Ethnobotanical Leaflets 13: 1158-67, 2009. Ethnobotanical Uses of� Wild Medicinal� Plants by Guddi
and Gujjar Tribes of Himachal Pradesh Vipan Guleria1
and Amol Vasishth2
1Assistant Scientist, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Chamba at Saru District Chamba� (Himachal
Pradesh) Pin- 176314. Email vip_an2003@yahoo.com 2Aisstant Issued September 01, 2009 Abstract � �Key words:
Ethnobotanical,
uses, Forestry Plants and trees, Gujjars, Gaddis,
Himachal Pradesh. �Introduction India is a rich source of plant flora of 2500 documented
species and 600-700 species are having medicinal value1. About 150
are used commercially. It is reported that Himachal has a long tradition of using
herbs as household remedies also extracting the herbal wealth from the forest
and selling to the local traders. However, a great diversity of medicinal and
aromatic plants occurs in the state the pressure is on the traditionally
known drugs consumed by the pharmacies. Chamba is a
district of Himachal Pradesh and situated in the western part of the state.
It lies in between 32o&10// to 33o&13//
N latitude and 75 o 45// 77 o -33//
E longitude covering an area of 674.16 Km Sq. It
is such a diversified district that it cover four climatic zones viz. Low
hill subtropical, Mid hill sub montane, High hill
humid temperate zone and high hill dry temperate zone. The study was
conducted in the three zones only viz. mid hill sub montane,
high hill humid temperate zone and high hill dry temperate zone. The
subtropical zone was left out because most of the drugs and plants have
already been documented by earlier studies. Methodology
�������������� The
survey was conducted during March, 2007-October, 2008. Folklore data was
collected from the local healers called �Vaids�
from the Gaddi and Gujar
community. Apart from this, the two communities viz. �Gaddis and Gujjars� were interviewed4-5. These two
nomadic communities were asked to identify the plant and tell its use by
them. The samples of the plants were crosschecked with the qualified ayurvedic practitioners of the area and some were
identified by the author him self. However, Some of
the samples were processed and identified with the help of literature
available6-7 in the library of Dr. Y.S. Parmar
University of Horticulture and forestry Nauni Solan. The plant
species of the area have been enumerated below in an alphabetic order. Each
species have been provided with scientific name, local name, crude drug
preparation (as per details provided by the folklore) and its local use. Results 1) Aconitum heterophyllum wall syn.� Aconitumdeinorrhyzum Holmes ex stapf. Family:� ��������� Ranunculaceae Local Names: Mitha jaihar/ Patrish(Chamba)*,Ativish and Atish� (Hindi) Ethnobotanical
uses: It is mainly used to treat the cough and
cold. Aconitum and karroo when
mixed in equal amount and mixed with multani mitti and honey can be used to treat chronic cough. Achyranthes aspera Linn. Family:� ��������� Amaranthaceae Local Names: (Chamba) umblkanda, Puthkanda or Umblokando Ethnobotanical uses: . Roots are applied as paste around joints to treat pain. Its 3-5 seeds daily for 3-5 days are given to treat the dry cough. Angelica glaucaEdgew Family:� ��������� ��Umbliferae(Apiaceae) Local Names:�� Chora,egue(Chamba) and Choraka Ethnobotanical uses: Its
roots are given the animals and human when loss of appetite is there 5-10 gm
of crushed roots are for 3-5 day are sufficient to double the hunger and
liver tonic. Artimisia scoparia Syn; Artimisia brevifolia Wall.syn: A. maritime Linn. Family:� ��������� Compositae(Asteraceae) Local Names: �Haul(Chamba)*and Nurcha Ethnobotanical uses: �The leaves of the plant are used to stop the intestinal bleeding in the animals. The leaves are administered either orally or in decoction form through a bamboo made �nalka�. �Asculus indica Colebr. Family:� ��������� Hippocastanaceae Local Names: Goon (Chamba), Bankhor and Kanor Ethnobotanical
uses: �Asculus indica in
used by the Gaddis and Gujjars of Bharmour and Salooni areas for
the soap making and its flour after many washing is used for treatment of
ailments such as Joint pain� Asparagus abscedens Roxb. Family:� ��������� Liliaceae Local Names: Sansfai(Chamba), Shatabari Ethnobotanical uses:
The roots of this plant are dug and
outer bark is removed. The roots so cleaned are put in the Brassica oil and the formulation is used to stop the hair
fall.
Acrorus calamus Linn.
Family:� ��������� Araceae Local Names: Baryan, Bare and Bach Ethnobotanical uses: It is found in the mid hill region of Chamba. Roots of the plant are macerated in the form of paste and applied to the chest of the patient suffering from chest congestion and bronchitis. Aguja bractosa Wall. Ex Benth.
Family:����������� Lamiaceae(labiateae) Local Names:�� Neelkanthi Ethnobotanical
uses:� It
is found in the mid hill region of Chamba and Bharmour region of the district and is called �neelkanthi�.�
Its roots are used to treat the snakebite. The roots are applied in
the form of paste and in the form of decoction. Centella asiatica (Linn.) Urban Syn: Hydrocotyle asiatica L. Family:� ��������������������� Umbellifereae Local Names: ������������ Brahmi(Chamba) and Mandukparni(Hindi) Ethnobotanical
uses:� It
is found in the cool and wet areas. The whole plant called �Panchang� is used in the treatment of leprosy, boils and
skin diseases. Its major use is as memory enhancer when given in the
decoction form to the patient suffering from loss of memory. Cinnamomum tamala Neces& Ebesm Family:� ��������������������� Lauraceae Local Names: ������������ Mitha patter (Chamba),Tajpata and Gurupatraj Ethnobotanical
uses: Its leaves are used by the Salooni people as mouth freshener and bark is used for
making decoction in treatment of internal heat Dactylorhiza hatagirea Soo Syn: ��������������������������� Orchis latifolia L. Family:� ��������������������� Orchidaceae Local Names: ������������ Salmpanja Ethnobotanical uses:�� It is found in the high hill region of Chamba. Its roots are crushed into fine powder and filtered through cotton cloth and given to the person suffering from general weakness, loss of alertness, diabetic, lose motions. Person suffering from the impotency is also given the powdered drug to regain erection. Dioscoria deltoides Wall.ex Kunth.
Family:� ��������������������� Dioscoreaceae Local Names: ������������ Kuth(Chamba) and Singli mingli Ethnobotanical
uses: � ��It
is found in high hill region of Chamba. The rhizomes
are used in messaging the joints and crushed rhizomes are used with kneaded
flour and salt to animals in treatment of digestive ailments and in treatment
of common cold. Emblica officinali Gaertn. Family:� ��������������������� Euphorbiaceae Local Names: ������������ Amla and Aonla Ethnobotanical uses:�� It is very common tree in low hill region of the district. Harad, Baheda and Aonla are mixed in equal quantity and crushed to form fine powder. Its fruits are used to cure the stomach diseases, eye infection, fever, and arthritis. Brassica oil mixed with aonla fruits is used to blacken the hairs. Ficus bengalensis Linn. Family: ���������������������� Moraceae Local Names: ������������ Fagudaq/Bar(Chamba), Bargad(Hindi) Ethnobotanical
uses: Its leaves are used in internal injury by
the people of mid hill region such as Chamba, Salooni and Jatropha curcus Linn. Family:� ��������������������� Euphorbiaceae Local Names: ������������ Jablotha(Chamba), Jmal ghota(Hindi)� Ethnobotanical uses: Its seeds are given to the patients to induce the vomiting. Oil is extracted from the seeds and applied in the joint region of the body to relieve the pain from arthritis. Junipers
dolomia Syn:Jurnea macrocephala Benth. Family: ���������������������� �Compositae/Asteraceae Local Names:� ����������� �Dhoop Ethnobotanical
uses: It is one of the endangered species of
alpine region of Chamba and exploited mostly for
fragrance and used in the scented agar battis. Primula macrophylla Syn:Primula nivalis D.Don �Family:� �������������������� �Primulaceae Local Names:������������� Ccharmar(Chamba) Ethnobotanical
uses: It�s found in the region covering the
altitude upto 1800 meter above mean sea level. It
is used to control the acidity. Its leaves are used after crushing. The
tablets of size 5-10 gm are prepared and administered orally to the person
suffering from acidity and ulcer. Picrorhiza karooa Royleex Benth. Family:� ��������������������� Scrophulariaceae Local Names: ������������ Kaur (chamba) and Kutki Ethnobotanical
uses: Its roots are used to improve the appetite.
The decoction of this with ajwan is also given to
purify the blood in case of skin infection Podophylum heterophylum Syn: Podophylum hexandrum Royale Syn:� P. emodi Wall. Family: ���������������������� �Podophylaceae Local Names: ������������ Bankakri Ethnobotanical
uses: It is found in the high hill region of Chamba. Its roots are crushed and given to the patient
suffering from cancer. Rheum australe: Syn: Rheum emodi Wall.Ex Meissn. Family:� ��������� Polygonaceae Local Names: Chukri (Chamba)� Revandchini( Hindi) Ethnobotanical
uses: �It
is used as tooth cleaning powder and sprayed over the wounds for early
healing.� Roots are also given to the
animal in cold. Roots along with the ash guard are fed to the animal
suffering from� loss of appetite and
general weakness. Sapindus mukrossii Gaertn. Family:� ��������������������� Sapindaceae Local Names: ������������ Dodae(Chamba) and� Ritha (Hindi) Ethnobotanical uses: The tree is found in the subtropical part of the study area which is the winter abode of these communities. Its roots are used in treating the poison.� Sapindus mukrossii fruits are mixed with the Asculus indica seeds and a shampoo is prepared to wash the warm clothes and hairs by local people. Swertia chiryata �Karst. Syn: S. Chirata buch. Ham. �Family:� �������������������� Gentanaceae Local Names: ������������ Chiraita Ethnobotanical
uses: Its roots and stem is used to treat fever,
�Atisar�, anal diseases, cough, and cold. The general
use of the plant parts is in the powder form, however decoction is also
prepared from the plant stem and roots by boiling them in water. Texus baccata. Hook.f. Syn: Texus wallichiana Zucc Family:� ��������� Taxaceae Local Names: Rakhala /Birhmi(Chamba) and Himalayan Yew(Hindi) Ethnobotanical
uses: It is used by the local people for making
black tea though. It is bitter in nature but assumed to be the most
refreshing and energetic Terminalia bellerica Roxb. Family:� ��������������������� Combretaceae Local Names: ������������ Bahera Ethnobotanical uses: Terminalia bellerica is used to treat the eyes, heart problems and ear infections. Its fruits are mixed with aonla to control the hair loss. Tinospora cordial �(Willd.) Miers. Family:� ��������������������� Menispermaceae Local Names: ������������ Amrita and Giloe Amlora (Chamba) Ethnobotanical uses:Its local name is Amlora. It water extraction is used to treat the animals in fever and water boiled extract is used in treatment of foot diseases. � Viola odorata Linn. Family:� ��������������������� Violaceae Local Names:� ����������� banfsa Ethnobotanical
uses: It is used in the treatment of
sleeplessness and fever. Flowers of the plant are boiled in the water and the
decoction as prepared is given to the patient. � Vitex nigundu Linn. Family:� ��������������������� Verbenaceae Local Names: ������������ Banna, Nirgundi and Sambhalu Ethnobotanical uses: Leaves of Vitex nigundu decoction is used in internal injury. Its leaves are also are tied around (tying is called �Dava�) the area of the body having internal injury. The leaves are burnt in the fire during rainy season to keep the mosquitoes away from the animals and human beings �������������������������� Discussion ���� Nearly 27 species of medicinal plants have been listed
in the paper. Similar kind of observations regarding flora� of Bilaspur
district of Himachal Pradesh ����� Mostly the
drugs are prepared in the form of paste, powder, decoction, extract, smoke,
and even as tea. Many of the reported species are commonly used as folk
medicines either directly i.e. in fresh.�
Studies on the traditional medicinal plants have revealed that the
local people of Chamba are not prosperous
economically�� and prefer local
medicines due to low cost and ignorantly also. ������ The
information generated from the present study regarding the medicinal plant
use by Guddies and Gujjar
tribes need a thorough phytochemical investigation
including alkaloid extraction and isolation along with few clinical trials.
The knowledge regarding the natural habitat it will help to further conserve
these species in situ.� The claimed therapeutic uses of the plant species call
for the modern scientific studies to establish the safety and effectiveness
and to promote the scientific cultivation, which will protect forests and
conserve the wild flora. * (Chamba) : refers to local
name of the plant by the tibal people prevelant in chamba only. References 1� Ajay K. Gautam
and Rekha Bhadauria(2009).
Homeopathic Flora of Bilaspur 2. Bhardwaj
B. (2006). 3. 4.Anonymous. Wealth of 5.Jain
SK. 1967. Ethnobotany: Its scopeand
study, Indian Meusium Bull,2 39 6.Croom EM. 1983. Documenting and evaluating herbal remedies,
Econ Bot,37 7.Fasicles,
Flora of India( Botanical survey of 8.Shabnum,SR.1964. Medicnal
plants of Chamba. Indian Forester,90:50-63. 9. Singh, JS. 2002.The biodiversity crisis : A multifaceted review, current sci. 82(6) :638. |