An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in Jhajjar district of Haryana
Neetu Kataria
Department of Botany, Chaudhary Dheerpal Government College, Badli, Jhajjar, Haryana, India
* Corresponding Author Email: neetu15207@gmail.com | Tel: +919953433651
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Abstract
The present study deals with the ethnobotanical survey of plants by the local people of Jhajjar district of Haryana. Ethnobotany has gained much importance in the recent past all over the world. In India, a lot of work has been done, both at national and regional level. The survey focuses on identifying plant species used and manipulated by local communities for curing diseases. Field survey of Jhajjar district, Haryana has been conducted for the documentation of ethnobotanical data and exploration of floristic diversity. A total of 61 species belonging to 36 families have been surveyed during 2014-15 for exploration of ethnobotanical plants. Major plant part used are leaves, fruits, seeds, barks, and roots. Measures are needed to conserve plants that are reported to be scarce in the study area, but still, they are only harvested from the wild. Therefore, it is important to create awareness on the sustainable use of the natural vegetation.
Keywords
Ethnobotany, Medicinal Plants, Floristic Diversity, Jhajjar, Haryana
Introduction
The use of plants to alleviate human sufferings is perhaps as old as the origin of man itself on this planet. Plants with medicinal properties enjoyed the highest reputation in the indigenous system of medicines all over the world. Ethnobotany is 'the study of the utilitarian relationship between human beings and vegetation in their environment, including medicinal uses. Ethnobotany can also be defined as ‘the study of the interaction between plants and people with a particular emphasis on traditional tribal cultures’. Ethnobotany studies the complex relationships between uses of plants and cultures. The focus of ethnobotany is on how plants have been or are used, managed and perceived in human societies and include plants used for food, medicine, divination, cosmetics, dyeing, textiles, for building, tools, currency, clothing, rituals, social life and music. Plants represent an enormous pool of natural resources that can produce various products and chemicals for the advantage of all other life forms and ethnobotany reveals historical and present plant use to fulfill a wide variety of human needs, so the documentation of ethnobotanical knowledge is important for species conservation and sustainable use of resources. Furthermore, such studies are often significant in revealing locally important plant species, sometimes leading to the discovery of crude drugs (Yadav et al. 2010; Bhushan and Kumar 2013).
India with its glorious past of traditional medical system and use pattern of different plants is one of eight major centers of origin and diversification of domesticated taxa, having rich biodiversity and is one of the world's twelve megadiversity countries. Of the 17500 species of flowering plants found in India, about 17% are considered to be of medicinal value(Jain 1994; Singh et al. 2005, Khongsai et al. 2011). In India, villages comprise 15% of the total geographical area of Indian landmasses, representing one of the greatest emporia of ethnobotanical wealth (Sajem and Gosai 2006). Local communities in different parts of the country have developed a deep knowledge of various uses of plants during their old history. Traditional medicine and medicinal plants usage have been investigated in some parts of the country (Khongsai et al. 2011).
The Jhajjar district of the state of Haryana was established on July 15th, 1997. Formerly a part of Rohtak district, the district headquarter is situated in Jhajjar town. One of the most developing districts of the state, Jhajjar is located very close to Delhi. The district lies between 28° 33’ N and 28° 42’ S latitude and 76° 28’ 45” W and 76° 84’ 15” E longitude. The Jhajjar district has a total area of 1983.90 square kilometers. The altitude of the district is about 715 above mean sea level (MSL) and a slope from South to North from Rewari towards Jhajjar is around 40 feet. In the eastern part of the district, the area is considerably even. Some area is uneven and also suffers from inundation and water logging during Monsoon season. The district falls within the classified arid and semi-arid zones. Broadly four types of soil are available in the District viz. clay, loamy clay, loamy and sandy. However, the soil is deficient in Nitrogen. Hot summer, cold winter and meager rainfall are the main climatic characteristics of Jhajjar District. Kharif and Ravi are the main crops under which bajra, jowar, barley, wheat, and sugarcane are grown. The district is divided into two subdivisions, Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh. Jhajjar has a great historical background with connections to various periods of the Indian history. The district's economy is equally balanced with industrialization and agriculture. The basic industries of the district are ceramics, chemicals, glass, electrical engineering, and electronics. Not much information is available about the ethnobotanical data of Jhajjar district, Haryana. With the increasing rate of deforestation and the concurrent loss of floristic diversity, there is a need for accurate documentation of the knowledge and experience of the traditional herbalists. In order to gather knowledge of natural resources for their scientific and economic exploitation for various uses, the botanical information at micro level need special attention and thus requires afresh survey to be conducted to know the floristic richness and ethnobotanical practices prevalent in various parts of India. Keeping in view this, the survey of Jhajjar district, Haryana has been conducted to record the plant of medicinal importance used by the local populations.
Materials and Methods
2.1. Methods of data collectionThe present work was carried out in Jhajjar district of Haryana. The extensive studies were conducted during the period 2015-16 with the help of local people and village medicine men of the area. In order to document the utilization of medicinal plants, a total of four field surveys were carried out in the area. The surveys were spread across seasons so as to get maximum information and also to cross check the information provided by the local informants during the earlier visits. The investigation was carried out where the population was dense. During the trips, the village heads, herbal practitioners as well as elderly men and women of the different villages were interviewed. To know the uses of plants, different categories of people like family heads, healers, old experienced and knowledgeable informants were repeatedly interviewed. The interviews were developed as informal conversations without a strict questionnaire, though with guidelines of the items to talk about holding in mind, in order to let people speak spontaneously and not feel pressured. Intensive ethnobotanical exploration was undertaken. Standard methods were followed with regard for the collection of plant material, drying, mounting, preparation and preservation of plant specimen. The medicinal uses of plant species were cross-checked from the available literature. For future referencing, Herbarium has been deposited in the Department of Botany, Govt. College, Badli.
2.2. Ethnobotanical Uses of Collected Plant Species
S.No
|
Botanical name
|
Vernacular name
|
Family name
|
Plant Type
|
Uses
|
1.
|
Acacia Arabica(Lam.)
|
Kikar
|
Fabaceae
|
Tree
|
Cough, jaundice, male fertility disorder
|
2.
|
Acyranthes
aspera
|
Ola Kanta
|
Amaranthaceae
|
Herb
|
Tooth ache, Snakebite
|
3.
|
Acacia catechu
|
Kher
|
Fabaceae
|
Tree
|
Mouth ulcers
|
4.
|
Aegle marmelos(Linn.)Correa
|
Bael patra
|
Rutaceae
|
Tree
|
Diabetes, Mouth disorders
|
5.
|
Allium cepa L.
|
Piyaz
|
Liliaceae
|
Herb
|
Fever
,Snakebite
|
6.
|
Albezzia lebbeck(L.)Benth
|
Sirus
|
Fabaceae
|
Tree
|
Eye disease, male fertility disorder
|
7.
|
Allium sativum L.
|
Lason
|
Liliaceae
|
Herb
|
Microbial contamination
|
8.
|
Aloe vera(L.)Burm.f.
|
Gaurka patta
|
Liliaceae
|
Herb
|
Abdomen Disorders, piles
|
9.
|
Argemone
mexicana L.
|
Kateli
|
Papaveraceae
|
Herb
|
Eye disease,
female sex
disorders, skin diseases
|
10.
|
Asparagus
racemosus
Wild.
|
Arra kanta
|
Liliaceae
|
Climber
|
Fever
|
11.
|
Azadirachta
indica A.Juss
|
Neem
|
Meliaceae
|
Tree
|
Allergy, skin
disorders, snake
bite
|
12.
|
Brassica compestris L.
|
Kali sarson
|
Brassicaceae
|
Herb
|
Allergy, abdomen disorders
|
13.
|
Barleria
cristata L.
|
Kalabansa
|
Acanthaceae
|
Shrub
|
Cough
|
14.
|
Butea monosperma (Lam.)Taub
|
Dhak
|
Fabaceae
|
Tree
|
Snakebite
|
15.
|
Bryophyllum
calycimum
Salisb.
|
Pattharchat
|
Crassulaceae
|
Shrub
|
Wound healing
|
16.
|
Cassia fistula L.
|
Amaltas
|
Fabaceae
|
Tree
|
Skin diseases
,snake bite
|
17
|
Calotropis
procera(Ait)R.Br
|
Aak
|
Asclepiadaceae
|
Shrub
|
Abdomen
disorder, allergy, cough, fever, skin disease, eye disease, wound
healing
|
18.
|
Cannabis sativa
L.
|
Bhang
|
Cannabinaceae
|
Herb
|
Mental disorder
|
19.
|
Chenopodium album Linn.
|
Bathua
|
Chenopodiaceae
|
Herb
|
Dysentery, piles, cough and fever
|
20.
|
Cassia
occidentalis
|
Kasaundi
|
Fabaceae
|
Shrub
|
Snakebite
|
21.
|
Citrullus
colocynthis
|
Gadumba
|
Cucurbitaceae
|
Climber
|
Snakebite
|
22.
|
Citrus
|
Neebu
|
Rutaceae
|
Shrub
|
Liver disease,
cough, throat disorder, fever
|
23.
|
Cordia
dichotoma
|
Lesua
|
Boraginaceae
|
Tree
|
Mouth ulcers
|
24.
|
Coriander
|
Dhania
|
Umbelliferae
|
Herb
|
Gastric
problems
|
25.
|
Curcuma longa L.
|
Haldi
|
Zingiberaceae
|
Herb
|
Eye disease,
wound healing,
skin disease
|
26.
|
Cuscuta reflexa
Roxb.
|
Amerbael
|
Convolvulaceae
|
Climber
|
Fever
|
27.
|
Cyanadon
dactylon L.Persoon
|
Doob
|
Poaceae
|
Herb
|
Diarrhoea,
dysentery, skin
disease, blood purifier
|
28.
|
Cyperus rotundus L.
|
Motha
|
Cyperaceae
|
Herb
|
Microbial contamination
|
29.
|
Dalbergia sisso Roxb.
|
Sisham
|
Fabaceae
|
Tree
|
Dysentery,
diabetes, pneumonia
|
30.
|
Datura metel L.
|
Dhatura
|
Solanaceae
|
shrub
|
Cough, male
fertility, mental disorder,
respiratory disorder
|
31.
|
Embilica
officinalis
Gaertn.
|
Amla
|
Euphorbiaceae
|
Tree
|
Diabetes
|
32.
|
Eucalyptus
|
Safeda
|
Myrtaceae
|
Tree
|
Antiseptic,
astringent,
wound healing
|
33.
|
Eugenia
jambolana Lam.
|
Jamun
|
Myrtaceae
|
Tree
|
Diabetes
|
34.
|
Ficus benghalensis
|
Badd
|
Moraceae
|
Tree
|
Diabetes, cough
toothache, wound
healing, fertility disorder
|
35.
|
Launaea
nudicaulis
|
Jangli gobhi
|
Asteraceae
|
Herb
|
Constipation
|
36.
|
Nerium indicum
|
Pili kaner
|
Apocynaceae
|
Shrub
|
Skin disease,
leprosy, roots
used for snakebite, fever
|
37.
|
Magnifera
indica L.
|
Aam
|
Anacardiaceae
|
Tree
|
Skin disease
|
38.
|
Melia azardirachta
|
Bakain
|
Meliaceae
|
Tree
|
Microbial
contamination, piles
|
39.
|
Mentha arvensis Linn.
|
Pudina
|
Lamiaceae
|
Herb
|
Appetizer,
digestion
problems, cough
|
40
|
Mimosa pudicaL.
|
Chui-Mui
|
Fabaceae
|
Herb
|
Diabetes
|
41.
|
Momordica
balsamia L.
|
Jangali karela
|
Cucurbitaceae
|
Climber
|
Snakebite
|
42.
|
Momordica
dioica Roxb.
|
Banj karela
|
Cucurbitaceae
|
Climber
|
Female sex
disorder, male
fertility
|
43.
|
Moringa oleifera Lam.
|
Saijna
|
Moringaceae
|
Shrub
|
Liver and
spleen disorder,
constipation, rheumatic pain
|
44.
|
Morus alba Linn.
|
Shehtoot
|
Moraceae
|
Shrub
|
Dysentery, diabetes
|
45.
|
Ocimum
basilicum L.
|
Marua
|
Lamiaceae
|
Herb
|
Fever
|
46.
|
Ocimum sanctum
L.
|
Tulsi
|
Lamiaceae
|
Herb
|
Skin disease,
male fertility
disorder
|
47.
|
Opuntia dillenii (ker- Gawl)Haw.
|
Nagphani
|
Cactaceae
|
Shrub
|
Fistula
|
48.
|
Oxalis majus
Linn.
|
Khattibuti
|
Oxalidaceae
|
Herb
|
Fever, stomach
disorder
|
49.
|
Parthenium
hysterophorus Linn.
|
Gajar ghas
|
Asteraceae
|
Herb
|
Roots decoction
used to check dysentery
|
50.
|
Peperomia
pellucid(L) Kunth.
|
Panpatta
|
Piperaceae
|
Herb
|
Fistula
|
51.
|
Psidium gujava
|
Amrud
|
Myrataceae
|
Shrub
|
Decoction of leaves used in bleeding gums
|
52.
|
Punica granatum
L.
|
Anar
|
Punicaceae
|
Shrub
|
Female sex
disorder, rind of
fruit for
diabetes
|
53.
|
Raphanus sativa
L.
|
Muli
|
Brassicaceae
|
Herb
|
Piles
|
54.
|
Solanum ferox L.
|
Laxman
|
Solanaceae
|
Herb
|
Female sex
disorder
|
56.
|
Solanum nigrum Linn.
|
Makoi
|
Solanaceae
|
Herb
|
Skin disease,
leprosy, liver disease
|
57.
|
Tinospora
cordifolia
|
Giloy
|
Menispermaceae
|
Climber
|
Fever, jaundice
|
58.
|
Trigonella foenum
|
Menthi
|
Fabaceae
|
Herb
|
Diabetes
,rheumatism
|
59.
|
Tylophora
indica(Burma.L.)Merr.
|
Antamul
|
Ascelpiadaceae
|
Climber
|
Female sex
disorder
|
60.
|
Withania
somnifera(L.)
|
Aksin
|
Solanaceae
|
Shrub
|
Cough
|
61.
|
Zizypus jujube
Lam.
|
Ber
|
Ramnaceae
|
Shrub
|
Boils and
pimples
|
Results and Discussions
A total of 61species were recorded during the survey belonging to 36 families.The most commonly represented families were Fabaceae (9 sp.), Solanaceae (4 sp.) Liliaceae(4 sp.). The plant parts used widely to treat human and livestock health problems included whole plant, root, leaves, seeds, stems, and others. Plants have been arranged alphabetically with their scientific name, local name, family and ethnobotanical uses (Table 1). They are useful in the treatment of various diseases like fever, cough, rheumatism, asthma, indigestion, piles, stomach pain, wounds, kidney stone, skin diseases, snake and scorpion bite, leukemia, impotency, night emission, etc. Plants are also used by local people as a food, fodder, fuel, and wood for making furniture and to cure animal diseases. The natural remedies include powder, decoction, paste and juice of plants to cure diseases. Some of them are used in the powder form such as Argemone mexicana, Chenopodium.Plants used as paste are Ziziphus jujuba, Azadirachta indica, Withania somnifera etc. We have reported that some plants were used in the treatment of more than one disease. For example, different parts (leaves, stem bark, latex, and root bark) of Calotropis procera were found to be useful in the cure of 10 ailing diseases. Argemone mexicana has been found useful in the treatment of female fertility problems, eye diseases, mental disorders, skin diseases, toothache and wound healing. Rapid industrialization and urbanization along with over-exploitation may cause loss of this valuable resource. Hence, efforts must be taken to protect these immensely useful species in the study area and other parts of the country.
Conclusion
It can be concluded from the study that the local people have knowledge of medicinal plants. The medicinal plant resources of the region is diminishing due to over-exploitation of certain species, illegally trading, laying of roads and other developmental works that causes the destruction of their natural habitats. Most of the medicinal plants are getting very rare as confirmed by elders and as observed during the field work too. If the present trend continues unchecked, it will not be too long that some of them will become extinct. It is, therefore, very crucial that awareness should be created so that the community is actively involved in conservation and sustainable utilization of the traditional medicinal plants. Special attention needs to be accorded to the medicinal plants in order to amplify the role that they play in health care, poverty alleviation, and environmental protection. Further, in-depth studies to document and substantiate the indigenous knowledge on medicinal and other useful plants would help to draw serious attention to the valuation of the biological diversity of the study area. More studies like this one are necessary to gather ethnobotanical knowledge, including all kinds of useful plants, in the various parts of the country.
Acknowledgement
Authors are thankful to the Department of Botany, Chaudhary Dheerpal Government College, Badli, Jhajjar, for their support.
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