Ethnobotanical Leaflts 12: 532-37. 2008.

Ethnomedicinal Survey of Nagzira Wild Life Sanctuary, District Gondia (M.S.) India- Part II

D. K. Koche, R. P. Shirsat, Syed Imran, Mohd. Nafees, A. K. Zingare* and K. A. Donode*

Department of Botany Shri Shivaji College, Akola-444 005

*Department of Botany, M. B. Patel College, Sakoli- 440 802

Corresponding author: D. K. Koche ()

Issued 25 July 2008

Abstract

The present paper deals with the traditional uses of 28 plant species belonging to 22 families employed in ethnomedicine practice by tribal and local people of the Nagzira wild life sanctuary and nearby area to treat different ailments affecting human health and other cultural practices. For each plant species, details on the scientific name, botanical family, local name and use are provided along with parts harvested for treatment, the manner of processing and the mode of administration.

Introduction

The natural vegetation of Nagzira wild life sanctuary includes a variety of plant species having economic and medicinal importance. Some tribal communities (Gond, Gawali, Halbi and Pradhan) residing nearby sanctuary area, are largely dependent on forest products for their livelihood, specifically for their health. These communities possess indigenous ethnic knowledge about the utility of the majority of these plants and they have developed a special herbal health care system for themselves. However, due to the continuous use of various plant species for medicine and other purposes most of the plant species are either becoming less abundant or on the verge of extinction. Therefore it is necessary to document the knowledge and plant species and conserve it for future.

The authors had explored the study area and documented around 30 species of ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal importance (Koche et al, 2008). The plants enumerated in this paper make an addition to previous work.

Methodology

The study was carried out from April 2004 to March 2005. The information on plants was collected by interviewing traditional practioners and village peoples. Plants were identified in the field by trekking different areas of the forests along with some of the members of the community who already practiced traditional medicine. During the field trips, plant specimens were collected, properly tagged and brought to the Laboratory of Department of Botany, M. B. Patel College Sakoli, MS (India) for identification, where they are deposited.

Results

The plant species are arranged in alphabetical order according to scientific names for convenience. For each plant species given in the following enumeration, details on the botanical name, family, local name and uses are provided along with the parts harvested for treatment and the manner of processing and mode of administration. The collected plants are listed below.

Botanical Name: Aerva lanata Juss.

Family: Amaranthaceae

Local name:  Madura

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against burning sensation. (About 5 gms of root powder with zeera made into juice mixed with pinch of sugar and administered once a day until relief. The leaf decoction is used to treat sore throat).

Botanical Name: Andrographis paniculata Nees.

Family Acanthaceae

Local Name: Kalmegha/ Oli kiryat

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against Headache (Leaf paste is applied on forehead for 2-4 hrs to cure headache, It also show the antityphoid and antibacterial properties).

Botanical Name: Allium sativum L.

Family: Liliaceae

Local name: Lasun/ Lehsun

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against stomach problems (Paste of 4-5 scales mixed with salty water taken twice  a day) .

Botanical Name: Bauhinia purpurea L.

 Family: Fabaceae

Local name: Kachnar

Ethnomedicinal uses: For lice eradication (Dried seed powder mixed with coconut oil applied once before taking bath, twice or thrice a week).

Botanical name: Calotropis gigantea (L.) R.Br.

Family: Asclepiadaceae

Local name: Rui

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against hydrocoel (The castor oil is applied over the surface of leaves, heated mildly and bandaged over the testicles).

Botanical Name: Celosia argentia L.

Family: Amaranthaceae

Local Name: Kombda

Ethnomedicinal use: in Dysentery (Extract of entire plant is given orally to cure dysentery).

Botanical Name: Citrus aurantiifolia (Christ.) Swingle

Family: Rutaceae

Local name: Nimbu/ Limbu

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against infertility in women (About 10 gm of dried root powder mixed with sufficient cow milk, given daily for one month).

To cure joint pain (fruit juice with little of sesame oil (Sesamum indicum) applied over the joints).

Botanical Name: Cleome viscosa L.

Family: Verbanaceae

Local Name: Hurur/ Jangli mohri

Ethnobotanical Use: Against Earache (The stem bark extract and leaf juice is useful to cure earache. It also used as ulcer and wound healer).

Botanical Name: Coccinia indica Wight & Arn.

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Local name: Kundru

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against heart diseases and hypertension (Fresh leaf juice mixed with 10 ml of brandy given twice in a week).

Botanical Name: Convolvulus arvensis L.

Family: Convolvulaceae

Local Name: Kup- wel

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against skin diseases (Leaf paste is applied externally on affected area of skin, it is also an excellent purgative).

Botanical Name: Eucalyptus globulus Lafill.

Family: Myrtaceae

Local Name: Nilgiri

Ethnomedicinal uses: Cold and cough (the paste of boiled leaves is applied on face to cure cough & cold).

Botanical Name: Ficus hispida L.

Family: Moraceae

Local Name: Katumbar

Ethnomedicinal uses: For milk secretion (Boiled green fruits are given to women for more milk secretion).

Botanical name: Gossypium herbaceum L.

Family: Malvaceae

Local name: Kapas

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against toothache (Burned seed powder/ash is use to wash the teeth).

Botanical Name: Helicteres isora L.

Family: Apocyanaceae

Local Name: Muradsheng

Ethnomedicinal uses: Bronchitis (the bark extract is taken orally to cure bronchitis, it also posses antidiabetic properties).

Botanical name: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.

Family: Malvaceae

Local name: Jaswand

Ethnomedicinal uses: Lice eradication and hair growth (flowers petals boiled in coconut oil applied to head/ hairs before going to bed, once in a day).

Botanical name: Justicia adhatoda L.

Family: Acanthaceae

Local name: Jangali Adhur

Ethnomedicinal uses: Respiratory problems/ Bronchitis (Fresh leaf juice mixed with water and little of pepper powder, 2 tea-spoonful given internally once in a day for a month. It also have antispasmodic, expectorant and oxyticic properties).

Botanical Name: Lagascea mollis Cav.

Family: Asteraceae

Local name: Nikargua

Ethnomedicinal uses: On cuts and injuries (Leaf paste is applied over the cuts/ injuries to cure).

Botanical Name: Mimosa pudica L.

Family: Mimosaceae

Local Name: Lajari

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against snake bite (root paste mixed with raw rice water is given orally).

Botanical name: Mucuna pruriens Bak.

Family: Fabaceae

Local name: Khaj-kuri/ Kawaskri

Ethnomedicinal uses: In bone fracture (About 10 seeds were soaked overnight, in water and the water is given in empty stomach, twice a week).

Botanical Name: Physalis minima L.

Family: Solanaceae

Local Name: Fataka/ Chirboti

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against Asthma (Leaves are effective on asthma. It is also have diuretic, anti-inflammatory  and laxative properties).

Botanical Name: Polygonum glabrum Willd.

Family: Polygonaceae

Local Name: Gulabi

Ethnomedicinal uses: on cuts and wounds (Boiled plant paste is applied on affected part to cure cuts & wounds).

Botanical Name: Psidum guajava L.

Family: Myrtaceae

Local Name: Amrud/ Jamb

Ethnomedicinal uses: to reduce blood pressure (Leaf decoction is given to normalize high blood pressure).

Botanical Name: Raphanus sativa L.

Family: Brassicaceae

Local Name: Mula

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against Jaundice (Longitudinally cutted fruits were applied with salt on cut surface & kept overnight and taken in the morning to cure jaundice).

Botanical name: Sesamum indicum L.

Family: Pedaliaceae

Local name: Til

Ethnobotanical uses: Against cancer (Gargling with oil extracted from the seed, every day early morning after mouth wash in empty stomach for six to twelve months).

Botanical Name: Tamarindus indica L.

Family: Fabaceae

Local name: Chinch

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against snake bite (Ruptured seed is applied on the snake bite).

Botanical Name: Tephrosia purpuria L. Pers.

Family: Fabaceae

Local Name: Unhali

Ethnomedicinal uses: For post natal complications (Leaf decoction mixed with honey is given to women for about one month to get relief from post natal complications. It is also used in various disorders of spleen, liver, stomach and heart diseases).

Botanical Name: Vetiveria zizanoides  L.

Family: Poaceae

Local Name: Khas-Khas

Ethnomedicinal uses: As antidandruff (Dried root powder mixed with coconut oil is applied on head to get rid of dandruff).

Botanical Name: Woodfordia fruiticosa Kurtz.

Family: Lythraceae

Local Name: Dhawai/ Dhayati

Ethnomedicinal uses: Against dysentery (Dried flower powder is eaten along with rice to cure dysentery).

DISCUSSION

The Indian subcontinent provides the ethnobotanist with an excellent outdoor laboratory for the study of biodiversity. Several regions have been well explored for ethnomedicines, and these areas are today documented in the literature (Bhatnagar et al., 1973; Bhalla et al., 1992; Bajpai & Mitra, 1997; Dubey et al., 2001; Jain, 1963; Kamble & Pradhan, 1980; Koche et al., 2008; Naik, 1986; Rothe 2005 and Rothe et al., 2004). Still some core areas remain undisturbed. However, the illiteracy of the tribals regarding the natural wealth conservation, the plant biodiversity is now seems to be depleting. Therefore, it is necessary to increase awareness in the tribal community and document the indigenous knowledge they have. Increasing awareness and making tribals accountable to conserve the existing biodiversity may help to insure our natural wealth.

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