Ethnomedicinal plants used by tribes of Kalahandi district, Orissanopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/30428/1/IJTK 7(2) 242-249.pdf · Ethnomedicinal plants used by tribes of

Indian Journal of Traditional KnowledgeVol. 7(2), April 2008, pp. 242-249

Ethnomedicinal plants used by tribes of Kalahandi district, Orissa

Tribhubana Panda'> & Rabindra N Padhl"Kalahandi Institute for Tribology and Ethnobiology, Jilingdar, Dedar 766014, District Kalahandi, Orissa

"Departrnent of Botany, Government Autonomous College, Bhawanipatna 766001, Orissa

E-mail: [email protected]

Received 6 December 2005; revised 29 August 2007

An ethnomedicinal survey on the traditional knowledge of aboriginal tribes and other non-tribal communities of 400 sqkm of Kalahandi district, Orissa and a comparison of the data with the available literature revealed that out of the recordedIII flowering plants of 60 families, 49 plants have new uses that were not known here before. Moreover, different uses ofknown 62 more plants are recorded with new uses. These III plants are in use against 42 human ailments. They use theplant parts as infusions, decoctions and powders.

Keywords: Ethnobotany, Ethnomedicine, Traditional knowledge, Tribes, KalahandiIPC Int. C1.8: A61K36/00, A61PlI04, A61P1I06, A61PlI08, A6IPI/I0, A61P1112, A61Pl1l6, A61P7/00, A61P7/02,

A61P7/04, A61P13/00, A61P15/00, A61P17/00, A61P17I02, A61P19100, A61P I9102, A61P21/00,A6IP25!00, A61P27114, A61P27116, A61P29100, A61P31/00, A61P35/00, A61P39102

Kalahandi is an underdeveloped and poverty strickendistrict in western Orissa, inhabiting a number ofdifferent communities. Kalahandi experiences a richbiodiversity and these people consisting of bothaboriginal tribes and non-tribal communities dependon plants around them for their livelihood. Theyutilize sustainably the indigenous plant resources forhousing and other purposes 1. They have the inherited,traditional and accumulated knowledge through myth,folks, proverbs and ancient sayings on the medicinalvalues of plant species for the primary healthcaresystem. They still depend largely upon the localherbal healer and indigenous flora, notwithstandingthe spread of modern medical facilities. Muchliterature on ethnomedicinal uses of indigenous floraby different tribes of several regions have beensystematically accumulated". From Orissa, a reviewon the general medicinal uses of plants by the tribalsexcluding those of western Orissa has beendocumented". In the paper, an exhaustive study onethnobotany in a large patch of area of the district isdocumented taking all communities inhabiting thestudy area. The study had been undertaken from2003-2005 in 25 villages of Kalahandi districtcovering an area (Thuamul Rampur and Junagarhblocks) of 400 sq km, approximately. The tribalinhabitants of the study area are kandha, ganda andsabara, and the resident non-tribes are harijana,

*Corresponding author

lohara, kandra, brahmin, gouda, mali, paika, bankaand many other castes of working rustics, who havenot received the light of modernism. This area issituated at 82°45" to 83° 45" East Longitude and19°30" to 19°50" North Latitude and about 300 to 700msl (Fig. 1).

MethodologySeveral extensive herbal ethnomedicinal surveys

had been done by visiting the study area with 25villages. Indigenous traditional herbal practitioners,chiefs of local communities, some household heads,old men of communities and patients, amounting to500 persons in total were interviewed in their non-common local languages, irrespective of sex. The firsthand information and views given by them wererecorded as data. With the help of herbal medicinalpractitioners and some knowledgeable aged people,plant specimens were collected according to theirlocal name and their taxonomic identifications weredone'"!'. Voucher specimens were preserved in thisinstitute.

Results and discussionPlants with ethnomedicinal uses by backward

indigenous communities of Kalahandi district arepresented (Table 1). Some of the plants were earlierknown as medicinal plants, but these people use themdifferently as recorded herein (Figs 2-12). Kalahandidistrict has an undulating terrain with ravines and

PANDA & PADHY: ETHNOMEDICINE OF KALAHANDI DISTRICT, ORISSA 243

Plant name, Family and Local name

Abrus pulchellus wall. (Fabaceae), Gung,kaincha,Abutilon indicum Linn. (Malvaceae),Pedipedica

Table 1 - Plants used ethnomedicinally by the aboriginal tribes

Acacia nilotica Linn. (Mimosaceae),Bamur BabulAcacialenticularis Buch.Ham. Ex Benth. InHook (Mimosaceae), Gadha Khaira, Fig. 3Aegle marmelos correa. ex Roxb. (Rutaceae),Bela

Aerva lanata Juss. ex schult. (Amaranthaceae),KukurabochaAlangium salviifolium Linn.f. (Alangiaceae),Ankula

Albizia procera Benth. (Mimosaceae),Khin

Allium sativum Linn. (Liliaceae), Rasuna

Aloe barbadensis Mill. (Agavaceae) Ghikuanri

Annona squamosa Linn. (Annonaceae),Raikata, ata, sitaphalaArgemone mexicana Linn. (Papaveraceae),Bada gokhuraArgyreia speciosa Sweet(Convolvulaceae), BrudhadarakaArisaema tortuosum Schott (Araceae),DhaiAristolochia indica Linn. (Aristolochiaceae),NagbelAspidopterys tomentosa Roxb. (Malpighiaceae),Keiti laha, Alti lahaAstercantha longifolia Nees (Acanthaceae),Koilakha

Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae),Nim, LimbaBauhinia purpurea Linn. (Caesalpiniaceae),Katul, Barada, KanchanaBiophytum sensitivum (Linn.) D C.(Oxalidaceae), LajkuliBoswellia serrata Roxb. (Burseraceae), Sale

Brassica campestris Linn. (Brassicaceae),SorisaButea monosperma Lam. (Fabaceae), Paisa,Palasa

Uses

Root pounded with water is sprinkled on head and unripe seed juice is rubbed onscalp for baldness.Diarrhoea, vomiting; boils of eye", urinary troubles IS. Paste of one leaf and sevennumbers of Piper longum is taken orally for jaundice. If needed, second dose isgiven after 72 hrs. .Diarrhoea (leaf is used)". Bark juice and resin mixed in milk and about 20-30 ml isgiven only once to cure diarrhoea and dysentery.

15-20 ml of bark decoction is given thrice a day for headache and dysentery.

Sexual disorders, cholera, smallpox!". Leaves are chewed in the morning to solvestomach disorders and indigestion. Unripe fruit is taken for dysentery and ripe fruitis taken to cure constipation.Diarrheas. Whole plant juice is taken once daily for 7 days to cure fever inchildren.Antidote for snake bite, mad dog bite and Paralysis".Teaspoonful of root juice is given orally as purgative. Dried leaf powder alongwith Gur (molasses) is given for a month or two for piles.Bark from the east side of the plant is collected in the morning after sunshine,pounded into fine paste with the help of stone. The paste is applied over theinfected skin for treating scabies and ring worm.Loose motion 17. Raw bulbets are chewed to suppress stomach acidity and also toexpel intestinal worm.Acute indigestion, headaches. A tablespoon of leaf juice is taken in empty stomachdaily for a month for smooth and fair skin.Boils, postnatal complaint, ant fertility", Seed powder with water is applied in scalpand ringed after 10 minutes for treating lice.Scabies, eye troubles, menorrhea, spermatorrhoea': jaundice, wound4. Ateaspoonful of latex once a day is given for few days during jaundice.For mad dog bite and, wound,root powder is snuffed and root paste is appliedlocally.

Rheumatisms. During piles, Corm paste is fried in ghee (animal fat), and madetablets of green gram size; a tablet thrice daily is taken for 30-40 days.

Snake bite (leaf) IS. Root powder is snuffed, root juice is taken orally and root pasteis applied locally as an antidote for snake bite.Roots boiled in til (Sesamum indicum) oil is applied locally for treating eczema anditches.Antidote, diarrhea, kidney stones. Burns, cuts: Leaves are burnt inside an earthenpot, ground, paste with til oil is applied over bums to relief pain and quick healing.Seed paste is applied on cuts to get quick healing.Skin diseases, blood pressure, tooth problems". Few drops of neem seed oil isapplied on genitals before sexual intercourse for contraception.

Dysurea, gall bladder stone, flatulences. Fresh bark paste is applied and hold ittightly for few minutes for three days for piles.Whole plant is boiled in a bucket of water and children suffering from fever arebathed in it.For rheumatism, 20-30 ml of bark juice is taken with milk twice daily for sevendays.Oil boiled with Allium sativum and black cumin seed is rubbed over joints, feet,palm and neck to relief from pain and cold.Diarrhoea, worms. For blood pressure, flower is soaked overnight in a glass ofwater, filtered and is taken in empty stomach for a month. One table spoon of leafdecoction is given for three days after fifth day of menstruation for conception.

Contd-

244 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 7, No.2, APRIL 2008

Plant name, Family and Local name

Table 1 - Plants used ethnomedicinally by the aboriginal tribes - Contd

Uses

Calotropis procera Ait. R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae),Arakha

Capparis zeylanica Linn. (Capparidaceae),Birankula, AsadhuaCapsicum annuum Linn. (Solanaceae),Lanka marichaCareya arborea Roxb. (Lecythidaceae), Kum,Kumbhi

Carica papaya Linn. (Caricaceae),Amrutabhanda, Pap ita

Cassia fistula Linn. (Caesalpiniaceae),SunariCassia tora Linn. (Caesalpiniaceae), Chakunda

Catunaregam spinosa Thunb, (Rubiaceae),KharalCelastrus paniculatus Willd. (Celastraceae),PenguChloroxylon swietenia DC. (Rutaceae), Bheruan

Cissampelos pareira Linn. (Menispermaceae),Guapad, AkanbindiCitrullus colocynthes Schrad (Cucurbitaceae),Saampboda.Cleome viscose Linn. (Capparidaceae),BansorisoCocos nucifera Linn. (Arecaceae), Nadia

Combretum nanum Ham. (Combretaceae),BhuindauriaCrataeva nurvala Buch (Capparidaceae)BarunaCrossandra infundibuliformis Linn.(Acanthaceae), Cherpipla, IdlaCryptolepis buchanani Roem. & Schult.(Asclepiadaceae), GopakanuCurculigo orchioides Gaertn. (Amaryllidaceae),TalmuliCurcuma caesia Roxb. (Zingiberaceae),Kalahaldi, Krushna kedaraCuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Convolvulaceae),NirmuliCymbopogon citrates DC. Stapf. (Poaceae),Dhantari, Dhanwantri

Dalbergia paniculata Roxb. (Fabaceae),Dhoben

Leprosy, stomach disorders, rheumatism, headache, intestinal worms': flatulence,stomach pain"'. Small incision is made with a new blade at the same side of forehead and a drop of latex is applied over the cut for migraine.Scabies". Root powder is applied over wounds. Root powder is snuffed to driveevil spirit from the body.

Four to six numbers of red chillies are rubbed in butter milk and sprayed into theinfected eyes twice daily for few days to cure several eye diseases of cattle.

Dysentery, eye inflammation, postnatal complaint, bone fracture"; enlargement ofscrotum, headache, malaria, convulsiori'". For rheumatism, decoction of youngfruits is taken thrice daily for a month.Abortion, yellow fever, malaria, diabetic, convolution, headachel8. 2-3 drops oflatex is applied on swelling of gums. Few drops of latex are applied over thewound due to snakebite for quick healing.Amenorrhoea, skin disease, constipation". Bark paste is applied locally for healingand raw juice of fresh bark is taken orally for dysentery.

Ring worm, reduce fat'". Seed paste with resin of Sal (Sorea robusta), fermentedrice water or curd is applied over infected skin till disappearance of the disease.For skin itching, root processed in cow urine for seven days and the paste isapplied over the whole body.Boils, leucorrhoea, piles, spermatorrhoea". Seeds are pounded in stone and appliedon the skin to cure ring worm, scabies and eczema.Bark powder is applied over wound for quick healing. Twig is kept in home tokeep lice away from hen.Cough, leprosy, rheumatism, headache.'; stomach pain, painful urination 16. Rootpowder is taken orally for insect bite, paralysis, abdominal pain and acidity.Root paste is applied for worm and piles. Root paste is applied over infected partsfor skin disease.Rheumatism, headache, to tone up musclel6. For earache, two drops of leaf juiceare put into the infected ear.

Endocarp is burnt and covered with a metal pot while flaming. After few minutes,it is opened. A thin layer of black, oily substance is smeared on the' inner wall ofthe pot. This oily substance is collected and applied over ring worms and scabies.Root decoction is given thrice daily for seven days for rheumatism and epilepsy.

Ear trouble". For abortion, 20-30 ml bark juice with hot water or milk is giventhrice for three to four days.Fever, sex ailments: Whole plant juice or powder is taken thrice daily for at leastseven days. It is also given for acidity and indigestion.

Rheumatisrrr'. Irregular menstruation: Root paste with milk is given for two tothree days to regularize menstruation.

Boils, impotency, gonorrhoea'. Tuber paste with curd is taken orally for three daysto regularize menstruation.For snakebite, rhizome is rubbed in stone with water and few drops of this isadministered into the nostril for two to four times for a day.

Spermatorrhoea, epilepsy, diarrhoea'. Whole plant boiled in tit oil is applied onhair for darkness and shine.Cold, diarrhoea.'. Half a cup of whole plant juice is given every morning in emptystomach for few days to cure reproductive disorders. A spoonful roots dried inshade and pounded to fine powders is given twice a day to cure hysteria.For dysentery, 20-30 ml of bark juice is taken once, if needed, second dose is givenin the alternate day.

Contd-

PANDA & PADHY: ETHNOMEDICINE OF KALAHANDI DISTRICT, ORISSA 245

Table I - Plants used ethnomedicinally by the aboriginal tribes - Contd

Plant name, Family and Local name

Dillenia pentagyna Roxb. (Dilleniaceae),Kermeta, RaktasabliDioscorea bulbifera Linn. (Dioscoreaceae),PitakandaElephantopus scaber Linn. (Asteraceae),Mayurchulia, Mayursikha

Uses

Expel evil spirit". Root paste with milk is given once a day for three days fordysentery, chest pain and waist pain.

Antidote for bee sting". Roasted tuber is taken orally daily for a month for thetreatment of swelling of scrotum.Headache, pyorrhea, diarrhea". Root paste mixed in raw milk is taken 'orally aslaxative. Root paste with rice washed water is taken in empty stomach for 3-5 daysfor irregular menstruation.Toothache, dysentery, rheumatism", For the treatment of shoulder swelling ofbullock, bark paste is applied locally. .

Gum mixed in raw milk is taken twice daily for three to four days in case ofbacillary dysentery.Asthma, cough, dysentery IS, white dot in eye". Whole plant juice is given for threedays to enhance lactation.

Piles, syphilis, spermatorrhoea, gonorrhea''. Adventitious roots made into pastewith sugar are tied for 15 days in case of bone fracture. Adventitious rootpowdered with Gur (molasses) is taken orally thrice a day for a month for piles.Five to seven numbers of ripe fruits is chewed and swallowed to reduce hightemperature during fever.Small pieces of unripe fruits fried in ghee are given in small amount 3-5 timesdaily to cure sexual debility and nocturnal ejaculation.

Abortion, fever in children, asthma, wound healing". Tuber paste is applied overthe abdomen and kept for hrs. It is repeated for few days till abortion.

Dysentery". An aliquot of 20-30 ml bark juice is taken daily for fifteen days or tillthe disappearance of white discharge during irregular menstruation.

For abortion, one tablespoon of root bark juice is given in empty stomach thricedaily for 3-4 days.A piece of root is rubbed in stone with water and applied in eyes to cure whitespots in children.Plant juice with young leaf juice of Butea monosperma is taken for 2-3 days in themorning for worms.Dry root pounded in stone to fine powder is taken orally once or twice a day for 2-5 days for abortion.

Piles, headache, burns, eczema". Seven numbers of leaf buds or flower buds withwater or milk is given once for puberty. Warm leaf paste is applied over boils forsuppuration.For dandruff, dried seeds roasted and powdered are applied in scalp with water. Itis kept for 5-10 minutes and rinsed in water. It is repeated thrice in a week.

Leaf paste is applied over fresh cut or wound as antiseptic and quick healing of thewound.Half a cup of leaf juice is taken orally twice or thrice a day to get relief from waistpain, also leaf paste is applied externally as an emollient to get relief from chestand waist pain.Sinusitis"; headache.'". Warm leaf paste is applied locally for treating scorpionsting.Dysentery". Leaf paste with salt is applied locally at infected skin parts to curescabies and ring worms.Leaf paste along with fruits of Tamarindus indica and Gur (molasses) is taken withfood for digestion and anorexia.

For piles, root paste made with liquor is applied for 5 minuets for 2 days. Rootpaste is applied locally for mad dog bite.Constipation, piles, burning sole, jaundice". Half to one cup of leaf juice is taken inempty stomach for seven days prevent chicken-pox, measles and fever.

Erythrina suberosa Roxb. (Fabaceae),Baldia, PaladhuaEucalyptus globulus Labill. (Myrtaceae),NilagiriEuphorbia hirta Linn. (Euphorbiaceae),ChitakutiFicus benghalensis Linn. (Moraceae),Bara, Bordi

Ficus carica Linn. (Moraceae), Jhair

Ficus glomerata Roxb. (Moraceae),Dimiri , DumerGloriosa superba Linn. (Liliaceae),Puraful, LahalangaliGmelina arborea Roxb. (Verbenaceae),Gamer, GambhariGossypium arboreum Linn. (Malvaceae), Kapa

Grewia hirsuta Vahl. (Tiliaceae), Bansola

Heliotropium supinum Linn. (Boraginaceae),Pana airiHibiscus cancellatus Roxb. (Malvaceae),Ban BhindiHibiscus rosa-sinensis Linn.(Malvaceae), Mandar

Ipomoea nil (Linn.) Roth. (Convolvulaceae),Kharkhatia,Lagerstroemia parviflora Roxb (Lythraceae),Sina, sidha -Leonotis nepetaefolia R.Br. (Lamiaceae),Ghodasutha

Leucas aspera Spreng. (Lamiaccae), Gubi

Ludwigia perennis Linn. (Onagraceae), Jaljali

Mentha spicata Linn. (Lamiaceae),Pudina, PotnaMillettia extensa Benth. ex Baker. (Fabaccae),Goral, GodalMomordica charantia Linn.

(Cucurbitaceae), KarlaContd-

246 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 7, No.2, APRIL 2008

Table I - Plants used ethnomedicinally by the aboriginal tribes - Contd

Plant name, Family and Local name

Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae),Mungo, mugnaMucuna pruriens (Linn.) DC. (Fabaceae),BaidankaMusa paradisiaca Linn. (Musaceae), Kadali

Nelsonia canes cells (Lam.) Spreng.(Acanihaceae), Brahmadandi, Bada rasanaNicotiana tabacum Linn. (Solanaceae),Dhingia, Bhang.Oroxylum indicum Vent. (Bignoniaceae),Phapen,Phanaphana

Oryza sativa Linn. (Poaceae),Dhana,Ougenia dalbergioides Benth. (Fabaceae),BandhanOxystelma esculenta Linn. f. (Asclepiadaceae),DudelPaederiafoetida Linn. (Rubiaceae).Pasaruni, NaraksanPavetta crassicaulis Bremek. (Rubiaceae),Gurvelli, Dhangri Char

Pergularia daemia Forsk. (Asclepediaceae),Uturudi, uturliPeucedanum dhana Buch. Ham. ex C.B. ClarkeVar. dalzellii C.B.Clarke (Apiaceae),Bansigopal. TejrajPlumbago indica Linn. (Plumbaginaceae).Chitaparu, Raktachitapara.Psoralia carylifolia Linn. (Fabaceae),BakuchiPterocarpus santalinus Linn. f. (Fabaceae),Rakia chandan

Punica granatum Linn. (Puniaceae),DalimbaRicinus communis Linn. (Euphorbiaceae),Jac/aRouvol]ia serpentina Benth. ex Kurz.(Apocynaceae), Bhuin Karuan, PatalgarudaSchleichera oleosa (Lour.) Oken.(Sapindaceae), Kusum.Semecarpus anacardium Linn. f.(Anacardiaceae), Ban Bhatia, Bholia

Sesamum indicum Linn. (Pedaliaceae),Rasi , Til

Uses

Scorpion sting, antidote'"; antidote, small pox, semen viscosity'". Fresh bark isinhaled to clear nasal congestion to get relief from acute cold.

For worm infestation, 3-4 numbers of fruit hairs are taken with molasses.

Fresh leaf sheath is brought and made an incision. One to two drops of sap comingout of the cut is dropped in to the eye to cure conjunctivitis.Burning foot sole, expel intestinal worrrr'. One tablespoonful leaf juice with milk isgiven for 3 days for menstrual irregularity and 7 days for rheumatism.

Scabies I? Processed and dried leaf powder is soaked in water for lOv lS minutesand two drops of water is administered into the infected eye.

Scabies, leprosy, diarrhea, polyurea, vitality'. During measles and swelling of body.a small piece of bark is rubbed in stone with water and applied all over the bodyand a spoonful is given orally to arrest further growth. Water boiled with bark isused for bathing.Some pieces of straw are chewed and juice is swallowed to get rid from burningsensation at the time of urination during summer.

One teaspoonful of bark juice is given once during dysentery.

Tuber juice with milk is taken daily in the morning for three days to get relief frompain during menstruation.Sleep inductions. Leaves cooked as curry is taken with food to get relief from jointspain. Stem is tied around waist for two to three days to get relief from waist pain.

Boils, skin diseases", Root bark decoction of P. crassicaulis and Ball Bhindi(Hibiscus manihot) is given in the morning for 3 days for abortion. Twig is used astooth brush, which has contraceptive action.Eye trouble, lactation, toothache", For abortion, half cup of leaf juice is taken inempty stomach in the morning for 3 to 4 days.For arthritis, root juice is taken orally.

A piece of root is inserted into the uterus to expel placenta.

Seeds are soaked in cow urine for 3-7 days and dried. Three to five seeds are givenorally every day till the symptoms of leucoderma and vitilago disappear.

Blood purifier, diureticl6 During chest pain and TB, paste prepared from woodrubbed in stone with water is applied over chest, also dissolved in water and takenorally for few months.Diarrohea". Twigs arc used as tooth brush for strong teeth and healthy gum. Foramenorrhoea, unripe fruit paste with fermented rice water is given for 3-S days.

Constipatiorr': purgative. enhance now of rnilk'", arthritis, spondilitis, diabetes IS.Drops of oil are applied locally to relief pain and avoid swelling after insect bite.

Menstrual irregularities. antidote for snakebiteS. For stomachache and acidity, asmall root piece is chewed and juice is swallowed.

Anorexia". Bark paste is applied over swelling. Seed oil is applied locally on skinfor scabies and ring worm.

Eczema, sprains, cuts", A seed is burnt in fire till it oozes oil and immediatelytouched locally around cuts, wound and swelling to get relief from pain. Onetablespoon of milk boiled with seeds is given orally to children to get quick relieffrom asthma.Sexual vigour': induces fertility in sterile wornen'". Few drops of seed oil isadministered into the nostril to clear nasal congestion. It is repeated for few days toget relief from cold and cough. Oil is rubbed over whole body and head to haveresistance over skin and hair infection.

Contd-

PANDA & PADHY: ETHNOMEDICI E OF KALAHANDI DISTRICT, ORISSA 247

Plant name, Family and Local name

Table I - Plants used ethnomedicinally by the aboriginal tribes - Contd

Uses

Sesbania sesban Merrill (Fabaceae), Jayanti

Smilax ovalifolia Roxb. (liliaceae),Muturi laha

Soymidajebrijuga A.Juss. (Meliaceae),Roin, Rohini.

Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. (Asteraceae),GandharilataStreblus asper Lour. (Moraceae),Sahada, Tiken

Syrygium cumini (Linn.) Skeels (Myrtaceae),Gholijamu, JamuTagetes erecta Linn. (Asteraceae),Gendu, MakhmelfulTamarindus indica Linn. (Caesalpiniaceae),Tentuli

Tephrosia purpurea Pers. (Fabaceae),KolthiaTerminalia alata Heyne. ex Roth(Combretaceae), SahajTinospora cordifolia Willd.(Menispermaceae), Gulchi, GuduchiTragia involucrata Linn. (Euphorbiaceae),Bichhuati, Baikhujren

Tribulus terrestris Linn. (Zygophyllaceae),GokhraTrichosanthes bracteata Lam. (Cucurbitaceae),MahakalTylophora fasciculata Buch. -Ham. ex wight(Asclepediaceae), Bisamjodi, BishnujadiTylophora indica (Burm. f.) Merrill(Aselepediaceae), ChanurWedelia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr(Asteraceae), BhamraWoodjordiajruticosa Kurz. (Lythraceae),Dhatki, DhatuZiziphus mauritiana Lam. (Rhamnaceae),Buro, Barakoli

Arthritis I. For rheumatism, A cup of bark decoction, or leaf decoction is giventhrice daily for a month.Dental care". Food is given on the plate made up of leaves of the plant and rootpowder is given thrice daily for seven days to cure bed-wetting. Root powder withsugar candy is given to increase blood.Wound healing". Plant resin with mushrooms found on the dried trunk of the plantis rubbed on a stone and applied over chest to get relief from chest pain. Bark juiceis taken orally and bark paste is applied for few minuets in case of piles anddysentery.Blood dysentery", Crushed leaves are applied locally to relieve pain due toscorpion stings.Leucorrhea, eczema and ring worm, leucoderma.'. Fresh twigs are used as toothbrush to strengthen teeth. Dried leaf powder is taken with water or milk twice a dayfor at least two months for piles.For diabetes, seed powder mixed with leaf powder of Gymnema sylvestre is giventhrice daily for a month.Macerated leaves are applied over fresh cuts to stop bleeding and prevent infection.

Bodyache, dysentery", Five to ten yrs old fruit with Gur is given to the childrensuffering from cough. Fruit paste made with Gur, leaves of Mentha spicta andcoriander is taken as appetizer. Seeds rubbed on the stone with water are appliedlocally for scorpion sting.Abdominal pain'", Root is chewed and kept within the gum for 0-15 minutes fortoothache. Root paste is taken with milk twice daily for 7 days for strangury.For epilepsy, aliquots of 20-30 ml of bark juice is given thrice daily for a month ortill the symptom disappears.Spermatorrhoea.': blood purifier, epilepsy mumps'". Leaf paste or stem juice isgiven orally thrice daily for 5-7 days during fever.Acute dysentery!". Fruit is touched at few places on forehead to get relief fromheadache. Whole plant paste is applied over the wound of cattle to expel wormsand for quick healing.One to two spoonful of root paste is taken with milk after third day of menstruationfor 4-7 days to regularize irregular menstruation.Ear infection.'. Root paste processed in cow urine is used for hair falling due toinfection and regeneration of new hair.Fever, body pairr'. Five to 10 gm of root powder thrice daily is taken for IS daysfor rheumatism. Root paste is applied in children to expel intestinal worm.Flowers fried in ghee are taken after s" day of menstruation to prevent conception.

Cough, unconsciousness', Plant juice (about IS ml) is taken thrice daily for 5 daysfor treating waist pain.Root paste is applied at the face of the anus for few minutes to expel intestinalworm.Dysentery, nausea, vomiting". Two to three young leaf with leaf bud is given thricedaily for 5 days to cure cough. Dry fruit powder with salt and chili is taken withfood as appetizer.

tributaries of 3 major rivers along with hillocks withdense forest. The area is inaccessible and supportsabout 13 major ethnic tribes. These people,constituting about 48% of the district population livein nature as a part of it, as known from theirphytodiversity requirements of an exemplary tribe,Kandha'. Secondly, the rich flora is still preserved toa large ex}ent and only natural and induced forest fire

causes damages to the phytodiversity. Reports fromsome other backward and aborigin tribes found inSouth India, Iran, Morocco, Sudan, and Italy aref . I· 1419-22 M drequent In iterature:: . ost reports recor usesof local plants as medicines and the scientificcommunities do not know them being used byaborigines earlier. Not only in developing but also indeveloped countries, there has been a renewal of

248 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, Vol?, No. 2, APR.IL 2008

Fig.1 Location map of the study area Fig.2 Abrus pulchellus Fig.3 Acacia lenticularis

FigA Alangium salviifolium Fig.5 Arisaema tortuosum Fig. 6 Biophytum sensitivum

Fig.? Capparis zeylanica Fig.8 Combretum nanum Fig.9 Erythrina suberosa

Fig.10- Leonotis nepeteetolie Fig.11 Sphaeranthus indicus Fig .12 Woodfordia fruticosa

PANDA & PADHY: ETHNOMEDICINE OF KALAHANDI DISTRICT, ORISSA

interest towards the use of herbal medicine for acommon/non-common ailment. Unfortunately, thecommercial utilization of forest resources and forestlands for developmental activities, displacements ofindigenous communities from their resource base andignorance of the skeptic elite mass the indigenous artof primary healthcare practices, as well as protectionand conservation of forest resources, are under threat.Modernism has slowly crept in to these tribal beltsresulting in migration of people and the knowledge ontraditional herbal health practice is slowly vanishing.Thus, ethnobotany and pharmacognosy of herbs andtheir products in the tribal belt is a priority. Thisproblem is aggravated by loss of phytodiversity due toforest fire and loss of natural habitat of plants due todeforestation. Several rare and endangered plantspecies are often affected by unsustainable collectionsfrom the forest. A depository for rare plants orreserved forest would be essential for saving theendangered plant species.

Out of 111 plants documented herein, uses of 49plants were never reported or published as medicinaluses from the state. These plants are unique to thesetribes surveyed. Medicinal uses of 53 plants are new,but their other uses were recorded elsewhere.'. Rest 9plants (A. marmelos, C. papaya, G. superba, L.parviflora, M. oleifera, P. indica, S. cumini, T. erectaand T. purpurea) have been documented as medicinalplants in ethnomedicinal literature without anyspecific uses against any ailment and new uses arerecorded herein".Medicinal uses of each plant recorded in IndianAyurveda System of healthcare and those reported bylocal inhabitants are more often differenrf". Thetribal people use these plants for a number of diseasesrecorded against these plants and have potentialitytowards the development of new active compounds.There precious knowledge which is of course on theverge of disappearance along with these plants. Thestudy includes medicines known to aboriginalschedule tribes and other non-tribal communities ofKalahandi. The data recorded can possibly be used asthe potential source for making herbal or modemmedicine against some diseases and can be treated asa document for preserving the vanishingethnomedicinal knowledge for future.

References1 Panda T, Panigrahi SK & Padhy RN, A sustainable use of

phytodiversity by Kandha tribe of Orissa, Indian JTraditional Knowledge, 4(2) (2005) 173-178.

249

2 Udayan PS, George S, Tushar KV & Balchandran I,Medicinal plants used by the Kaadar tribes of Sholayarforest, Thrissur district, Kerala, Indian J TraditionalKnowledge. 4(2) (2005) 159-163.

3 Singh V & Chauhan NS, Traditional practices of herbalmedicines in the Lahaul valleys, Himachal Himalays, IndianJ Traditional Knowledge. 4(2) (2005) 208-220 ..

4 Rothe SP, Ethnomedicinal plants from Katepurna wildlifesanctuary of Akola district, Indian J Traditional Knowledge.3 (2003) 378-382.

5 Das S, Dash SK & Padhy SN, Ethnomedicinal Informationfrom Orissa State, J Hum Ecol, 14 (2003) 165-227.

6 Haines HH, The Botany of Bihar and Orissa, Part I-VI, (MISBishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun), 1988.

7 Saxena HO & Brahmam M, The flora of Orissa, Vol I-IV,(Orissa Forest Development Corporation Ltd, Bhubaneswar),1994-1996.

8 Anonymous, Medicinal Plants Used in Ayurveda, (NationalAcademy of Ayurveda, New Delhi), 1998.

9 Anonymous, Database on Medicinal Plants, Vol I-V,(Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha, NewDelhi), 2001.

10 Anonymous, The Treaties on Indian Medicinal Plants, Vol l-VI, (National Institute for Science Communication, CSJR,New Delhi), 1992-2001.

11 Bedi R, Jungle Ki Jadibutian, (Rajkamal Prakashan Pvt Ltd,New Delhi), 2000.

12 Nayak SC, Abhinaba Ayurveda Darpan, (DasarathiPustakalaya, Cuttack), 1970, 1-665.

13 Sharma KP, Ayurveda Darpan, (Arunodaya Press, Cuttack),1945,1-440.

14 Natarajan B, Paulsen BS & Pushpangadan P, Anethnopharmacological study from the Coimbatore district,Tamil Nadu, India: Traditional knowledge compared withmodern biological science, Pharmaceut Biol, 37 (1999) 378-390.

15 Katewa SS, Chaudhary BL, Jain A & Galav P, Traditionaluses of plant diversity from Aravali hills of Rajasthan, IndianJ Traditional Knowledge, 2(1) (2003) 27-29.

16 Pushpangadan P & Atal CK, Ethnomedicinal andEthnobotanical investigations among some scheduled castecommunities of Travancore, Kerala, India, JEthnopharmacol, 16 (1986) 175-190.

17 Chantia A, Traditional knowledge of ethnomedicine inJaunsar-bawar, Dehradun district, Indian J TraditionalKnowledge, 2(4) (2003) 397-399.

18 Ajibade LT, Fatoba PO, Raheem VA & Odunuga BA,Ethnomedicine and primary healthcare in Ilorin, Nigeria,Indian J Traditional Knowledge, 4(2) (2005) 150-158.

19 Miraldi E, Ferri S & Mostaghimi V, Botanical drugs andpreparations in the traditional medicine of West Azerbaijan(Iran). J Ethnopharmacol, 75 (2001) 77-87.

20 Jouad H, Haloui M, Rhiouani H, El Hilaly J & Eddouks M,Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used for thetreatment of diabetes, cardiac and renal diseases in the Northcenter region of Morocco (Fez-Boulemane),J Ethnopharmacol, 77 (2001) 175-182.

21 Almagboul AZ, Basir AK, Salih A, Karim M, Fariyj A &Khalid SA, Antimicrobial activity of certain Sudanese plantsused in folkloric medicine, screening for antibacterial activity(V), Fitoterapia, 59 (1988) 57-62.

22 Moscolo N, Autore G, Capasso F, Menghini A & Fasulo MP,Biological screening of Italian medicinal plants for anti-inflammatory activity, Phytother Res, 1 (1987) 28-31.