Less Known Uses of Ethnomedicinal Plants among Tribes of Vindhyan Region of Madhya Pradesh

Prof. Skand Kumar Mishra

Head, Botany and Biotechnology, Govt. New Science College, Rewa (M.P) 486001

*Corresponding Author E-mail: skandbt@gmail.com

Introduction:

Ethnobotany is defined as the study of association, interaction and relationship of human societies especially tribal communities with surrounding vegetation. Human beings have always been largely dependent for their food, shelter, medicine and other needs on plant resources. Today, human beings, particularly the urbanites, are far removed from their plant, benefactors. But the rural and aboriginal folk are very much in harmony with nature for their various needs; they depend largely on plants. but due to rapid modernization, acculturation and resultant greatly enhanced needs; this environmental harmony is getting disturbed. Rural folk are often discarding their age old traditions and are getting absorbed into the process of modernization.

However, there still exist many ethnic groups and cultures that strive to maintain their age – old wisdom and cultures. Modern science has borrowed much of its basic knowledge from these cultures, particularly that relating to food and medicine from plants. But since these cultures too are getting influenced by the economic, scientific and technological changes, it is essential to study them before their knowledge is lost.

Vindhyan region in Madhya Pradesh located between 24⁰45' to 25⁰45' N latitudes and 75⁰38' to 82⁰50' E longitude. The total area of the region is 38370 sq.km. This area is known for natural forests and tribes. The tropical deciduous forests of the area are full of biodiversity. The Vindhyan region is the area of tribe according to 2011 census the tribe population of the region was 28.3%. The 30 types of tribe include mainly Gond, Baiga, Kol, Panika, Khairwar, Pao, Majhi, and Agaria etc. The tribes and local forests are intimately correlated socially and economically the tribes depend on forest their behaviours working convention and agriculture practices are in relation to the natural protection. They have developed their own methods of conserving many species which they felt are at the verge of extinction. The present study, therefore, aim to investigate the less known uses of ethnomedicinal plants of Vindhyan region and priorities in conservation and management of these plants.

METHODOLOGY:

Ethnobotanical works on of Vindhyan region are not sufficient enough. The recent publications of Lal and Dubey(1992), Sikarwar and Maheshwari (1992), Dwivedi and Pandey (1992), Mishra et.al (1993), Verma and Khan (1993), Verma et.al. (1995), Jain (1996), Upadhyay and Singh (1998), Rai and Nath (2006), Mishra (2007),MishraandTiwari(2010) etc. give supplementary information on ethnobotany among the tribals of study area.

This work is the result of personal observations made after carefully planned field work among the tribals during August 2013 to August 2014.The major part of the field work was confined at the highest concentration of the tribals. Some villages of other localities were also studied. The local informants were of five types, picked up by selected and random sampling methods: 1.the medicine men, 2.village headmen, priests and other prominent leaders, their wives and other women, 3.the interpreters, 4. men and women working in the field, and 5. men and women in weekly market and other common places.

One or more medicine men were included in the team during data collection trips. Twenty medicine men and about 190 others, i.e. in all, about 210 people, have contributed to the information reported in this study. Each medicinal use was crosschecked with at least 10 informants.

During field work, personal observations on the environment and ecology, flora, agricultural practices and agro-economy, subsistence of food, plant resources management, conservational aspects, the people and their life, and so on were also noted in the field book. Reports of the interpreter, guide, medicine men and other knowledgeable people were also recorded. At least 4-6 voucher specimens of each ethnobotanically important plant were collected and numbered. Their description, reported uses, and other details were entered in the field book on the spot. These specimens were kept in the field press as per standard procedure recorded in books of Field Techniques and Herbarium Methods (Jain and Rao, 1978).

For comparison of ethnomedicinal uses, Dictionary of Indian Folk Medicine and Ethnobotany (Jain, 1991b) and Useful plants of India (Ambasta 2006) have been used. Uses of plants not mentioned in these books are treated as less-known.

DISCUSSION:

Ethnobotanical investigation has led to the documentation of a large number of plants used by tribes for meeting their multifarious requirements. Application of most of the plants recorded are either lesser known or hitherto unknown to the outside world.

Wild plants for food, medicine, fiber, fodder and other purposes -

A total of 332 plant species belonging to 236 genera and 98 families used by tribes for meeting their varied requirements have been recorded so far. Among these were, the Fabaceae 30, Poaceae 28, Cucurbitaceae 21, Euphorbiaceae 14, Solanaceae 12, Liliaceae and Zingiberaceae 10, Caesalpiniaceae 8, Combretaceae, Asteraceae and Acanthaceae 7.

Table: Showing group wise ethnobotanically important prominent families

Group	Families	Genera	Species	Major families with no. of plants
Monocot	15	44	80	Poaceae (28), Liliaceae (10), Zingiberaceae (10)
Dicot	83	192	252	Fabaceae (30), Cucurbitaceae (21)
Angiosperm	98	236	332	Euphorbiaceae (14), Solanaceae (12), Caesalpiniaceae (8), Acanthaceae (7), Asteraceae (7), Combreataceae (7)

Out of 332 species 128 are used for human consumption; they can be termed as edible; 202 of them are useful in human medicare; 30 for veterinary medicine; 32 or agricultural implements, utensils, house making, 44 for fodder and 136 for miscellaneous uses like oil, dyes, fire wood, gum and resin, piscicide, etc. Many species are used for more than one purpose.

Medicinal uses:

The tribes attribute most of ills of life to spirits and often seek the aid of magical practices to get rid of such ills (Griffith, 1946). Besides the spirits, there are other agents, like some animals, birds and even humans that can cast an 'evil-eye' on people, animals or crops and bring about unhappiness, illness, destruction and death.

But over the years, due to experience and tradition, they have learned that many of these evils can be corrected and illnesses can be cured by careful use of plants, magic and propitiatory sacrifices. Many of the ordinary illnesses, though basically believed to be due to spirits, are curable by herbal remedies.

Table: Showing Group wise Ethnomedicinally Important Prominent Families

Group	Families	Species	Major families with no. of plants
Monocot	8	37	Liliaceae (7), Zingiberaceae (6)
Dicot	56	165	Fabaceae (15), Euphorbiaceae (10), Solanaceae (8), Caesalpiniaceae (6), Acantheceae (5), Asteraceae (5), Combretaceae (4).
Angiosperm	64	202

In all about 347 medical prescriptions are assigned out of 202 plants used for human health care.

Since the list of plants used for treatment of diseases is long, for our purpose, 76 most important ones are identified for this analysis. The table shows the names of plants, local name, number of prescriptions assigned to in this study.

LESS-KNOWN USES:

Various uses reported by tribes were compared with those mentioned from other parts of India and elsewhere, as reported in ethnobotanic literature. Total 76 uses reported by the tribes do not seen to be recorded in the literature; a list of these is given in the table.

List of Less-known uses -

Botanical Name	Family	Local Name	Village	Uses
Abrus precatorius	Fabaceae	Ghunchi	Rangauli	Rt for wounds
Achyranthes aspera	Amaranthaceae	Chirchiri	Khamhariya	Lf juice for blood purification
Aconitum rotundifolium	Ranunculaceae	Bachnag	Padri	Rt for bronchitis
Albizia ororatissima	Mimosaceae	Kali siris	Jadua	Bk andLf for spleen disorder
Allium cepa	Liliaceae	Piyaz	Piprahi	Bulb for nose bleeding
Amorphophallus campanulatus	Araceae	Jangali suran	Lethra	Tb for sanke bite
Argemone mexicana	Papaveraceae	Ghamoya	Badwahi	Wp decoction for fever
Arisaema tortuosum	Araceae	Samp buti	Bijauri	Tuber for throat swelling
Asparagus racemosus	Liliaceae	Satawar	Barkadol	Rt for veterinary maggots
Barleria cristata	Acanthaceae	Patharphoda/ Vajradanti	Sajwahi	Plant extract for tuberculosis
Bauhinia variegata	Caesalpiniaceae	Kachnar	Mauhari	Lf paste for menstruation disorder
Begonia picta	Begoniaceae	Amti	Bardaha	Wp paste for goitre
Boerhaavia diffusa	Nyctaginaceae	Punarnava	Tilaya	Root paste for abortion
Bombax ceiba	Bombacaceae	Semal	Pondi	Bk for joint dislocation
Boswellia serrata	Burseraceae	Salai	Kanchanpur	Resin for small pox
Cajanus cajan	Fabaceae	Arhar	Dewa	Lf decoction for cholera
Calotropis gigantea	Asclepiadaceae	Madar	Lethra	Rt for poision; La for malaria
Cassia fistula	Caesalpiniaceae	Amaltas	Kushmaha	Sd decoction for interrupted menstruation
Cassia tora	Caesalpiniaceae	Chakauda	Bijauri	Lf powder for B.P., edible
Celastrus paniculatus	Celastraceae	Malkangani	Khamhariya	Oil for T.B.
Cenchrus ciliaris	Poaceae	Anjan	Gopala	Grain edible
Chlorophytum tuberosum	Liliaceae	Safed musli	Sulkhama	Tb for noctural emission
Cissampelos pareira	Menispermaceae	Dadhpari	Bamera	Rt for stops excess bleeding after delivery in women
Cleome gynandra	Cleomaceae	Hur-Hur	Mainaha	Sd as substitute of 'Rai'
Crotalaria juncea	Fabaceae	Sanai	Pathara	Wp decoction for gonorrhoea
Curculigo orchioides	Hypoxidaceae	Kali musli	Busaul	Rt for post delivery fever
Curcuma angustifolia	Zingiberaceae	Tikhur	Bausaniha	Rh paste for snake bite
Curcuma longa	Zingiberaceae	Haldi	Sajwahi	Rh paste for fracture
Cyperus scariosus	Cyperaceae	Nagarmotha	Kanchanpur	Rh for filariasis, leucorrhoea and stomach pain
Dalbergia emarginata	Fabaceae	Shisham	Gupla	Lf decoction for gastric trouble
Datura metel	Solanaceae	Dhatura	Bagha	Lf juice as antiseptic
Dendrophthoe falcata	Loranthaceae	Vandha	Bargawan	Lf for lactation
Dioscorea bulbifera	Dioscoreaceae	Baichandi	Pipraha	Raw tuber for post-natal complications
Diospyros melanoxylon	Ebenaceae	Tendu	Kolha	Bk for bleeding
Drypetes roxburghii	Euphorbiaceae	Jiaputa	Basniha	Lf for Tonic
Euphorbia hirta	Euphorbiaceae	Dudhi	Baheradol	Rt paste for paralysis
Euphorbia nivulia	Euphorbiaceae	Sehurh	Sulkhama	Latex for skin diseases
Evolvulus alsinoides	Convolvulaceae	Sankhapuspi	Kushmaha	Wp ash for skin diseases
Gardenia turgida	Rubiaceae	Dikamali	Tilaya	Rt for spermatorrhoea
Ficus racemosa	Moraceae	Gular	Lethra	Lf paste for dog bite
Ficus religiosa	Moraceae	Pepal	Dubri	Bk decoction for lucorrhoea
Globba marantina	Zingiberaceae	Gurushuru	Kanchanpur	Tb as substitute of food
Gloriosa superba	Liliaceae	Kalihari	Pathara	Rt paste for small pox
Grewia asiatica	Tiliaceae	Phalsa	Barkadol	Lf to check pregnancy
Haldina cordifolia	Rubiaceae	Haldu	Bargawan	Flower bud for snake bite
Hedychium coronarium	Zingiberaceae	Ban Haldi	Bardaha	Rh for vet. diseases
Helicteres isora	Sterculiaceae	Morod phali	Khamariha	Rt (Oil) for polio
Hemidesmus indicus	Periplocaceae	Dudhibel	Busaul	Rt decoction to ladies as antiseptic after delivery
Holoptelea intergrifolia	Ulmaceae	Chilla	Sulkhama	Lf for boil suppuration
Hyptis suaveolens	Lamiaceae	Bantulsi	Mainaha	Lf as blood congulant
Indigofera linifolia	Fabaceae	Neelpatra	Kushmaha	Wp for post delivery fever
Ipomoea carnea	Convolvulaceae	Besharam	Bamera	Bud paste for scorpion bite
Jatropha curcas	Euphorbiaceae	Ban rendi	Rangauli	Lf fumigation for body inflamation
Lagerstroemia parviflora	Lytharaceae	Sejha	Mauhai	Rb paste for snake bite
Lannea coromandelica	Anacardiaceae	Gurja	Tilaya	Bk paste for fever, Sd infusion for dandruff
Lantana camara	Verbenaceae	Bansahru	Sajwahi	Sd paste for poision
Locculus hirsutus	Menispermaceae	Chiretta	Bagha	Lf to check excess urination in child
Madhuca longifolia	Sapotaceae	Mahua	Dewa	Lf for hydrocoel and Bone fracture
Moringa oleifera	Moringaceae	Munga	Bijauri	Lf for ulcer and Rt for boil suppuration
Nyctanthes arbor-tristis	Oleaceae	Harsingar	Pipraha	Lf veterinary medicine
Ocimum gratissimum	Lamiaceae	Ramtulsi	Badwahi	Lf and Sd for tonsilitis
Ricinus communis	Euphorbiaceae	Rendi	Pathara	Rt paste for bite
Saccharum spontaneum	Poaceae	Kans	Padri	Blade paste for fracture
Scoparia dulcis	Scrophulariaceae	Kharpatia	Podi	Lf paste for boil and blisters
Smilax Ovalifolia	Smilacaceae	Ram datoon	Dubri	Rt paste for spermatorrhoea
Syzygium heyneanum	Myrtaceae	Kath Jamun	Sohaula	Bk for vet. diseases
Terminalia arjuna	Combretaceae	Kahua	Gopla	Bk decoction for infertility and dysentry
Terminalia bellirica	Combretaceae	Bahera	Bargawan	Lf for vomiting
Tephrosia purpurea	Fabaceae	Sarpoka	Bardaha	Lf powder for inparting strength to women after child birth
Tridax procumbens	Asteraceae	Pulni	Jadua	Wp extract for jaundice
Vanda tessellata	Orchidaceae	Bandha / Hadjori	Basniha	Plant paste for body swelling
Vernonia anthelmintica	Asteraceae	Kali jeer	Kolha	Inflo. paste for pneumonia
Vetiveria zizanioides	Poaceae	Khas	Busaul	Rt paste for chira
Vitex negundo	Verbenaceae	Nirgudi	Baheradol	Lf infusion for blood purification
Withania somnifera	Solanaceae	Asgandh	Sulkhama	Lf for rheumatism
Zingiber officinale	Zingiberaceae	Adrak	Bagha	Rh juice for bone dislocation

Abbreviations:

Bk=Bark, La=Latex, Lf=Leaf, Rb=Rootbark, Rh=Rhizome, Rt=Root, Sd=Seed, Tb=Tuber, Wp=Whole Plant

CONCLUSION:

The data and analysis presented so far led to the following conclusions:

· The tribal plant-use is essentially subsistence-oriented and it needs modern and scientific approach for sustainable development.

· The tribals have inherited a certain sense of conservation, but the demand and exploitation of plant resources is inversely proportional to the conservation and regeneration efforts.

· For the economic-uplift and improvement in quality of life, an organised plant-use strategy is to be developed. If their resources are pooled together and harnessed properly, the tribes can come up in life, preserving their culture, traditions and also natural resources.

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Received on 22.05.2015 Modified on 05.06.2015

Accepted on 10.06.2015 ©A&V Publications All right reserved

Research J. Science and Tech. 7(2): April-June, 2015; Page 121-124

DOI: 10.5958/2349-2988.2015.00016.9