Shuktani a new ethno-medico recipe among the Sylheti Bengali Community of Barak valley, Southern Assam, India

Transcription

1 Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol.11 (1), January 2012, pp Shuktani a new ethno-medico recipe among the Sylheti Bengali Community of Barak valley, Southern Assam, India Ashish Nath* & G G Maiti** *Department of Botany, G C College, Silchar , Assam, India, **Department of Botany, University of Kalyani, Kalyani , West Bengal, India s: ashisnath_sil@yahoo.com; gaurmaiti@yahoo.co.in Received ; revised During the survey of last 10 yrs on ethnobotanical study of Barak valley of Southern Assam may new traditional prescriptions and recipes were known. Shuktani is one of some familiar recipes which is still in regular practice amongst the Sylheti Bengali community of Barak Valley of Southern Assam which is used for several treatments as stomach disorders like diarrhoea, dysentery, indigestions, etc. and as a recipe for women as post parturition treatment, weakness and lactation, etc. Shuktani, a new ethno-medico-botanical recipe prepared with the uses of 35 species of Angiosperms consisting of the leaves of 23, vegetative buds, fruits and seeds of 4 each, stems and flowers of 2 each of the plants in either liquid form or in powdered form. The formulation, preparation along with uses, duration and doses are discussed for the remedy of the different diseases. Keywords: Shuktani Ethno medico botanical recipe, Sylheti-Bengali, Barak Valley, Assam. IPC Int. Cl. 8 : A01D 7/00, A01D 7/13, A01D 7/35, A01D 7/06, A01D 12/00, A01D 12/01, A01D 12/14 Floristic survey along with the study of medicinal plants used by the tribal communities and other inhabitants of Barak valley, Assam was carried out for the last 10 yrs. It was found that there are still present some new information of the ethno-medico-botanical uses within the different communities and inhabitants of Barak valley, Assam. Although many works had already been carried out on the ethnobotanical study of Barak valley, Assam and its neighbouring states but still there are many unrecorded study and for which this survey works were carried out. Borthakur 1,2,3 had reported medicinal uses among the Karbi Anglong, Mikir Hills, for the diseases of children and women and the postnatal care of women in raditional system of the tribes of Assam. Dutta Choudhury and Choudhury 4 had worked on the Ethnobotanical aspects of Reang tribe of Assam. Dutta Choudhury et al. 5 had studied ethnomedicobotanical uses of Dimasa Kachari community of Cachar district of Assam. Das and Sharma 6 reported the ethno-medicinal plants used by Barman and Manipuri communities of Cachar district, Assam. So also by Das 7 et al. there is the report of the uses of medicinal plants by the different tribes of Kachar *Corresponding author district, Assam. Hajra and Baishya 8 presented the ethnobotanical notes on the Miris (Mishing) of Assam plains. Nath and Maiti 9 had also studied on the folk medicines as well as ethnobotanical study of Barak valley, Assam. Nath and Maiti 10 also worked on the Halam tribes of Assam and Tripura State. Tamuli and Saikia 11 had also reported some ethno-medico-botany of Zeme tribes of North Cachar Hill District of Assam. Bhattacharjee 12 et al. had studied the folklore Medicine from the district Kamrup (Assam). Saklani and Jain 13, however, made thorough account in their book as cross-cultural Ethnobotany of North-east India, Assam. Barbhuiya et al 14 had stressed on the conservation of medicinal plants of Barak valley, Assam. But still there are many things that have to be studied for North-east Indian states particularly for Assam. There are a few reports as done by Deb 15 on medicinal plants and by Singh et al. 16 on ethnomedico-botanical study on the state of Tripura. As a general study on the useful plant of India there are the reports of the uses of plants by the communities of North-East India as stated by Ambasta 17 and Nayar et al 18,19. Barak valley, comprises with the southern most three districts, viz. Cachar, Karimganj, and HailaKandi

2 NATH & MAITI: SHUKTANI-A NEW ETHNO-MEDICO RECIPE IN SOUTHERN ASSAM 157 of Assam, lies between longitudes and E and latitude 24 8 and 25 8 N covering an area of 6922 sq km. This valley is surrounded by North Cachar Hills district of Assam in the North, Mizoram in the South, Manipur in East and Sylhet district of Bangladesh and Tripura state in the West (Barbhuiya et al. 13 ) It is inhabitated by about 80% Sylheti-Bengali people, (Saklani and Jain 12 ), speaking mainly in Sylheti Bengali (a distinct Bengali dialect) and the rest are the tea garden workers (Tea tribe), Methai, Manipuri, Bishnupriya, Manipuri, Assamese (Chutia), plain tribes like Barhmana, Koch Rajbongshi and Rongmai Naga and the hill-tribes like Khasia/Jayantia, Lusai (Mizo), H mar, Naga, Kuki, Halam, Reang, Tripuri, etc. As being situated in Southern Assam, in the remotest corner of the country, the majority of the inhabitants are still in belief of the traditional system of treatment for the remedy of the various diseases. This region is also rich in luxuriant vegetation with the availability of various medicinal plants. Most of the peoples are still in practice to collect the indigenous plants for their herbal preparation for many of the traditional health care practices in the form of the preparation of local drugs, pills and some recipes. The Shuktani is one of the prescribed recipes recommended for the treatment of stomach disorders like diarrhea, dysentery, indigestions, etc. and as a recipe it is used for setting the general body strength and the lactation for the women after the parturition. This recipe is not stated in the previous works and thus here stated with the details of plants used which are consisting of 35 angiosperms plant species with the plant parts like leaves, vegetative buds, petioles, fruits, seeds and flowers, etc. Materials and methods During the survey works in the Barak valley, Assam many of the ethno-medico-botanical plants are noted to prepare a recipe, Shuktani, by Sylheti Bengali community. As the Shuktani is used for different diseases and are commonly prescribed by the older persons for the treatment and remedy of their own family members thus the information is taken from the people regarding the plants/plant parts, preparation of medicine, administration, uses with dose, duration, etc. Shuktani is prepared by the 35 plants of angiosperms and their different parts as presented in Table 1 with their botanical names, respective families, vernacular names and the parts used. The items, i.e. the plants used for the preparations of recipe Shuktani were verified with many old men and women of Sylheti Bengali community. It is also further verified those who are prescribing as well as practicing this preparation. Observation The recipe, suktani, is prepared by different parts of 35 species of angiosperms which are consisting of the leaves of 23 species, vegetative buds, fruits and seeds of 4 species each, petioles, stems and flowers of 2 species each. It is, further, observed that in case of non-availability of any one plant or more than one plant species some substitute species as an alternative is also used. Shuktani is prepared in two well known forms, liquid form and powdered form. The liquid form is although prepared depending on the availability of all the required species that is always prescribed or recommended to take for both the sexes of all age groups in the treatment of stomach disorders like diarrhoea, indigestion and the dysentery, etc. On the other hand the powdered form is recommended only for the women after the parturition for general body strength and for lactation. It is administered to continue for a month or if required for more days. The formulation of the herbal preparation of Shuktani as liquid form is made as follows: Freshly collected leaves of 23 species of Ananas comosus (L.) Merr., Azadirachta india A. Juss., Blumea lanceolaris (Roxb.) Druce, Boehmeria macrophylla D. Don, Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., Citrus medica L., Elsholtzia blanda Benth., Glycosmis arborea (Roxb.) DC., Houttuynia cordata Thunb., Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides Lam., Moringa oleifera L., Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L., Ocimum canum Sims., Paederia foetida L., Pogostemon benghalensis (Burm.f.) O. Ktze., Polygonum microcephalum D. Don, Psidium guajava L., Punica granatum L., Thespesia populnea (L.) Soland. ex Corr., Tagetes patula L., Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers ex Hook. f. & Thoms., Vitex negundo L. and Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., all of equal amount being fresh weight of about 250 gm each, are taken together to make a paste. The vegetative buds of 4 species as Clerodendrum viscosum Vent L., Psidium guajava L., Punica granatum L. and Ziziphus mauritiana Lam., being the amount of gm each, are also mixed together to form a paste. Both these pastes are well mixed together to form a final

3 158 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 11, NO 1, JANUARY 2012 Names of the plants Table 1 Plants used for the preparation of suktani (arranged in alphabetical sequence) Names of the families form of paste. Mustard oil, 1 to 2 tea spoonful, is allowed to warm in a thick-bottom frying pan with the adding of a few seeds (10-15) of Trigonella faenumgraecum L. and 2-6 dried leaves of Cinnamomum tamala Nees & Eberm. and allowed all of them to turn black. The prepared mixed paste is now added in the pan and is slightly fried together, added required amount of water, and also required amount of common salt and turmeric powder to make well mixed recipe. Finally the mixture is boiled together and prepared properly. Furthermore, some amount of the requirement is added and changed out of these Vernacular names (Sylheti -Bengali) Parts used Aglaonema hookerianum Schott Araceae Bagdar Petiole Alpinia bracteata Roxb. Zingiberaceae Tera Young stem (Scape) Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. Bromeliaceae Anaras Whitish basal portion of leaves Azadirachta indica A. Juss. Meliaceae Neem Leaves Blumea lanceolaris (Roxb.) Druce Asteraceae Agijal Leaves Boehmeria macrophylla D. Don. Urticaceae Rahmi Leaves Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. Apiaceae Thankuni Leaves Cinnamomum tamala Nees & Eberm. Lauraceae Taj-pata Leaves Citrus medica L. Rutaceae Sashni-jamir Young leaves Clerodendrum viscosum Vent. Verbenaceae Bhati Young vegetative buds Costus speciosus (Koenig) Sm. Costaceae Keu Young stem Elsholtzia blanda Benth. Lamiaceae Bon-tulsi Leaves Glycosmis arborea (Roxb.) DC. Rutaceae Bon-jamir Young leaves Homolomena aromatica (Roxb.) Schott Araceae Gondhi Petioles Houttuynia cordata Thunb. Saururaceae Ichlapata Young leaves Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides Lam. Apiaceae Chuto-kudranik Leaves Moringa oleifera Lam. Moringaceae Sajna Young leaves Nigella sativa L. Ranunculaceae Kala-jeera Seeds Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L. Oleaceae Sephali Young leaves Ocimum canum Sims. Lamiaceae Babri tulsi Leaves Paederia foetida L. Rubiaceae Badhali-pata Leaves Piper longum L. Piperaceae Peepoil Fruits Piper nigrum L. Piperaceae Golmorich Fruits Pogostemon benghalensis (Burm.f.) O. Ktze. Lamiaceae Rujanto Leaves Polygonum microcephalum D. Don Polygonaceae Chulong Leaves Psidium guajava L. Myrtaceae Sapri Young vegetative buds Pterospermum acerifolium (L.) Willd. Sterculiaceae Moskondh-phool Flowers Punica granatum L. Punicaceae Anar Young vegetative buds Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir. Papilionaceae Bokh-phool Flowers Tagetes patula L. Asteraceae Ganda Leaves Thespesia populnea (L.) Soland. ex Corr. Malvaceae Parashpipul Leaves Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers ex Hook. f. & Thoms. Menispermaceae Amburus Leaves Trigonella foenum-graecum L. Papilionaceae Metti, Methi Seeds Vitex negundo L. Verbenaceae Nisinda Leaves Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. Rhamnaceae Boroi Young vegetative buds mentioned plant materials according to the liking of the persons. Sometimes few pinch of rice powder is also added to this prepared recipe to make gravy and also allowed to boil. After boiling for sometimes few (5-10 each) whole flowers of Pterospermum acerifolium (L.) Willd., Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir., both or which one is available, and nearly 12 mm long petiole of Aglaonema hookerianum Schott and Homalomena aromatica (Roxb.) Schott, inflorescence scape of Alpinia bracteata Roxb., and about 12 mm long young aerial stem of Costus speciosus (Koenig) Sm. are added with this

4 NATH & MAITI: SHUKTANI-A NEW ETHNO-MEDICO RECIPE IN SOUTHERN ASSAM 159 preparation and allow to boil for nearly 10 minutes more to become a suitable mixed preparation, the Shuktani recipe. This liquid form of Shuktani is severed in hot with hot-boiled rice or alone for the regular treatment of stomach trouble like diarrhoea, indigestion and dysentery, etc. This recipe is taken once in a days in the early morning in empty stomach and prescribed till remedy but usually taken for a month of so. The formulation of powdered form of the Shuktani as herbal preparation is as follow: Fresh leaves of 23 species, of equal amount as in liquid form, are taken together with the few (5-10) vegetative buds of 4 species as Clerodendrum infortunatum L., Psidium guajava L. Punica granatum L. and Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. It is also added with fresh flowers of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L., 8-10 fresh flowers of both Pterospermum acerifolium (L.) Willd. and Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poir. All these are slowly sun-dried for a few days and make them into a finer powder by motar and pastle. Seeds as (10-15 each) of Nigella sativa L. and Trigonella foenum-graecum L. and 5-8 seeds of Piper nigrum L. are separately fried in iron pan and make each of them as powder. This powder is well mixed with the leaf-powder and kept in a dry container for further uses. The dried powdered form is recommended to take, being the amount of 1 tea spoonful, to the women during post parturition period. It is prescribed to take daily in every meal along with butter (ghee) for their general body strength as well as for lactation. Both these preparations, liquid form and powdered form, are recommended by the old person, either women or men as a general practice and as home remedy by herbal medicine. It is further, verified that the peoples of the community are satisfied with this herbal treatment as effective and required results as they want. Discussion and Conclusion The medico-botanical study for the preparation of Shuktani and the use of that as a herbal remedy is well known among the Sylheli Bengali community of Barak valley, Assam. However, it is not claimed as the uses of the tribal communities of Assam. Among the Sylheti Bengali community the recipe is well accepted and is usually prescribed and recommended by the old aged men and women of the community. The preparation although of 2 types, liquid form and powdered form, but prescribed and recommended separately as the powdered form is specially used for women. Shuktani recipe is prepared with many as good as 35 medicinal plants of Angiosperms and they are used with their different parts like leaves, vegetative twigs, flowers, etc. probably this recipe, Shuktani, is prepared with a good number of medicinal plants and also the different parts of the plants. The preparation, administration, dose and duration of taking this herbal medicine are long been established and still it is continued for the remedy and of effective result. Acknowledgement The authors are obliged to the Principal of G C College, Silchar and the Head, Department of Botany, G C College, Silchar, Assam for their kind permission of this study and assistance. The authors are also thankful to the Head, Department of Botany, University of Kalyani, Kalyani , Nadia, WB for his kind help. References 1 Borthakur S K, Less known medicinal plants among the tribes of Karbi Anglong (Mikir Hills) Assam, Bull Bot Surv India, 18 (1-4) (1976) Borthakur S K, Native phytotherapy for child and women diseases from Assam, North-eastern India, Fitoterapia, 63 (b) (1992) Borthakur S K, Postnatal care of women in traditional system in Assam, Ethnobotany, 8 (1996) Dutta Choudhury M & Choudhury S, Ethnobotanical aspect of Reang tribe of Assam, India, Part 2, Proc. UGC sponsored state level seminar on, Biodiversity of Assam and its Conservation, edited by Bhattacharya MK, Mazumder P B & Dutta Choudhury M, Karimganj, Assam, 2002, Dutta Choudhury M, Shil S. & Chakraborty G, Ethnomedicobotanical studies on Dimasa Kachari of Cachar district, Assam, Ethnobotany, 20 (1 & 2) (2008) Das A K & Sharma G D, Ethnomedicinal plants used by Barman and Manipuri community, Cachar district, Assam, J Econ Tax Bot., 27 (2) (2003) Das A K, Dutta B K & Sharma G D, Medicinal plants used by different tribes of Cachar district, Assam, Indian J Tradit Knowle, 7 (3) (2008) Hajra P K & Baishya A K, Ethnobotanical notes on the Miris (Mishing) Assam Plains: Contribution of Indian Ethnobotany, edited by Jain S K, (Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur), 1997, Nath A & Maiti G G, Ethnobotany of Barak Valley (Southern Assam) with special reference to folk medicine, J Econ Taxon Bot, 27 (4) (2003) Nath A & Maiti G C, Ethnobotanical study of the Halam tribe of Assam and Tripura, India, J Econ Tax Bot, 33 (Suppl.) (2009)

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