A Study of the Ethno-medicinal Plants of a Remote Tribal Area of Jashpur District of Chhattisgarh

 

Mrs. Neeli Rose Beck* and Dr. Kamta Prasad Namdeo

SLT Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, G. G. V. Bilaspur C.G

 

ABSTRACT:

Traditional medicine is a term applied to pre- scientific medical system that possesses bodies of medical knowledge, which are passed through generations to generation from one Vaidhya to another. It refers to the beliefs, claims, herbal medicine preparation and practices in alleviating disease and disorders among the tribals and aboriginal populations like Oraon, Korwa, and Gond. Some valuable information was gathered about the ethno medicinal plants and their uses. Traditionally, the area remains unexplored and no comprehensive account of local traditional knowledge is available, the importance of recording of the usage of plants in this region is especially imperative because of rapid loss of forest wealth and traditional wisdom.

This paper presents the ethno medicinal wealth of Jashpur district. The paper highlights the traditional phytotherapy of twenty seven indigenous medicinal plants for the treatment of various types of diseases among the different tribes. Plant species are enumerated in alphabetical order along with families, local names, followed by their ethno botanical uses and mode of administration.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Chhattisgarh is one of the states of India.  It is called herbal state. In Chhattisgarh, Jashpur district is a rich and interesting place for the study of ethno medicine. It covers an area of 196338 miles.  It lies in the eastern corner of Chhattisgarh with the central province adjoining the border of Jharkand and Orissa on the Eastern side. It is between 22^o17’ and 23^o15’ North Latitude and 83^o30’and 84^o24 East Longitude¹. The district is divided by the Vindyadri Mountain ranges, running east to west creating upper ghats and lower ghats. The upper ghat is an extensive plateau covering 86558 miles, which is about under the Khudia region and the highest point in the plateau is Pandrapath Plateau which is 3,600ft above sea level. The lower ghat is a large area of 1105 sq miles. The annual average rainfall is 125cm. The annual temperature varies from maximum 26.8^o C to minimum 7.2^oC. The area is mostly hilly covering the tropical and subtropical forests. These forests are generally evergreen, semi-evergreen or of deciduous types. Tribal population in Jashpur district amounts to approximately 55% to 60%. About 80% tribals are concentrated in rural area. The Oraon, Kawar, Gond, Virhore, Ahir and Korwa are the main tribals of this area. They usually use herbal medicines for healthcare.

 

The main objective of the present work is to explore the herbal drugs and method of preparation so that experimental works can be experimented on animals. The traditional herbal medicine is still practiced and used in large parts of our country mostly in tribal and rural areas. This ancient knowledge and the practice of herbal medicinal use are disappearing day by day due to the advancement and development of community medical health service centers in the hilly tribal area.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Intensive ethno botanical surveys were conducted during 2010-2011 among the tribals and aboriginal populations of Jashpur district. The entire region was covered and especially two places in each block were touched. The ethno medicinal data were gathered from the traditional healer, vaidyas, neem hakims, ojhas and other experienced and knowledgeable informants by question- answer methods^2-11.  Their statements are recorded that how they practiced ethno medicine among tribal communities. The data generated from different villages and tribal tracts were carefully analysed, compared identified by various flora and have been presented in this paper.

 

Enumeration – Medicinal plants revealed by tribes are enumerated and botanical names are given in alphabetical order along with families, local names, followed by their ethno botanical uses and mode of administration. Medicinal herbs are given below in table-1.

TABLE-1. HERBAL DRUGS FROM JASHPUR DISTRICT

Voucher No	Botanical Name and Family	Local Name	Plant Part	Name of Ailment	Administration
01/31	Ipomoea paniculata (Convuluvlaceae)	Aeda Khan	seed	Phallic agent	Pill prepared by seed, leaf of Sida acuta and Ocimum sanctum, root of Dolbergia latifolia and ladies finger, tuber of Acorus calamus is taken orally.
01/32	Madhuca indica (Sapotaceae)	Madgee or Mahua	root	Stomach ache	Root extract is taken orally.
01/33	Mentha spicata (Labiatae)	Pudina	Whole plant	Sun stroke   Gastric  problem   Dysentery Cholera Ear ache	Mint leave grounded with onion and unripe cooked mango pulp is administered orally. Juice of Mint leaves, added with grounded cumin seed and rock salt is taken orally. Juice with grounded onion is administered orally. Juice with grounded onion is administered orally Lukewarm pudina juice mixed with salt is put into the ear.
01/34	Momordica dioica (Cucurbitaceae)	Ban Karela	Root	Paralysis	Grounded root of tuber with garlic and cooked in Mustard oil. After cooling added kerosene oil and applied topically.
01/35	Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae)	Munga	Bark       Leaf	Body pain       Cough and Cold	Grounded bark cooked with Bauhina variegate, Capsicum annum root, Acorus calamus, centella asiatica and add rock salt in mustard oil after that apply topically. Decoction is taken orally.
01/36	Murraya koenigii (Rutaceae)	Kari Patta	Leaf	Asthma   Obesity Cataract Burn and wound	Grounded leaves with Capsicum annum root and salt is taken orally. Leaves are taken orally. Ocular application of leaf sap. Grounded leaves with ghee are applied locally.
01/37	Oxalis corniculata (Oxalidaceae)	Teen patiya	Whole plant	Dysentery Cut and wound	Decoction is taken orally. Sap applied locally.
01/38	Parthenium hysterophorus (compositae)	Bhuai Gajar	Root	Arthritis	Grounded root and Calotropis procera is taken orally with water.
01/39	Phyllanthus niruri (Euphorbiaceae)	Bhuai Amla, Hajar Dana	Whole plant	Jaundice	Grounded plant, sugar or rock sugar with water is taken orally.
01/40	Pongamia pinnata (leguminosae)	Karanj	Seed     Leaf	Eczema   Leprosy Malaria	Seed oil with latex of Calotropis procera and grounded Curcuma longa applied locally. Seed oil applied Pills made of leaves, Andrograopis paniculata , Azadirachta indica , Ocimum sanctum, Acorus calamus is taken orally.
01/41	Psidium guajava  Linn (myrtaceae)	Behei Tam rus Amrud	Leaf	Jaundice	Juice with rock sugar is taken internally.
01/42	Rauwolfia serpentina (Apocynaceae)	Nagbeal	Root	Blood pressure Snake bite	Extracted root is taken orally. Grounded root is applied topically.
01/43	Ricinus communis (Euphorbiaceae)	Arandi Erandi	Root	Tetanus Paralysis	Root juice of Ricinus communis , Bauhina Variegata and Carica  papaya is  taken orally and applied topically.
01/44	Salmalica malabarica (Bombacaceae)	Semali Semal	Tuberous root	Sun Strock	Extracted water is taken orally with rock sugar.
01/45	Sida acuta (Malvaceae)	Bar yari	Whole plant	anemia	Grounded leaves with black pepper and sugar are taken orally with raw egg.
01/46	Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae)	Aadi Makoi	Whole Plant	Hydrocele	Paste applied.
01/47	Solanum xanthocarpum (Solanaceae)	Tocco Vijri Bajkatia	Whole Plant	Stomach ache     Hydrocele	Pill is prepared by grounded root Cassia fistula, Cyperous rotendus root is taken orally with jaggery. Grounded paste with mustard oil applied topically.
01/48	Sphaeranthus indicus(compositae)	Mundli	Leaf	Dysentery pile	Juice with jaggery and myrrh is taken orally. Juice is taken orally.
01/49	Spilanthes acmella (compositae)	Agakara	Leaf	Stomach ache	Grounded Spilanthes leaves and Euphorbia geneculata is taken orally.
01/50	Tamarindus indica Linn (leguminosae)	Taetali	Leaf	Jaundice	Leaf juice of Tamarindus indica, Aegle marmelos and Zizyphis jujube is taken orally with rock sugar.
01/51	Terminalia belerica (combretaceae)	Bahera	Fruit	Tuberculosis	Grounded powder of Terminalia belerica fruit, Emblica officinalis and Terminalia chebula is taken orally
01/52	Trichodesma indicum (Boraginaceae)	Kawodia Tajrai Hattmutya	Whole plant	Stomach ache Hydrocele	Flower petal with jaggary is taken orally. Sap of flower with Calotropis procera root sap and Madhuca indica liquor is taken orally.
01/53	Tridex Procumbens Linn (Compositae)	Khadha Ghass, Muya Ghass	Leaf	Cuts and Wounds	Juice applied.
01/54	Ventilago madraspatana	Nad-naour	Root	Tuberculosis	Extract with Madhuca indica liquor is taken orally.
01/55	Vitex negundo (Verbenaceae)	Khokhode	Leaf	Body pain   Cuts and wounds Swellings	Cooked leaves in mustard oil applied. Juice applied. Grounded cooked leaves in mustard oil applied.
01/56	Wrightia tinctoria (Apocynaceae)	Bari dudh iya	Whole plant	Body pain	Chopped plant cooked with mustard oil and applied topically.
01/57	Zizyphus jujuba (Rhamnaceae)	Paan Baer	Root	Gastric Problem       Tooth ache Stomach ache	Sap is taken with Phyllanthes Nirruri Grounded root applied on tooth. Grounded root of Zizyphus jujube, Oxalis Corniculata, Diospyrus Melanoxylem root, Schrebra Sweitinoids with rice bear or country liquor is taken orally.

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

The 27 medicinal plants given in table no-1 belongs to19 family are used for the treatment of 31 Categories of diseases. Tribes and aboriginals of Jashpur district are highly depending on these medicinal plats for the treatment of their ailments and meeting their primary health care. The analysis of the data reveals the usefulness of herbs for common illness like dysentery, malaria, jaundice, stomach ache, body pain etc as well as serious sickness like paralysis, epilepsy, tuberculosis, tetanus, snake bites, cancer, arthritis, etc.

 

Some medicinal plants used by local tribes are not reported in previous works Plants like Sida acuta, Trichodesma indicum, Elephantopus scaber, Partheium    hysterophorus, Wrightia tinctoria, Ventilago madraspatana, Momordica dioica, Psidium guajava, are known plants but their medicinal uses are new.

 

However there is an urgent need for the following up ethno pharmacological screening based on tribal claims and belief and to formulate some herbal medicines based on ethno therapeutics either with single plant and or in combination with other plants for its safe and sustainable use for human welfare.  Ancient knowledge and the traditional practice of herbal use are disappearing day by day due to the advancement, development and establishment of community medical health service centers. Therefore, before it gets lost the record curative value of plants for invention of new drugs. 

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

A special thanks to the tribal who have cooperated in the collection of information and materials for this research.

 

 

 

REFERENCES:

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Received on 13.10.2012          Modified on 20.10.2012

Accepted on 24.10.2012         © RJPT All right reserved