Traditional medicines of Gonds and Bharias (15): Medicine for Skin diseases and allergy

Gonds and Bharias are predominant tribes in Patalkot valley in central India. They still have their own indigenous knowledge about uses of herbs to cure various ailments. In this article, we would discuss the herbal formulation for curing various skin diseases and allergies. The practice is based on disclosure by the tribal people and it is suggested that reader should consult their family doctor before applying any prescription.

Combination of herbs viz. Azadirachta indica, Calendula officinalis, Centella asiatica, Curcuma longa, Cyperus rotundus, Emblica officinalis, Terminalia bellirica, Terminalia chebula, Tinospora cordifolia.

Drug preparation: Azadirachta indica Bark (2 tbsp), Calendula officinalis Leaves (1 � tbsp), Centella asiatica Leaves (1 tbsp), Curcuma longa Root (1 tbsp), Cyperus rotundus Roots (1 tbsp), Emblica officinalis Fruit (1 tbsp), Terminalia bellirica Fruit (1 tbsp), Terminalia chebula Fruit (1 tbsp), Tinospora cordifolia Stem (2 tbsp).

Dosage: One teaspoon powder mixed in 20 ml edible oil and applied on the affected area.

Plant Profiles:

1. Azadirachta indica A. Juss. syn. Melia azadirachta Linn. 

Bengali- Nim; Gujarati- Limbado; Hindi- Nim, Nimb; Kannada- Bevinamara; Malayalam- Veppa; Marathi- Limba; Oriya- Nimba; Sanskrit- Arishta, Nimba; Tamil- Vembu, Veppam; Telugu- Veepachettu, Yapachettu; Urdu- Nim

A large, evergreen tree, 12-18 m in height and 1.8-2.4 m in girth, with a straight bole and long, spreading branches forming a broad crown, commonly found throughout the greater part of India, and often cultivated. Bark grey or dark grey, rough, reddish brown inside, with numerous oblique furrows and scattered tubercles; leaves imparipinnate, alternate, 20-38 cm long: leaflets 8-19, alternate or opposite, ovate-lanceolate, oblique or sub-falcate, falcate-lanceolate, glossy, bluntly serrate; flowers white or pale-yellow, small, scented, numerous, in long, slender, very lax, axillary panicles; drupes green, turning yellow on ripening, aromatic, oblong, or ovoid-oblong, smooth, 1.3-1.8 cm long, with a single exalbuminous seed (WOA, 1997).

2. Calendula officinalis Linn. (Calendula, English Garden Marigold, Pot-Marigold)

Hindi- Zergul; Tamil- Thulukka saamanthi; Punjabi- Akbelulmulk, Saladbargh

An aromatic, erect, annual herb, up to 60 cm high. Stems angular, glandular-hairy. Leaves 2.5-7.5 cm long; lower spathulate, entire, upper lanceolate, with cordate-amplexicaul base. Flower-heads terminal, heterogamous, light yellow to deep orange; ray florets fertile. Achenes 1-1.5 cm long, boat-shaped, faintly ribbed (WOA, 1997).

3. Centella asiatica (Linn.) Urban syn. Hydrocotyle asiatica  Linn. 

Bengali- Thankuni, Tholkuri; Gujarati- Moti  brahmi; Hindi- Brahma-manduki, Khulakhudi, Mandookaparni; Kannada- Brahmisoppu, Vandelaga-illikiwigidda; Malayalam- Kodangal, Muyalchevi; Marathi- Karinga, Karivana; Oriya- Thalkudi; Sanskrit- Mandukaparni, Mutthil; Tamil- Vallarai; Telugu- Brahmi, Saraswataku; Assam- Manimuni; Bihar- Chokiora; Meghalaya- Bat-maina; Tripura- Thankuni, Thunimankuni

A prostrate, faintly aromatic, stoloniferous perennial herb, up to 2 m long, commonly found as a weed in crop fields and other waste places throughout India up to an altitude of 600 m. Stem glabrous, pink and striated,rooting at the nodes; leaves fleshy, orbicular-reniform, crenate-dentate, base cordate and often lobed, long-petioled, smooth on the upper surface and sparsely hairy on the lower; flowers red, pink or white, in fascicled umbels; fruits oblong, dull brown, laterally compressed, pericarp hard and thickened, woody, white (WOA, 1997).

4. Curcuma longa  Linn. Syn C.domestica Valeton (Turmeric)

Sanskrit- Haridra; Hindi, Bengali, Marathi & Gujarati- Haldi, halada; Tamil- Manjal; Telugu- Pasupu; Kannada- Arishina

A perennial herb, 2-3 ft. high with a short stem and tuffted leaves; the rhizomes, which are short and thick, constitute the turmeric of commerce. Turmeric is used both as a colouring material and as a condiment. The characteristic yellow matter, distributed throughout the plant, is especially concentrated in the rhizomes (WOA, 1997).

5. 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). 

6. Emblica officinalis Gaertn. syn. Phyllanthus emblica  Linn.  

Sanskrit-Adiphala, Dhatri, Amalaka; Hindi- Amla, Amlika, Aonla; Bengali-Akla, Amlaki; Gujarati- 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 homeyards. A type bearing comparatively larger fruits than the wild plant is known in cultivation (WOA, 1997).

7. Terminalia bellirica Roxb. (Belliric myrobalan)

Hindi- Bahera; Bengali- Bhairah; Marathi- Beheda; Telugu & Tamil- Tani; Malyalam- Thani; Oriya- Bhara; Trade- Belliric myrobalan, Bahera.

A handsome tree, with characteristic bark, up to 40 m high and a girth of 1.8-3 m. Stems straight, frequently buttressed when large. Leaves broadly elliptic, clustered towards the ends of branches. Flowers in solitary, simple, axillary spikes. Fruits globular, 1.3-2 cm in diam., obscurely 5-angled (WOA, 1997).

8. Terminalia chebula Retz. (Chebulic myrobalan).

Hindi- Harra; Bengali- Haritaki; Marathi- Hirda; Gujarati- Hardo; Telugu- Karakkai; Tamil- Kadukkai; Oriya- Haridra; Punjab- Har, Harar; Assam- Silikha; Trade- Myrobalan, Chehulic myrobalan.

A tree 15-24 m in height and 1.5-2.4 m in girth, with spreading branches. 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).

9. Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers ex Hook. f. & Thoms. (Gulancha, Tinospora)

Sanskrit- Amrita, Guluchi, Jwarari; Hindi- Amrita, Giloe, Gulancha, Gulbel, Guloh, Gurcha, Jiwantika; Bengali- Golancha; Marathi & Gujarati- Gulvel; Telugu- Tippateege; Tamil- Amudem chindil; Kannada- Amrutoballi, Madhuparne, Uganiballi; Malayalam- Amrytu, Chittamritam; Oriya- Culochi

A large, glabrous, deciduous climbing shrub found throughout tropical India, ascending to an altitude of 300m. Stems rather succulent with long filiform fleshy aerial roots from the branches. Bark grey-brown or creamy white, warty; leaves membranous, cordate with a broad sinus; flowers small, yellow or greenish yellow, appearing when the plant is leafless, in axillary and terminal racemes or racemose panicles; male flowers clustered and females usually solitary; drupes ovoid, glossy, succulent, red, pea-sized; seeds curved (WOA, 1997).

References:

WOA. 1997. Wealth of Asia (AHEAD).

About the Authors:

Dr Deepak Acharya: Meet him on http://dracharya.tripod.com or email him on patalkot@rediffmail.com

Dr Anshu Shrivastava: Visit his homepage on http://anshu57.tripod.com or email him on ansh24@gmail.com

Dr Sanjay Pawar: Contact him on drpawar@rediffmail.com