Ethnomedicinal Plants of Mount Abu Region in Rajasthan

 

Mrs. Asmita Gautam*, Dr. Amla Batra

Dept. of Botany, Rajasthan University, Jaipur, Rajasthan

*Corresponding Author E-mail:

 

ABSTRACT:

The paper documents ethnomedicinal uses of 49 wild plant species from Mount Abu region situated in Rajasthan. The plant parts most commonly used in the treatment of various diseases are roots, leaves, stem, flowers, seeds, whole plant and bark. These are mainly used fresh. The reliance on folk medicine for health care is associated with the traditional belief of effectiveness as well as lack of modern medicines and medication and poor economic status. 

 

KEYWORDS: Ethnobotany ; Medicinal plants ; Mount Abu ; Sirohi District ; Rajasthan.   

 

 


INTRODUCTION:

Plants are immense value to human health and roughly 80 percent of world’s population relies on them for cure of various ailments. As stated by Dobson [1] (1996), “Only 1100 plants out of the 3,65,000 known plant species have so far been thoroughly examined for their medicinal properties.” Thus, considerable research efforts need to be put in to access the medicinal value of these plants. Sirohi district covering an area of over 5,136 sq km and it is the third smallest district of Rajasthan. It lies between 24º21' and 25º17' N Latitude and 72º16' and 73º10' E longitude.

 

Mount Abu is the highest peak in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan state in western India. The highest peak on the mountain is Guru Shikhar at 1722 m. The climate of Mount Abu varies greatly from the foot hills to high altitude. It is hot and dry at the base, while pleasant and moderate at the top for the greater part of the year. Average rainfall 1500 mm in Mount Abu. Sirohi district is inhabited by mainly two types of tribes – Bhils and Grasiya. The main source of the income of the Grasiya and Bhil is agriculture and the animal husbandry. Collection of medicinal plants from different Mount Abu regions has been a common practice among indigenous people and medical practitioners.

 

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

The ethnobotanical study was conducted in year 2010-2013. Extensive field trips were organized for collecting the plant species and data using an integrated approach of botanical collections, group discussions, interviews and questionnaires. For the collection of sample and for their confirmation help taken by local medical practitioners. Plants were identified using different floras [2-5] (Bhandari 1978, Shelty et al. 1987, 1991, 1993) and confirmed by Herbarium of RUBL, Jaipur.

 

 


TABLE 1-SYSTEMATIC ENUMERATION OF MEDICINAL PLANT FOUND AND USES IN MOUNT ABU, SIROHI DISTRICT, RAJASTHAN

1

Acacia concinna

(willd.) Dc.

Fabaceae

Shikakai

Pods – hair problems and skin disease

Leaves – malaria fever

 

2

Acacia nilotica (L.) willd. Ex.Delile

Memosaceae

Babool

Bark – sore throat, ulcers, leucorrhoea

Gum – dysentery, sexual debility

 

3

Achyranthes aspera Linn.

Amaranthaceae

Apamarg

Seeds – renal dropsy, leprosy

Flower – menorrhagia

 

4

Alanguim salvifolium Lam.

Cornaceae

Ankol

Bark – rheumatism

Fruit – heamorrhages, skin boil

Root – artherities, inflammation 

 

5

Ailanthus excels

Roxb

Simaroubaceae

Ardu

Leaves – Respiratory problems, asthma

Bark – Gynecological diseases

 

6

Alstonia scholaris

R. Br.

Apocynaceae

Saptparni

Bark – Malaria, Gastric problem, epilepsy

Latex – Toothache, joint pain

 

7

Andrographis paniculata (Burm . f.) wall. ex Nees

Acanthaceae

Kalmegh

Whole plant – Debility, dyspepsia

Leaves – Anthelmintic

 

8

Anogeissus pendula Edgew

Combretaceae

Dhonk

Whole plant- Twig decoction is applied on burn part of body to clear spot.

 

9

Argemone mexicana Linn.

Papaveraceae

Satyanashi

Seeds juice – opnthalmia, opacity of cornea

Latex – Bilious fever, migrane

 

10

Asparagus racemosus willd.

Asparagaceae

Stavari

Roots – Mental stress, leucorrhoea, syphilis, herpes, epilepsy

 

11

Azadirachta indica

A. Juss

Meliaceae

Neem

Leaves – Skin disease, eczema, ringworm, scabies

Seeds – Lice problem  

 

12

Bambusa arundinacea (Retz.) willd.

Poaceae

Green bans

Extrudate – Muscles spasm, bronchial disorder, whooping cough, asthma 

 

 

Bauhinia veriegata Linn.

Fabaceae

Katchnar

Bark – diarrhea, amoebic dysentery

Roots – obesity,  snake bite

 

 

Bombax ceiba Linn.

Malvaceae

Semal

Bark – Boils, genetile disease, dislocate bones 

Seeds – Chicken pox and small pox

 

 

Bryophyllum pinnatum

(Lam.) kurz

Acanthaceae

Patharchatta

Leaves – Bites of venomous insects, piles, fistula

 

Butea monosperma (Lam.) kuntze

Fabaceae

Tesu, Khakhra

Bark – Bone fracture

Gum – Backache, diarrhea

Flowers – Skin disease, Swelling, itching

 

 

Calotropis gigantia (L.) W.T. Alton

Apocynaceae

Safed aak

Leaves – headach, paralysis

Latex – hoil, skin disease 

 

 

Calotropis procera (Ait). R.Br.

Apocynaceae

Aak

Flower buds – Malaria

Roots – Elephantiasis

 

 

Capparis decidua Edgew

Capparaceae

Kair

Whole plant – chronic foul ulcers, hiccough, lumbago

 

 

Carica papaya Linn.

Caricaceae

Papita

Green fruits – constipation, general debility

Leaves and fruits – sinuses, eczema 

 

 

Carissa carandas Linn.

Apocynaceae

Karunda

Fruits – Anaemia, anorexia, insanity

Roots – Vermifuge, chronic ulcer

 

 

Cascabela thevetia Linn.

Apocynaceae

Pili kaner

Seeds – Rheumatism, dropsy

Bark – Catharasis, fever

 

 

Cassia fistula Linn.

Fabaceae

Amaltas

Flowers – cough and cold

Fruits – Heart disease, leprosy

 

 

Citrus medica Linn.

Rutaceae

Bijora

Fruit – Hypertrophy of spleen

 

 

Centella asiatica Linn.

Mackinlayaceae

Mandookparni

Leaves – improve memory, hydrocele. Rheumalism

 

 

Cordia dichotoma Forst. F.

Boraginaceae

Lasoda

Leaves – Dyspepsia, leprosy

Fruit – Several colic pains, ringworm

 

Crinum latifolium Linn.

Amaryllidaceae

Sudarshan

Leaves – Rheumlism, fistula, tumors

Seeds – weakness

 

 

Cyperus rotundus Linn.

Cyperaceae

Nagarmotha

Rhizome – Paralysis, Loss of memory, food poisoning, infertility 

 

 

Dalbergia sissoo Roxb.

Fabaceae

Sisam

Bark - – Thirst and burning sensation, aphrodislac   

 

 

Datura stramonium Linn.

Solanaceae

Dhatura

Seeds – arthritis, Leucoderma, jaundice

 

 

Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk

Asteraceae

Bhringaraj

Leaves / Flowers – Athlete foot, dermatilis, scorpion sting, viral hepatitis

 

 

Emblica officinalis Gaertn

Phyllanthaceae

Amla

Stem – Hemorrhagic piles

Fruit – Vomiting, weakness and scurvy  

 

 

Erithrina indica linn.

Fabaceae

Gadha-palash

Leaves – Joint pain, menstrual problems

Bark – Intestinal worms  

 

 

 

Feronia limonia Linn.

Rutaceae

Kabeet

Fruit – stomach pain

Root – snake bite

 

 

Ficus carica Linn.

Moraceae

Anjeer

Fruit – Gum abscess, constipation

Latex – warts, insect bite and sting

 

 

Grevillea robusta A Cunn. ex. R. Br.

Proteaceae

Silver  Oak

Bark – sore throat, general anticeptic 

 

Holptelea integrifolea

(Roxb.)

Ulmaceae

Chural

Bark – rheumatism, ringworm

Leaves – Oedema

 

 

Jatropha curcas Linn.

Ephorbiaceae

Ratanjot

Leaves – ulcers, Jaundice, paralysis

 

 

Justica adhatoda Linn.

Acanthaceae

Adusa

Leaves – cough, menstruation, rhinities

Root – Removal of intestine parasites 

 

 

Madhuca indica Gmel

Sapotaceae

Mahua

Flower – impotency, general debility

Seeds – Piles, stiffness and rheumatic disease  

 

 

Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell. Arg.

Ephorbiaceae

Senduria

Leaves - anthelmintic, bladder stone

 

 

Morus nigra Linn.

Moraceae

Shahtoot

Leaves – watery eyes and cough

Fruits – Improve blood circulation 

 

 

Ocimum sanctum Linn.

Lamiaceae

Tulsi

Leaves – night blindness, asthma

Root – Malaria

 

 

Phoenix dactylifera

Arecaceae

Khajur

Fruits /dates – Heart disease, labour pain, sexual weakness, liver disorder 

 

 

Pongamia pinnata (L.) pierre

Fabaceae

Karanj

Seeds – Anemia, bronchitis, sore joints

Fruits – Abdominal tumors, ulcers

 

 

Solanum virginianum Linn.

Solanaceae

Kanteli

Whole plant – Enlargement of liver and spleen.

 

Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.) Wight and Arn.

Combretaceae

Arjuna

Latex – Menorrhagia, dysentery, vomiting

Leaf – ulcer, earache 

 

 

Vitex negundo Linn.

Lamiaceae

Negadh

Leaf – Joint pains, hemiplegia

Fruits – Aphrodisiac, vermifuge

 

 

Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.

Rhamnaceae

Ber

Fruits – Pulmonary ailments

Seeds – Nausea, rheumatic pains

 

1

Acacia concinna

(willd.) Dc.

Fabaceae

Shikakai

Pods – hair problems and skin disease

Leaves – malaria fever

 

 

 


 


DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:

Ethnomedicinal uses of 49 plant species from Mount Abu region are given. Tribal and rural people of Mount  Abu region in Sirohi District use these plants in their day to day life for treatment of various ailment viz. asthma, malaria, heart disease, labour pain, sexual weakness, liver disorder, anemia, bronchitis, sore joints, abdominal pain, ulcers, dysentery, vomiting, vermifuge, nausea, night blindness etc. Further pharmacological investigations on these plants will benefit mankind. Such ethnomedicinal studies may also help in conserving the biodiversity.


 


 

 

 


REFERENCE:

[1].    Dobson, A 1995, Biodiversity and human health and Trends in ecology and evolution. 10 : (10) 390 – 391

[2].    Bhandari, M.M. 1978. Flora of the Indian Desert, scientific Pub., Jodhpur

[3].    Shelty, B.V. and Singh, V. (Eds.) 1987 ; Flora of India series 2 : Flora of Rajasthan. Vol. I, B.S. 1 Howrah

[4].    Shelty, B.V. and Singh, V. (Eds) 1991 ; Flora of India series 2 : Flora of Rajasthan. Vol. II. B.S. 1 Howrah

[5].    Shelty, B.V. and Singh, V. (Eds) 1993 ; Flora of India series 2 : Flora of Rajasthan. Vol. III. B.S. 1 Howrah       

 

 

 

Received on 27.12.2013        Modified on 15.01.2014

Accepted on 19.01.2014 ©A&V Publications All right reserved

Res.  J. Pharmacognosy & Phytochem. 6(1): Jan.-Mar. 2014; Page 33-36