Traditional medicines of Gonds and Bharias (8): Medicine for dysentery

 Traditional herbs

Tribals in Mahakaushal region of Madhya Pradesh are well versed in using their knowledge for curing common ailments. Several villages in this region are lacking primary health facilities.

Tribals in Mahakaushal region of Madhya Pradesh are well versed in using their knowledge for curing common ailments. Several villages in this region are lacking primary health facilities. Tribals are dependent upon their traditional knowledge for curing hundreds of common disorders. They use medicinal plants and apply it whenever needed. Our aim is to document their knowledge. We understand the value of traditional knowledge, and we respect those tribals who have shared it with us. This series of article mainly aims to wider the application of valuable traditional knowledge all over the world for seeking cheap, eco-friendly and safe herb derived drugs for common men.

The current article focuses the herbal formulation used by the Gonds and Bharias for curing dysentery.

Combination of herbs viz., Holarrhena pubescens, Zinziber officinale, Aegle marmelos, Terminalia chebula, Sygygium cumini, Cyperus rotundus and Emblica officinalis

Drug preparation: Holarrhena pubescens Bark (2 � tbsp), Zinziber officinale Rhizome (1 tbsp), Aegle marmelos Fruits (2 � tbsp), Terminalia chebula Fruits (1 tbsp), Sygygium cumini, Cyperus rotundus Roots (1 tbsp) and Emblica officinalis (1 tbsp).

Plant Profiles:

1. Holarrhena pubescens (Buch.-Ham.) Wall. ex DC. syn. H. antidysenterica (Linn.) Wall.

Sanskrit- Kutaja, Kalinga; Hindi- Kurchi, Karchi, Karra, Kora, Kuar, Kureya, Kura; Bengali- Kurchi; Marathi- Kodaga, Kuda, Dola-kuda, Pandhara-kuda; Gujarati- Dhowda, Kuda, Kari; Telugu- Pala, Kodaga; Tamil- Veppalei, Kodagapalei, Indrabam;  Kannada- Beppale, Koodsaloo, Korchie; Malayalam- Kodagapala;  Oriya- Kherwa, Pita Korwa, Patru kurwa; Punjabi- Keor, Kewar; Assamiya- Dhutkhuri, Dudkhuri.

A deciduous laticiferous shrub or small tree 30-40 ft.  high and up to 4 ft. in girth, with a clear bole of 10-20 ft., occurring almost throughout India up to an altitude of 4,000 ft., often gregariously in deciduous forests and open waste lands ; it is especially abundant in the sub-Himalayan tract. Bark rather rough, pale brownish or greyish, peeling off in irregular flakes; leaves opposite, sub-sessile, elliptic or ovate-oblong, 4-12 in. x 2-5 in., membranous: flowers white, in terminal corymbose cymes : follicles divaricate, cylindric, 6-18 in. long and 0.2-0.4 inch in diam., usually white spotted ; seeds light brown, 0.3-0.5 in. long, 900-1,000 seeds weighing one oz., 25-30 in a follicle: coma brownish, spreading,1-2 in. long (WOA, 1997).

2. Zingiber officinale Rosc. (Ginger)

Sanskrit- Ardraka; Hindi- Adrak, Ada; Bengali- Ada; Marathi- Ale; Telugu- Allamu, Sonthi; Tamil- Allam,Inji; Kannada- Hasisunti; Malayalam- Andrakam, Inchi.

A herbaceous, rhizomatous perennial, reaching up to 90 cm. in height under cultivation. Rhizomes are aromatic, thick-lobed, pale yellowish, differing in shape and size in the different cultivated types. The herb develops several lateral shoots in clumps which begin to dry when the plant matures. Leaves narrow, distichous, sub-sessile, linear-lanceolate, 17.0 cm. x 1.8 cm., dark green, evenly narrowed to form a slender tip, flowers in spikes, greenish yellow with a small dark purple or purplish black tip (WOA, 1997).

3. Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Correa ex Roxb. (Bael Tree, Bengal Quince)

Bengali, Hindi & Marathi- Bael, Bel; Gujarati- Bili; Kannada- Bela, Bilva; Malayalam- Koovalam, Vilvam; Oriya-Belo; Sanskrit- Bilva, Sriphal; Tamil- Bilva, Vilvam; Telugu- Bilavamu, Maredu; Urdu- Bel; Assam- Bael, Bel

A moderate-sized, slender, aromatic tree, 6.0-7.5 m in height and 90-120 cm in girth, with a somewhat fluted bole of 3.0-4.5 m, growing wild throughout the deciduous forests of India, ascending to an altitude  of c 1,200 m in the western Himalayas and also occurring in Andaman Islands. It is extensively planted near Hindu temples for its leaves and wood which are valued in indigenous medicine. Branches armed with straight, sharp, axillary, 2.5 cm long spines; bark soft, corky, light grey, exfoliating in irregular flakes; leaves attenuate, trifoliolate, occasionally digitately five-foliolate, leaflets ovate or ovate-lanceolate, crenate, acuminate, lateral sessile, terminal long-petioled; flowers large,  greenish  white,  sweet-scented, in  short axillary panicles; fruits globose, grey or yellowish, rind woody; seeds numerous, oblong, compressed, embedded in sacs covered with thick orange-coloured sweet pulp (WOA, 1997).

4. Terminalia chebula  Retz.; C. B. Clarke (Fl. Br. Ind.) in part (Chebulic Myrobalan)

Hindi- Harra; Bengali- Haritaki; Marathi- Hirda; Gujarati- Hardo; Telugu-  Karakkai; Tamil- Kadukkai; Oriya- Haridra; Punjabi- Har, Harar; Assamia- Silikha  

A tree 15-24 m. in height and 1.5-2.4 m. in girth, with a cylindrical bole of 4-9 m., a rounded crown and spreading branches, found throughout the greater parts of India. Bark dark-brown, often longitudinally cracked, exfoliating in woody scales; leaves ovate or elliptic with a pair of large glands at the top of the petiole; flowers yellowish white, in terminal spikes; drupes ellipsoidal, obovoid or ovoid, yellow to orange-brown, sometimes tinged with red or black and hard when ripe, 3-5 cm. long, become 5-ribbed on drying; seeds hard, pale yellow (WOA, 1997).

5. Syzygium cuminii (Linn.) Skeels syn. Eugenia jambolana Lam.; E. cuminii Druce (Jaman, Jambolan, Black Plum, Java Plum)

Hindi- Jaman, Jam; Bengali- Jam, Kalajam; Gujarati- Jambu, Jamli; Marathi- Jaman, Jambul; Telugu.--Neereedu; Tamil- Neredam, Naval, Sambal; Kannada- Nerale; Malayalam- Naval, Perinnaral; Oriya- Jamo; Punjabi- Jammu.

A large, evergreen tree, attaining 30 m. in height and 3.6 m. in girth, with a bole up to 15 m., found throughout India up to an altitude of 1,800 m. Bark brown or grayish, fairly smooth, up to 2.5 cm. thick, with shallow depressions, exfoliating in woody scales; leaves lanceolate, elliptic-oblong or broadly ovate-elliptic, 7.5-15.0 cm. x 3.8-6.3 cm., coriaceous, gland-dotted, smooth and shiny; flowers greenish white, fragrant in trichotomous panicles; fruits ellipsoid or oblong, up to 2.5 cm. long, black with pinkish juicy pulp; seeds single; shaped like the fruit, 1-2 cm. long, or 2 to 5 seeds compressed together into a mass resembling a single seed, the whole enclosed in a coriaceous covering (WOA, 1997).

6. Cyperus rotundus Linn. (Nut Grass)

Sanskrit- Mustaka, Musta; Hindi & Bengali- Mutha, Mtha; Marathi  & Gujarati- Motha; Tamil- Korai; Telugu- Tungamuste; Kannada- Tungegadde.

It is a pestiferous perennial weed with dark green glabrous culms, 0.5-2 ft. high, arising from a system of underground tubers. Almost ubiquitous, it is found throughout India up to an elevation of 6,000 ft. The plant has an elaborate underground system consisting of tubers, rhizomes and roots. The tubers are white and succulent when young, and hard and black when mature (WOA, 1997). 

7. Emblica officinalis Gaertn. syn. Phyllanthus emblica  Linn. (Emblic Myrobalan, Indian Goosberry)

Sanskrit-Adiphala, Dhatri, Amalaka; Hindi- Amla, Amlika, Aonla; Bengali- Akla, Amlaki; Gujarat- Amali, Ambala; Telugu- Amalakamu, Usirikai; Tamil- Nelli; Kannada- Amalaka, Nelli; Malayalam- Nelli.

A small or medium-sized deciduous tree with smooth, greenish grey, exfoliating bark. Leaves feathery with small narrowly oblong, pinnately arranged leaflets. Fruits depressed globose, �-1 inch in diam., fleshy and obscurely 6-lobed, containing 6 trigonous seeds. The tree is common in the mixed deciduous forests of India ascending to  4, 500 ft. on the hills. It is often cultivated in gardens and home yards. A type bearing comparatively larger fruits than the wild plant is known in cultivation (WOA, 1997).

References:

WOA. 1997. Wealth of Asia (AHEAD).

By - 2007-02-26

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