Herbal treatments by Gonds of Ghat-Parasia, District Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, India

Chhindwara District is situated on Satpura plateau at 1550-3820 feet above the sea level. The District lies between 18 8'- 20 9' E. The arrangements of the plateau varies in altitude from 760-1030 mts. Ghat-Parasia is situated at Chhindwara- Jabalpur road about 12 km away from Chhindwara ...Chhindwara District is situated on Satpura plateau at 1550-3820 feet above the sea level. The District lies between 18 8'- 20 9' E. The arrangements of the plateau varies in altitude from 760-1030 mts. Ghat-Parasia is situated at Chhindwara- Jabalpur road about 12 km away from Chhindwara town. Gonds are the main inhabitants of the village. These people still perform herbal treatments for curing general disorders. For them, use of herbs is the cheapest way for curing various health disorders.

A review of literature reveals that much work has been done on ethnomedicinal plants in India (Jain and Tarafdar, 1970; Sahu, 1982; Maheshwari et al., 1986; Rai 1987, 89; Jain, 1991; Negi et al., 1993; Singh et al., 1997). But still there are some tribal pockets which could be surveyed for the search of new traditional medicines. We report the ethnomedicinal plants of village Kukrakhapa for the first time.

Methodology

Periodical surveys were made for search of new traditional herbal medicines in village Ghat-Parasia. The help of volunteers of Friends Nature club and ECO- CAMPUS was also taken for conduction of interview and collection of medicinal plants used in different diseases. The village chief was interviewed and the local uses of enigmatic specimens were confirmed by more than two senior people having knowledge of local herbs. The plants were identified and the voucher specimens were deposited in Botany Department Danielson College, Chhindwara.

Herbal Medicines

1. Alstonia Scholaris R. Br.
Local name: Saptaparna
Family: Apocynaceae
Use: Used in ulcers, Dysentery and wood paste is applied in Rheumatism and toothache.

2. Asperagus racemosus Willd.
Local name: Satawar
Family: Liliaceae
Use: Used in Leucorrhoea, headache, useful in acidity. It is given to pregnant ladies before they deliver babies, it is said to relieve pains. Root-powder is used to increase vigour and strength.

3. Azadirachta indica Juss. syn. Melia azadirachta L.
Local name: Neem
Family: Meliaceae
Use: Seeds are used in skin diseases, and in rheumatism. Bark is useful in malarial fever.
Dry fruits are used as tonic and stomachic. Tender twigs are used as tooth-brush.

5. Bauhinia variegata Linn.
Local name: Kachnar
Family: Caesalpinaceae (Leguminosae)
Use: It is given in diabetes, Stem and bark extract are applied to the patients with skin problems, it is good in goiter, given in dysentery and diarrhoea.

6. Butea frondosa Roxb.
Local name: Palaas
Family: Papilionaceae
Use: Seeds are used to cure ringworm. Petioles are chewed during heat in urination.

7. Boerhaavia diffusa L.
Local name: Punarnava
Family: Nyctaginaceae
Use: Good in asthma, given in jaundice and scanty urine. Extract of the whole plant is good in cough

8. Calotropis procera R. Br.
Local name: Madaar
Family: Asclepiadaceae
Use: Used in boils, and also to remove the thorn from the body. White latex is applied on the skin with Eczema, ulcers and boils.

9. Cassia tora Linn.
Local name: Titi
Family: Fabaceae
Use: Powder of the the dry seeds is used in Asthma. The powder is mixed with Gud (2-3-year old) and about 7 small balls are prepared. One ball is taken every day with water upto 7 days.

10. Carica papaya L.
Local name: Papitta
Family: Caricaceae
Use: Milky latex of the fruit relieves fever, Juice of the leaves is good for heart. Fruit is laxative.

11. Chenopodium album L..
Local name: Bathua
Family: Chenopodiaceae
Use: It is given in bleeding piles, dysentery. Used as tonic for longevity and cough.

12. Cissampelos pareira L.
Local name: Patha
Family: Menispermaceae
Use: Roots given in ulcers, it lowers the blood pressure. Paste of crushed leaves is applied on skin disorders. It is good in bronchitis, colic and dysentery.

13. Cocculus hirsutus Diels. Syn. C. Villosus. DC.
Local name: Jal Jamani
Family: Menispermaceae
Use: The leaves are useful to cure leucorrhea.

14. Cuscuta reflexa Roxb.
Local name: Amarbel
Family: Convolvulaceae
Use: The extract of the plant is applied to get rid of dandruff.

15. Emblica officinalis Gaertn. syn. Phyllanthus emblica L.
Local name: Aonla
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Use: To cure dandruff.

16. Mangifera indica Linn.
Local name: Aam
Family: Anacardiaceae
Use: The leaves are used in erruptions of the tongue.

17. Moringa oleifera Lam.
Local name: Sahjan
Family: Moringaceae
Use: The juice of the leaves is used in the eye diseases.

18. Mucuna prurita Hook. Syn. M. pruriens (L.) DC.
Local name: Kimaach
Family: Papilionaceae
Use: Seeds are used as aphrodisiac.

19. Ocimum sanctum Linn.
Local name: Tulsi
Family: Labiateae
Use: The leaves are used against skin diseases.

20. Plumbago zeylanica Linn.
Local name: Chitawar
Family: Plumbaginaceae
Use: The seeds are powdered and applied on boils and carbuncles.

21. Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb.
Local name: Beeja
Family: Fabaceae
Use: The wood of the plant is used in diabetes.

22. Ruta graveolens L.
Local name: Shitab
Family: Rutaceae
Use: The juice of leaves is used as carminative.

23. Semecarpus anacardium Linn.
Local name: Bhilwa
Family: Anacardiaceae
Use: The oil of seeds is applied on the painful spot.

24. Solanum anguivi Lam.
Local name:
Family: Solanaceae
Use: Used in skin diseases.

25. Solanum melongena Linn. var. incanum
Local name: Jungli Baigan
Family: Solanaceae
Use: The root-powder is used in stomach pain.

26. Syzygium cumini L. (Skeils.) syn. Eugenia jambolana Lamk.
Local name: Jamun
Family: Myrtaceae
Use: Seed-powder is useful in diarrhoea, dysentry and diabetes.
Bark is used for mouth washes.

27. Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) W. & A. Syn. Terminalia glabra W. & A.
Local name: Arjun, Kahuaa
Family: Combretaceae
Use: The decoction of the bark is used as tea in heart troubles. The bark gives strength to the heart. Good stomachic.

28. Terminalia bellerica Roxb.
Local name: Beheda
Family: Combritaceae
Use: Epicarp of fruit mixed with Harra is useful in digestion.
Seeds mixed with Buchammia seeds are taken in eruption of mouth.

29. Terminalia chebula Retz.
Local name: Harra
Family: Combritaceae
Use: Used for the preparation of digestive powder.

30. Thymus serphyllum Linn.
Local name: Jungli ajwayan
Family: Labiateae
Use: In skin diseases

31. Tinospora cordifolia (Lour.) Miers.
Local name: Gurvail
Family: Menispermaceae
Use: Juice with sugar is good after malarial and typhoid fever.

32. Verbascum thapsus Linn.
Local name: Gidad Tambakhu
Family: Scropularaceae
Use: Skin diseases.

Results and discussion

The survey provides an evidence that the Gond tribe of Ghat-Parasia uses about 32 plants in various ailments. The plants are generally used as stomach disorders, skin diseases, aphrodisiacs, fever, tonic, ulcer, asthma, snake-bite, respiratory diseases, leucorrhoea, dandruff, eye-diseases and diabetes. There is need of training on cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants. Only plants growing in sandy soils and require less water can be selected for cultivation since the local soil is sandy and there is scarcity of water in the village. There is a greater need to develop a garden of medicinal plants of the area. The tribal people can also be encouraged to take up this job as an income generation activity.

Acknowledgement

I am thankful to Dr S A Brown, Principal, Danielson College, Chhindwara, M.P., India and Dr M K Rai, Head, Department of Biotechnology, Amarawati University for their support and encouragement. Thanks are due to all the members of ECO- CAMPUS and Friends Nature Club, Danielson College, Chhindwara M.P. India.

references

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Jain, S.K. and Tarafdar, C.R. (1970). Medicinal plant lore of Santals. A revival of P.O. Buddings' work. Econ. Bot. 19:236-250.

Maheshwari, J.K., Singh, K.K. and Saha, S. (1986). Ethnobotany of tribals of Mirzapur District, Uttar pradesh, Economic Botany Information Service, NBRI, Lucknow.

Negi, K.S., Tiwari, J.K., Gaur, R.D. and Pant, K.C. (1993). Notes on Ethnobotany of five Districts of Garhwal Himalaya, Uttar Pradesh, India. Ethnobotany, 5: 73-81.

Rai, M.K. (1987). Ethnomedicinal Studies of Patalkot and Tamiya (Chhindwara)- Plants used as tonic. Ancient science of Life, 3 (2):119-121.

Rai, M.K. (1989). Ethnomedicinal Studies of Chhindwara Distric (M.P.). I. Plants used in stomach disorders. Indian Medicine 1 (2): 1-5.

Rai, M.K. and Pandey, A.K. (1997). Folk medicines of Gond tribe of Seoni District, M.P., India. J. of Non-Timber Forest Products, 4 (1/2): 61-69.

Sahu, T.R. (1982). An ethnomedicinal study of M.P. I. Plants used against various disorders among tribal women. Ancient Sci of Life 1 (3):178-181.

Singh, K.K., Palvi, S.K., and Aswal, B.S. (1997). Survey and Biological activity of some ethnomedicinal plants. J. of Non-, 4(1/2):26-31.