Ethnobotanical Leaflets 13: 1443-52, 2009.
Ethnomedicinal Studies of Some Weeds in Crop Fields of Marathwada Region, India
J.A. Dhole*, N.A. Dhole** and S. S. Bodke*
*Department of Botany, Yeshwant Mahavidyalaya, Nanded-431605 **School of Life Sciences, S.R.T.M. University, Nanded-431606 Email:
Issued 01 December, 2009
Abstract
The aim of the present work was the identification and documentation of ethnomedicinal weeds growing in crop fields in the Marathwada region of India (70o 5’-78o 5’ E longitude and 17o 5’-20o 5’ N longitude). Our survey was also aimed at the possibility of discovering new ways by which such plants could be better utilized for the welfare of human health. A total of 20 species of plants representing 18 Genera and 12 families were collected. In addition to the first hand collection of ethnomedicinal information from the inhabitants of the area, additional traditional uses were obtained through a study of the pertinent literature. Our results suggest the weeds of these fields were mostly ones which were common, unwanted and easily grown in any place. However, our results also show that there are many ways of properly utilizing such weedy species in the promotion of human welfare. Moreover, the collection of these medicinal weeds provided farmers with a most welcomed additional income. Key words: Weeds, Ethnomedicinal weeds, survey, Marathwada region.
Introduction Plants are generally rich sources of many natural herbal products which have mostly used for human welfare especially in tonic to loss of viability or debility and also reduce the human pain and suffering many diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that up to 80% of the world’s populations rely on plants for their primary Health care (Ramesh, 2008;Akaneme etal,2008). From the ancient period man has been used several different plants to cure the all body pain and different diseases. Now a days throughout the world several thousands of plants mostly weed plant are medicinal but very few drug plant are cultivated (Upma Dobhal at al, 2006). Many of the drugs used in modern medicine were initially used in crude form in traditional uses and other useful biological activity (Iwu et al., 1999). On the literature most drug obtained from weeds plant various phytochemical survey are now seen as the first step towards the discovery of useful drugs now the tropical rain forests have been identified as a potential source due to diverse richness in flora. (Ikram, et.al, 1998) In India many unwanted plant s so called weeds. Weeds are very common, dominant and wide spread in the crop fields. In India particular in Marathwada region of the Maharashtra state, diversity of unwanted plant in crop fields is vary common, dominant and easily available. Marathwada region comprising of seven districts viz. Aurangabad, Beed, Jalna, Latur, Nanded, Osmanabad and Parbhani forms the part of the vast Deccan plateau of India and its located at 70o 5’-78o 5’ E longitude and 17o 5’-20o 5’ N longitude. Weeds also occupy almost all open spaces. They spread like wildfire and grow abundantly in the crop fields, forest and roadsides. Weeds are growing all types of weather conditions but the monsoon is most conductive for their growth. The weed diversity is in the crop fields would be great rich source of medicines and drugs. The local people will be able to make an extra profit by selling the medicinal weeds. Methodology Weed was collected in different crop fields of Marathwada region. The collected plants are identified by using “The Flora of Marathwada” (Naik, 1998), Flora of Bombay presidency (Cooke, 1958); Flora of Maharashtra (Almeida, 1996).The herbarium was prepared, labeled and stored in the herbarium of the department. The identified weeds were further studied for their medicinal value or properties. In India particular in Marathwada region of the Maharashtra state, diversity of unwanted plant in crop fields is vary common, dominant and easily available. But proper utilization of such weeds plant particular welfare of human beings is least reported. Department of Botany Yeshwant Mahavidyalaya, Nanded got the information was gathered by contacting the farmers ,local peoples, hakims, well aged people, vaidyas, Aurvedic doctors were interviewed to knowledge of the Ethnomedicinal uses of these weed plants and used different reference books literature (Retnam et.al.,2006; Dhiman,2006; Dyamock et.al,2005; Prajapati et.al,2003; Jain,1991; Khare,2004) . Result and Discussion Out of 57 studied problematic weeds, 18 weeds are of medicinally important and used as cure many different diseases. All the weeds are arranged in their Vernacular name, Botanical name, family and Ethnomedicinal uses summarized as following Table no. 1. Weeds are tremendously grow in crop fields and these problems are almost always face the every farmer but now a days these problematic, unwanted weeds can one of the major additional source of the Ethnomedicinal importance of the human diet. These weeds are also used vaidyas for different formulation and maximum pharmaceutical industries to synthesis different drug from weeds. those plant we call the unwanted weeds now in future that plant we will have been call edible food or medicinal plant and they are not going to cut and cultivate fields. therefore, automatically increase the biodiversity of weeds and used for the welfare of human health and will be able to cure different major and miner diseases. Table no. 1. - List of Medicinal Weeds.
Acknowledgements The authors are thankful to the University Grants Commission (UGC) New Delhi for providing the financial assistance in the form of Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship. Thanks also go to the Head, Department of Botany, Yeshwant Mahavidyalaya, Nanded for all facilities.
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