0185-A3

Use of Medicinal Plants by Traditional Herbal Healers in Central India

Rajiv Rai and Vijendra Nath ¹

Abstract:

In the modern world it has been realized the herbal drugs strengthens the body system specifically and selectively without side effects. The importance of traditional herbal medicinal system has now gained vital importance in developed countries has been briefly described. The herbal medicinal practices adopted by traditional medicime- man in Central India for cure of various diseases occurring in tribal pockets are presented in this paper.

Introduction :

Traditional herbal medicine ( THM ) is practiced in several parts of the world, specially in Australia, Africa, Bangala desh, Brazil, China, Caribbean States, Europe, Spain, North and South America, Russia, Pacific islands where large ethnic community still live in. History has revealed that most of the people of the world have been using plants, animals, micro -organisms and minerals for treating their illness. Traditional herbal medicines in last one decade has gained importance in various developed countries. One-Third of the American adults, Seventy four percent population of United Kingdom, sixty percent population of the Netherlands and Belgium are now utilizing alternative herbal medicinal therapies (WHO, 1996).

India is blessed with rich and diverse heritage of cultural traditions. These traditions are associated with use of wild plants as medicinal herbs. The use of medicinal herbs is still a tradition adopted by ethnic communities who are living in undulating plains and at foothills of dense forest. Shanker (1998) has reported about traditional folk healers in India which is presented in table 1.

The Central India comprises states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Maharashtra, Orissa and Jharkhand. The ethnic people of this region are Baiga, Bhariya, Bhil, Gond, Hill korwa, Birhor, Khairwar, Rawat and Sahariyas. They use wide range of wild plants for their health care.

Observations and Discussions :

The traditional herbal healer therapies contain many medicines for one ailment. Out of the various medicines, one is selected by the herbal healer against a particular disease according to the symptoms and secondary effects. Several plants are identified and used against one disease and are used according to their availability in the region.. Some of the plants commonly used by tribals in Central India for prominent diseases are recorded during the survey. The remedial measures have been recorded from Baiga, Bhariya, Bhil, Gond, Hill korwa, Birhor tribes of Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh state in Central India.

The different preparations of plant parts are prepared and used by traditional medicinal man against cure of a particular disease. The same is described as follows.

1.Fever :

In tribal communities whenever the patient is suffering from fever, the first step taken is to avoid intake of solid food. The patient is given only liquid diet for 1-2 days. The root and tuber decoction of Asparagus racemosa Willd (Shatavri) is prepared by the tribal medicine- man and given to patient twice a day of for a period of five to six days. In case of high fever pods of Cassia tora Linn. (Charota) are collected and seeds are crushed. The seed extract is boiled and filtered with a piece of cloth and given to patient twice a day for about a week.The stem and bark decoction is prepared of Bauhinia purpurea Linn. (Kelor bhaji)and given twice a day to patients for control of intermittent fever and fever with acute body pain.The leaves and stem of Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Akashbeal) is boiled with water and vapours are inhaled to cure body pain and swellings.

2 Headache:

The tribals prepare paste of several herbal plants and apply them on fore head for obtaining quick relief from severe pain. The paste of Zingiber offficanilis Ross. (Dry Ginger) is applied on forehead for 2-3-days for relief in headache. The mucilage of leaves Aloe barbadensis Mill. (Ghrita Kanwar) is applied on forehead for a week to cure severe headaches. The paste prepared of Santalum album Linn.(sandal wood) is also applied to cure headache. A bandage is tied with leaves of Vitex negunda Linn. for obtaining relief in pain in the scalp region of forehead.

3 Toothache, Ear ache, Body ache:

The gum of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. (Bija Sal) is applied in gums to cure toothache. The root extract of Phoenix sylvestris (Linn. ) Roxb. ( Chhind) is also useful in toot ache. The seeds extract of Terminalia chebula ( Gaertn.) Retz . (Harra) is used to cure wound of gums and bleeding . The twigs of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. ( Neem) are used as brush to cure toothache.
The leaf extract of Cardiospermum halicacabum Linn. ( Kapal phodi) is applied on ears to cure ear ache.
The leaf paste prepared from Sida acuta Burm. .f. ( Banmethi) is applied on body to cure body pain.

4. Liver disorder :

The liver ailments are very common in different tribal pockets. The infection in liver is caused due to contaminated water and food. There is always lack of wells and tube wells in tribal localities. They use to drink water from ponds, river and streams . The viral hepatitis is also common in tribal localities.

To cure liver ailments, tribals collect rhizomes of Acorus calamus Linn (Buch) which is dried and powdered and consumed with water. When patients are suffering form jaudice, the leaves of beetle vine and of Andrographis paniculata ( Burn .f.) Nees ( Kiryat) are given to the patients to chew for few days . In case of acute jaundice, patients are asked to chew daily 4-5 fresh leaves of Phyllanthus niruri Linn. ( jar amla) for 20 -25 days . The same has been found to be very useful in case of severe jaundice but the patients are asked to chew 4-5 leaves twice a day i.e.once in morning and second time in evening for 40 -45 days. The seeds of Cassia tora Linn. (Charota ) and leaves of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. ( Neem) are also chewed to cure liver ailments . Paste of Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. ( Amarbeal) is prepaed and applied on stomach to get relief from liver disorder.

5. Cold, Cough, Bronchitis:

Tribals use many plants for cure of cold, cough and bronchitis. Fruits of Amaranthus tricolor Linn. ( Arak gandhiri) and Tamarandus indica Linn. ( Imli) and rhizomes of Acorus calamus Linn ( Safed Buch) are chewed by tribals for cure of cold and cough. The decoction of A. calamus Linn ( Safed Buch) rhizome is prepared which is filtered with cloth and half cup of it is given to drink for atleast a forthnight to patients suffering from acute case of bronchitis. The bark decoction of Acacia catechu Willd. ( Khair ) half cup thrice a day for atleast one week is also given to patients suffering from bronchitis.

6. Asthma :

When cold, cough and bronchitis persists for longer period patients suffer from asthma. The paste prepared from rhizome of Curcuma longa Linn.( Kali haldi) is applied externally on lungs and affected part s to cure asthma . The flowers of Calotropis procera ( Willd .) ex. W. Ait (Maddar) and Calotropis gigantean ( Linn.) R.Br. ex. W.Ait ( Aak) are dried , powdered and decoction is prepared . The filtered decoction liquid is given 50 ml thrice a day for atleast forthnight to patient suffering from acute case of asthma. Rhizome of A. calamus is also chewed for obtaining relief in asthma. The bark decoction of Ailanthus excelsa ( Mill. ) Swingle ( Mahaneem ) is also given to patients suffering from chronic stage of asthma.

7. Bone fracture :

The root, stem, tuber and leaves of plants are powdered and paste is prepared by traditional bone setter of tribal community. The same is applied on broken bone portion. For this purpose , the roots of Bauhinia purpurea Linn. (stem) , Solanum torvum Swartz ( Ringi )and tubers of Curcuma angustifolia Roxb. ( Tikhur ) are powdered and paste is prepared and applied by the tribals.

8 Snake bite and Scorpion sting :

The tribals roam in dense forest in which various poisonous snakes and scorpion are inhabited. They are affected by snake - bite and scorpion sting . In case of snake bite the traditional herbal healer first tie with a knot a piece of cloth just above the wound so that poison does not move into the entire body with flow of blood. The place of wound is properly cut from all the sided and infested blood is made to ooze out from the human body Then the paste prepared from the herbal plant material and is applied for a week for cure of wounds due to snake bite . Such pastes are prepared from rhizomes, stem, leaves etc. of plant species as per availability in the locality. The paste prepared from rhizome of A. calamus Linn. ( Safed buch ) is applied on wounds in case of snake bite. The stem and bark of Buchnania lanzan Spr. ( Achar) is pounced and applied on the inflamation as antidote of snake -bite. Shoot and leaves of Bombax ceiba Linn. ( Semul ) and Moringa oleifera Lamk. ( Munga) are crushed and paste is prepared . This paste is applied on wounds caused by snake bites.

The roots of Cieba pentandra ( Linn.) Gratean ( Kapok) are crushed and paste is prepared which is applied for 4-5- days for cure of wounds due to scorpion - sting. Similarly paste is prepared from shoot and leaves of Achyranthus aspera Linn. ( Chirchita )and Clemone Gynandra Linn. ( Hurhar ) and applied at places of scorpion sting for instant healing of wounds. The seed oil of Madhuca indica Gmel ( Maui ) is applied on wounds due to snake - bite and scorpion sting for instant healing.

9 Healing of wounds and skin infection :

The skin of small children and women of tribal community is normally delicate and sensitive . In case if the skin is exposed due to cut, it gradually filled with mucus and the pain persits on wound. Traditional medicine man of tribals apply latex extracted from leaves, stem of Argemone mexicana Linn. ( Pilli - Katai ) on infected skin for cure and healing of wounds. The root paste of Argyreia nervosa ( Burm .f. ) Boj ( Ghabel) is also applied on wounds developed as eruption on skin.

10 Problems for tribal women in urinary infection, menstrual disorder and bowel infection.:

The tribal women are mostly suffering from urinary infection with white discharge in urine . Tribals use root decoction prepared from Bombax ceiba Linn. ( Semul ) and Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. ( Kali musli ). This root decoction is filtered by a piece of cloth and 50 ml of this preparation is given to the patient twice a day for a period of 10 -15 days for cure of infection.

The other problem very common in tribal women is of excessive discharge in menstrual disorder which continues for more than 15 -20 days . The stem decoction is prepared of Bambusa vulgaris Schard ex. J.C.Well and Butea monosperma (Lamb.)Taub. ( Palas ) and mixed with gum extract of Acacia nilotica ( Linn. )Del. ssp. indica ( Babul ) [ 100 gms of gum extracted from Acacia nilotica is mixed in 1 litre of water , this gum extract is mixed with stem decoction prepared of of B. vulgaris or B. monosperma ]. This preparation is given to women half - cup twice a day which controls excessive menstrual pain as well as menstruation.

To cure problem of bowel infection in women , stem and bark decoction of Butea parviflora Roxb. ( Plashi - villa ) is prepared and given to the patient which gives relief in bowel pain and infestation. The flowers of Dendrophthoe falcate ( Linn . f .) are boiled with water, cooled and filtered with cloth piece . This water is recommended to drink early in the morning with empty stomach which regulates menstruation cycle and also cures problems in bowel.

The World Health organization ( WHO) in 1996 has advised the various nations to take up major initiative on ethnobiological studies on plants being used by tribals for medicinal uses. The traditional healers from India,. Asia, Australia, Pacific, South and North America, Africa are being consulted by ethnobotanical team of WWF and IUCN to collect information on uses of plants by them.

Conclusion :

It has been realized that medicinal herbs are going to play an important role in future material - medica. These herbal drugs provide strength to the body organs and stimulates normal functioning. The herbal drugs act selectively and gently without disturbing other system. Whereas, modern medicine affects several metabolic activity in the human system and has side effects which makes body more susceptible to other diseases.

References:

Shankar Darshan 1998 Conserving a community Resources.

Communities and Conservation ,

UNESCO,SagePublication, New Delhi 287- 302.

WHO 1996 Traditional Medicines.

WHO Fact Sheet No 134Geneva.

Table -1 Traditional Folk Healers in India

¹ Division of Biodiversity and Sustainable Management
Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur