Medicinal Plants New

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Introduction

Out of the total 4, 22, 000 flowering plants reported from the

world more than 50,000 are used for medicinal purposes .In

India, more than 43% of the total flowering plants are reportedto be of medicinal importance . Utilization of plants for medicinal

purposes in India has been documented long back in ancient

literature However, organized studies in this direction were

initiated in 1956 and off late such studies are gaining

recognition and popularity due to loss of traditional knowledge

and declining plant population.

Right from its beginning, the documentation of traditional

knowledge especially on the medicinal uses of plants, has

provided many important drugs of modern day .Even today this

area holds much more hidden treasure as almost 80% of the

human population in developing countries is dependant on plant

resources for healthcare. In the interior areas of western

Himalaya plants become the only source of medicine and wellbeing. However, information on the uses of plants as traditional

medicines has not been documented from various interior areas

of western Himalaya such as Chhota Bhangal. Due to its

remoteness and lack of modern health facilities dependence on

plants for medicine is very high. Ironically, information on the

uses of plants for medicine from this area is completely lacking.

At the same time, the area is undergoing rapid transformationsdue to its recognition as an ideal paragliding site and is

therefore becoming more market oriented. This can be seen in

the changed cropping patterns of the local people. The role of

market economy in depletion of traditional knowledge has been

well documented in many parts of Himalaya . Thus many

important leads to drug discovery may be lost in absence of

proper documentation.

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Keeping this in view, the present study was initiated, with an

aim to identify knowledgeable resource persons and document

their knowledge of on the utilization of medicinal plants in

Chhota Bhangal area of western Himalaya.

NAME : Aegle marmelos

BOTANICAL NAME : Aegle marmelos Linn. Corr.

FAMILY : Rutaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Vilva, Maloorah, Sreephala,

Sadaphala,

Sailoosha

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa : Kashaya, Tikta

Guna : Lakhu, Rooksha

Virya : Ushna

PLANT DESCRIPTION :

Medium sized thorny deciduous tree grows up to 10 m in

height.

Leaves are trifoliate, aromatic, and alternate.

Leaflets are ovate-lanceolate.

Lateral leaflets are sub sessile and terminal long petioled.

Flowers are greenish white, found in axillary panicles.

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Fruits are globose woody berry with yellow pulp.

Seeds are numerous, oblong and embedded in pulp.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :

Plant pacifies vitiated kapha, vata, body pain, poison,

diarrhoea, dysentery, vomiting, and intermittent fever.

Pulp of unripe fruit is constipating whereas that of ripened

fruit is laxative.

Leaves cure diabetes, cough, inflammation and asthma.

USEFUL PART : Leaves, Root, Fruits

NAME : Aloe vera

BOTANICAL NAME : Aloe vera (Linn.) Burm.

(Aloe barbadensis Mill)

FAMILY : Liliaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Kumari, Grithakumari,

Grihakanya

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa: Tikta, Madhura

Guna: Guru, Snigdha

Virya: Seeta

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PLANT DESCRIPTION :

A perennial shrub grows with fleshy leaves and short stem.

Leaves are fleshy, sessile, with prickles on margins.

Flowers are in long spikes, fruits capsules, often sterile.

Reproduction is by budding.

Leave juice dried in air is called elio.


Plant pacifies vitiated vata, pitta, amenorrhoea, wounds,

ulcers, burns, colic, hepatitis, skin diseases, constipation,

tumor, malignancy, low back pain, edema, arthritis and

general debility.

USEFUL PART : Leaves juice.

NAME : Azadirachta indica

BOTANICAL NAME : Azadirachta indica A.Juss.

FAMILY : Meliaceae

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SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Nimba, Arista,

Hinguniryasa, Manda, Tiktaka

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa: Tikta

Guna: Lakhu, Snigdha

Virya: Ushna

PLANT DESCRIPTION :

A moderate to large sized tree grows up to 30 m in height.

Leaves are imparipinnately compound, leaflets opposite,

serrate and acuminate.

Flowers are yellowish white, found in axillary panicles.

Fruits are elliptical one seeded drupes yellowish when ripe.


Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, skin diseases, eczema, fever,

wound, ulcer, burning sensation, tumor, worms, cough,

diabetes, inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis.

USEFUL PART : Bark, Leaves, Flowers,

Seed, Oil.

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NAME : Catharanthus roseus

BOTANICAL NAME : Catharanthus roseus (Linn.)

G.Don

FAMILY : Apocynaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS :Nityakalyani.


Guna: Lakhu, Rooksha

Virya: Ushna

PLANT DESCRIPTION :

An erect annual herb grows up to a height of 1 m in height.

Leaves are deep green oblong, flowers in cymose, axillary

clusters, deep rose or white in colour.

Fruits are cylindrical follicle.


Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, kapha, diabetes, hypertension,

leukemia and malignancy.

The root is stomachic and tonic.

USEFUL PART : Whole plant

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NAME : Clitoria ternatea (Blue variety)

BOTANICAL NAME : Clitoria ternatea Linn (Blue

variety)

FAMILY : Fabaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Sankapushpam, Aparajita,

Girikarnika.



Virya: Ushna

Prabhava: Medhya

PLANT DESCRIPTION :

Leaves are compound, imparipinnate, leaflets 5 7, sub

coriaceous, elliptic-oblong, obtuse. Flowers are blue, solitary,

axillary or in facicles.

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Fruits are nearly straight flattened pods.

Seeds are 6-10 smooth yellowish brown.


Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, migraine, skin diseases,

bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis, ascites, ulcers and fever,

jaundice and skin diseases.

Seeds are used in abdominal cramps and promote intellect.

USEFUL PART : Root, leaves, seeds.

NAME : Datura

stramonium

BOTANICAL NAME : Datura stramonium

Linn.

FAMILY : Solanaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Dhattura, Dusthara,

Unmatta, Durdhura

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AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa: Tikta, Katu

Guna: Lakhu, Rooksha,

Vyavayi, Vikashi

Virya: Ushna

Vipaka: Katu

PLANT DESCRIPTION :

An erect spreading annual or biennial plant grows up to 2 m in

height.

Leaves are simple, alternate, triangular and unequal at base.

Flowers are large, solitary and white.

Fruits are globular capsules covered with numerous prickles,

containing numerous yellowish brown seeds.


Plant pacifies vitiated vata, kapha, arthritis, cough, asthma,

muscle spasm, fever, ulcer, skin diseases, lumbago, sciatica

and dandruff.

USEFUL PART : Whole plant

NAME : Mentha piperita

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BOTANICAL NAME : Mentha piperita Linn

FAMILY : Lamiaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Pootiha, Pudina,

Rochani

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa: Katu,

Guna: Lakhu, Rooksha,

Teekshna

Virya: Ushna

PLANT DESCRIPTION :Aromatic annual herb grows up to 60 cm.

Leaves are simple, opposite and ovate or lanceolate.

Flowers are lilac coloured seen in axillary whorls.

Fruits are nutlets.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :Plant pacifies vitiated kapha, vata, amenorrhoea,

dysmenorrhoea, dental caries, jaundice and urinary retention.

USEFUL PART : Leaves

NAME : Mimosa pudica

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BOTANICAL NAME : Mimosa pudica Linn.

FAMILY : Mimosaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Lajjalu, Samanga,

Raktapadi, Namaskari,

Kharatvak, Sankochani

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa: Kashaya, Tikta


Virya: Seeta

PLANT DESCRIPTION :A diffuse under shrub grows up to 60 cm in height.

Leaves are bipinnately compound, pinnate 2-4 digitally

arranged with 20-30 pairs of leaflets and touch sensitive.

Flowers are pink in round heads.

Fruits are bristly pods, flat, consisting 3-5 one seeded

segments.


Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, kapha, oedema, allergy, bronchial

asthma, haemorrhoid, ulcer, jaundice, arthritis and fever.

USEFUL PART : Whole plant.

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NAME : Ocimum sanctum

BOTANICAL NAME : Ocimum sanctum Linn

(Black variety)

FAMILY : Lamiaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Tulasi, Surasa, Svetatulasi.

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa : Kashaya,

Tikta

Guna : Lakhu,

Rooksha

Virya : Ushna

PLANT DESCRIPTION :

An erect much branched under shrub, grows up to 1 m in

height.

Leaves are pale dark brown in colour, simple, opposite,

elliptic, oblong, obtuse or acute, serrate, entire, pubescent on

both sides.

Petiole is slender and hairy.

Flowers are purplish in elongate recemes.

Fruits are nutlets, smooth, not mucilaginous when wet.

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Plant pacifies vitiated tridoshas, cough, asthma, bronchitis,

fever, toxins, vomiting, lumbago, gastric distension, genito-

urinary diseases, ringworm and skin diseases.

USEFUL PART : Whole plant.

NAME : Taivetia neerifolia

BOTANICAL NAME : Taivetia neerifolia Juss

FAMILY : Apocynaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Karaveera,

Peetakaraveera, Asvaghna,

Asvamaraka, HayamarakaAYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa : Katu, Tikta,

Kashaya

Guna : Lakhu,

Rooksha, Teekshna

Virya : Ushna

Vipaka: Katu

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PLANT DESCRIPTION :

An evergreen shrub grows up to 7-10 m in height.

Leaves are three in a whorl, linear-lanceolate, acute, and

yellowish green.

Flowers pale yellow colored and fragrant;

Fruits are globular and 4 chambered.


Plant pacifies vitiated vata, skin diseases, arthritis, pruritus,

and ulcers for external use. Internal use will cause toxic

symptoms.

USEFUL PART : Roots, Leaves

Conclusion

It can be concluded from the study that Bhangalis inherit a

rich traditional knowledge and documentation of this

knowledge has provided novel information from the area.

They still depend on the plants for medicinal purposes and are

very much concerned about their degradation in wild as they

now have to travel even more far to collect these plants. The

incoming of roads and coming up of the area as an important

tourist destination has allured the younger generation towards

market economy, this certainly will have larger implications.

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Thus, the present documentation of traditional knowledge

from an area where novel information has been generated will

not only provide recognition to this knowledge but will also

help in its conservation vis--vis providing pharmacological

leads for the betterment of human society.

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