Ethnobotanical Leaflets 12: 763-71. 2008.

Folk Lore Uses of Some Plants by the Tribes of Madhya Pradesh with Special Reference to Their Conservation

Dwivedi S.¹, Dwivedi, A. ^2*, and Dwivedi S.N. ³

¹Chordia Institute of Pharmacy, Indore, M.P., India

²NRI Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Bhopal, M.P., India

³Principal Investigator, UGC Research Project on Medicinal Plants, Dept. of Botany, Janata PG College, APS University, Rewa, M.P., India

*Corresponging Author: Abhishek Dwivedi, 56,Bhel Nagar, Bhopal, M.P

Mob.No 09893478497, [email protected]

Issued 01 October 2008

ABSTRACT

            Madhya Pradesh sustains a very rich traditional medicinal plant wealth and inherits unique plant and animal communities. Due to deforestation, loss of biodiversity and indiscriminate exploitation of wild and natural resources, many valuable herbs like Abrus precatorious, Bauhinia variegta, Mucuna prurita, etc., are at the verge of extinction. The present paper enumerates status, conservation strategies and traditional uses of 80 plant species by the tribes of Madhya Pradesh. The claims were gathered by interviewing tribes of the study area. Attempts were made to verify the efficacy of claims with actual beneficiaries, although this was not possible in all cases due to social customs.

Key Words: Folk uses, Tribes, Madhya Pradesh, Ailments.

INTRODUCTION

            The tribes of India have preserved a large bulk of traditional knowledge of medicinal uses of plants growing around them. This knowledge is handed down to generations through word of mouth and is extensively used for the treatment of common diseases and conditions. Herbs are mines of useful drugs. Medicinal plants have always been the principle sources of medicine in India. Since ancient past and presently they are becoming popular. There has been a rapid extension of allopathic system of medical treatment in our country during the past century (Dwivedi et. al. 2007). However, these drugs have adverse effect and people are going back to nature with hope of safety ad security. On the other hand, herbs are safe, cheaper, easily available and with no fear of any side effects. It is evident that many valuable herbal drugs have been discovered by knowing that particular plant was used by the ancient folk healers for the treatment of some kind of ailment (Ekka & Dixit, 2007). Moreover, the medicinal plant wealth is our national heritage and it seems to be the first and foremost line of defense for the treatment of various diseases mostly in tribal and rural communities. During the field survey it has been found by the authors that there are number of plants which are used by the tribes of the region in curing various ailments and till date no any proper work has been performed by the research scholars of the area with proper citation and hence the present work was conceived by us to explore the hidden uses of the species and to conserve the species which are fast disappearing from the region. Efforts have also been made for the collection of the herbs that are fast disappearing form the study sites and to suggest the techniques of the conservation and protection of these herbs.

OBJECTIVE OF THE WORK

1.                  To collect scattered scientific information and identify the herbs used by the tribes of Madhya Pradesh.

2.                  To provide status and conservation strategies of the plant in order to conserve the plants which are endangered, vanishing or in the verge of extinction.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

            The following methods were adopted by the authors during the course of their investigation:

1.                  The plants used by the tribes in the treatment of various diseases were collected by the investigator from the different study sites of Madhya Pradesh district during Jan-2007 to Oct-2007.

2.                  Field and survey work was made after carefully planned field trips. During the field trip personal interview was made between the author and tribes of the region.

3.                  Data regarding herbal remedies were collected as per plan suggested by Dwivedi (2003), Sinha (1998), Varghese (1996) and Shrivastava et. al. (2007).

4.                  Voucher specimen were collected from different study sites and preserved as per method suggested by Agrawal (1983).

5.                  The plants were identified by Prof. Dr. S. N. Dwivedi, Deptt. Of Botany, Janata PG College, A.P.S. University, Rewa, M.P. and are deposited in Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Chordia Institute of Pharmacy, Indore, M.P.

6.                  Confirmation of the specimen were made with the help of floristic literature, Verma et. al. (1985), Kurian (2003) and Khare (2004).

7.                  Data regarding collection of the species which are fast disappearing from the study sites are designed as per plan suggested by Dwivedi (2006), Dwivedi (1999), Dwivedi et. al. (2007), Phillips et. al (1994) and Mc. Neel et. al. (1990).

STUDY AREA

            The present investigation has been carried out in the 30 remote places of Madhya Pradesh scattered over three regions Malwa region, Nimar region and Vindhya region. For a proper and orderly study the study sites were selected considering the population and density of flora.

OBSERVATIONS

Status

            During the course of present work authors tried to have some idea of endangered, vulnerable, threatened and rare medicinal plants. The status of the medicinal plant of the study area has been established (Mc. Neel et al. 1990, Phillips et. al. 1994; Dwivedi, S. et. al. 2007) and given in table-2.

Conservation Strategies

            Conservation strategies of biodiversity with special reference to threatened herbs have been adopted as mentioned by the tribes of the study area. The works of eminent scholars (Dwivedi 2003; Dwivedi S. et. al 2007; Ved et. al. 2004; Mc. Neel et al. 1990 and Phillips et. al. 1994) have been referred for this purpose. The conservation strategies of these plants are mentioned in table-2.

Traditional Uses

            Direct discussion between the authors and tribes were made and the uses of the plants were recorded, mentioned in table-1.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

            In every ethnic group there exists a traditional health care system, which is culturally patterned. In rural communities health care seems to be the first and foremost line of defense. The WHO has already recognized the contribution of traditional health care in tribal communities. In the present work authors have collected 80 plant species from different study sites. These species contain valuable chemical substances and are useful to cure various human ailments. (Table 1). During the course of present investigation attempt was made to flourish the status and conservation strategies of the plant species (Table-2) and among 80 plant species it has been found that 06 species are endangered, 08 species are critically endangered, 08 species are vulnerable, and rest are rare and common in occurrence in the study area and the method are mentioned by the ethnic group to conserve these plant species. Moreover, the detailed phytochemical screenings of medicinal herbs are required. It is very essential to have a proper documentation of medicinal plants and to know their potential for the improvement of health and hygiene through an eco friendly system. Thus importance should be given to the potentiality of ethno medicinal studies as these can provide a very effective strategy for the discovery of useful medicinally active identity. A detailed and systematic study is required for identification, cataloguing and documentation of plants, which may provide a meaningful way for the promotion of the traditional knowledge of the herbal medicinal plants. The present study reveals that the Madhya Pradesh is rich in herbal medicine with diversified ethnobotanical values. From the table presented, it can be seen that there is a wide variety of plants for common ailments and diseases. However, different types of strategies are require to adopted such as in-situ conservation, ex-situ conservation and traditional conservation to conserve the plants which are vulnerable and endangered.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

            The authors are thankful to the tribes of Madhya Pradesh for the valuable information required for this survey. Heartily Thanks to Dr. S.N. Dwivedi, Principal Investigator, UGC Research Project, Department of Botany, APS, University for their valuable guidance and support for the identification of medicinal plant.

REFERENCES

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6. Dwivedi, S.N.; Shrivastava, Satyaendra; Dwivedi, Sangeeta; Dwivedi, Abhishek; Dwivedi, Sumeet and Kaul, Shefali ‘Relevance of medicinal herbs used in traditional system of medicine”,Farmavita. Net, (2007).
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Table 1. List of medicinal plant species.

Table 2. Status and conservation strategies of vulnerable and endangered plant species.

Abbrevations

VU-Vulnerable, EN-Endangered, CR-Critical Endangered,

1. ISC: In-Situ Conservation

2. ESC-Ex-Situ Conservation

ESC-HG: ESC-Home gardens, ESC-N:ESC-Nurseries.

ESC-CAP:ESC-Cultivation and Agriculture Production.

3. TC: Traditional Conservation.

TC-FTRA: TC- Faith, Tradition and Religious aspects. TC-OA: TC-other aspects.