold 13 Tuberculosis 9.1 Cough Two spoonful powder of Mokha (Schrebera swete- Paste of one kg leaves of Neem (Azadirachta in- noides Roxb.) tender leaves and Bel [Aegle marmelos dica A.Juss.) crushed and soaked in water is applied (L.) Corr.] leaves is given with two-spoonful of honey on the body at night for 2-3 days. (Sayalibai Valvi, once a day till cured. (Gangaram Velgi Pawara, Itwai). Budki). Gum of Salai (Boswellia serrata Roxb.) dis- solved in water is given thrice a day for nine days.