The tribal people and ethnic races throughout the world have developed

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1 Ethnobotanical Studies on Korku Tribes of Madhya Pradesh Rajiv Rai Extension Division, Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur Introduction These tribal communities use medicinal plants and prepare formulation of the drug and apply on tumour or on cancerous growth. They also consume extract and decoction for internal healing The tribal people and ethnic races throughout the world have developed their own culture, customs, religious - rites, folk-songs, medicinal practices, etc. Numerous wild and cultivated plants play a key role among tribal cultures in primary health care and this relationship has been continuing from one generation to another since last several centuries. The knowledge acquired by forest dwellers, folk-healers, vaidys, etc. in understanding the properties of roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits of these plants have immense value in traditional folkmedicines. Traditional healers have developed the medicinal use of these plants based on their experiments on human beings; i.e., tribal community (Rai and Nath, 2005). India has a centuries old heritage of medicinal and aromatic plants. Medicinal plants and herbal medicines are used in curing of human illness and promotion of health in tribal and rural areas. Medicinal plants are often, the only accessible health care alternative for most of the population and traditional medicines are integral part of tribal health care. Our country has one of the largest concentration of tribal communities in the world, accounting for about 68 million tribal people belonging to 573 tribal communities (MoHA, 2001) living in different geographic locations within our country. Indigenous people have shown evidences of historical continuity of resource use and possess a broad base knowledge of the complex ecological system existing in the vicinity of their habitat. In the state of Madhya Pradesh, there are about 28 tribes spread over the entire state. These indigenous people have been using with a historical continuity of resource use, often possess a broad knowledge base of the complex ecological system in their own localities. This knowledge has accumulated through a series of observations transmitted from generation to generation. The state of Madhya Pradesh is enriched with primitive tribes such as Baiga, Bhariya, Korku, Korwa and Sahariya. The other prominent tribes found in the state are Kol, Bhil, Gond, Pao, Khairwar, Maria, Kamar, etc. Korku tribes are found in districts of Narsinghpur, Chhindwara, Betul, Hoshangabad, Harda, Kargone and Khandawa (Tiwari, 1984). These tribes are utilizing the plants for food and medicinal values (Fig. 1) and have been conserving them since last several years in their habitat (Rai and Nath, 2005). 86 ENVIS

2 Most of the tribal pockets are undulating, densely covered with thick forest and they are inhabited at hill tops, foot hills in state of Madhya Pradesh for last several hundreds of years (Saxena, 1988; Rai et al., 2002; Rai et al., 2003; Rai et al., 2004a and b). These communities use different formulations made of plant parts in cure of ailments in primary health care. Keeping in view vastness of forest area and richness of vegetation, systematic efforts to exploit the valuable potential is still lacking with exception to sporadic attempts being made as evidenced by review of literature being done for investigators earned in Madhya Pradesh on traditional health care by numerous ethnobotanists such as Bhalla et al. (1992); Jain (1963, 1975, 1981); Jain and Tarafdar (1963); Saxena and Shukla (1971); Maheshwari (1984, 1989, 1996); Tiwari (1984); Maheshwari and Dwivedi (1988); Saxena (1988); Oomachen and Srivastava (1996); Pandey et al. (1991); Pandey (1998); Pandey (2005); Ram Prasad et al. (1990); Rai and Nath (2005, 2006); Rai et al. (1996, 2002, 2003, 2004a and b). Material and Methods a. Study Area and Period Korku tribes inhabit the heart of Madhya Pradesh in Indian peninsula which has a large concentration of tribal population. The state lies between latitude 17 o 482 N and 26 o 522 S and between longitude 74 o -22 N to 84 o 242 E. The detailed ethnobotanical studies were conducted by organizing field trips in different seasons in each quarter of the year for a period of two years during in the selected tribal pockets of Korku tribe in the villages of Sohagpur, Itarsi, Bagra Tawa and Kesla blocks in Hoshangabad district and Irchawar, Sehore and Nasrullaganj blocks in Sehore districts. b. Methodology The information recorded in field was as per the methodology recorded by Chopra et al. (1965, 1982); Nadkarni (1982); Kapur (1990); Jain (1981, 1991, 1996). Result and Discussion I. Concept of Bamboo Conservation in Korku Tribe Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant on this planet. It grows three times faster than the fastest growing tree. Some species can grow up to 1 meter per day. One can almost watch it grow. This growth pattern makes it easily accessible in a minimal amount of time. It fetches income in a short period of time. Bamboo is a critical element in the balance of oxygen/carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Bamboo is the fastest growing canopy for the regreening of degraded areas and generates more oxygen than equivalent stand of trees. It lowers light intensity and protects against ultraviolet rays and is an atmospheric and soil purifier. Bamboo is a viable replacement for wood. It is one of the strongest building materials. Bamboo s tensile strength is more than that of steel. Bamboos provide basic necessities of life; i.e., fuel, food, shelter and clothing. India is endowed with a large number of bamboo species (24 genera and 134 species) and is perhaps having the world s largest reserve of bamboos. In recent years, bamboos have entered the highly competitive world market in the form of pulp for paper, parquet, ply bamboo and as a canned vegetable. Thus, bamboo is useful from cradle to coffin, for people of India, as well as in other parts of the Asia. Women in tribal community prefer to get their body parts hands, legs and neck covered with colours. They wear different kinds of ornaments made of bamboo, seeds and metals. The information on socio-economic utility of bamboo as prevalent in Korku tribe has been tabulated precisely in Table 1. The tribals living in Madhya Pradesh realized this fact long before, which they prefer for their domestic uses. It is seldom observed any courtyard of tribal hut without bamboo clump. They worship bamboo during some of their festivals and use bamboo in their traditional rituals. The data documented on social utility of bamboo are similar to findings of numerous ethnobotanist (Jain, 1963, 1975, 1981, 1991; Saxena and Shukla, 1971; Oomachan and Srivastava, 1976; Patta, 1988; Maheshwari, 1989, 1996; Ram Prasad et al., 1990; Jain, 1996; Pandey, 1998; Rai et al., 2002, 2003, 2004; Shukla, 2004; Pandey, 2005). II. Documentation of Ethno Botanical Information on Korku Tribe a. Ethnobotanical survey Conducted in different sites in M.P. for documentation as presented in Table 2. The living standard of Korku tribals is very simple. The tribe is concentrated in Hoshangabad districts. They have recently shifted from jhum cultivation to forestry. Their houses are made of mud, bamboo sticks, paddy straw and local tiles. Tribal men wear dhoti, bandi, fatohi and head gear. Women wear saree named kaansh saree in the local dialect. The saree is always of body colour. Forestry Bulletin, 12(2),

3 Table 1. Socio-economic utility of bamboo among Korku tribe S. no. Utility of bamboo Remark Locality (tribal blocks) in Hoshangabad 1. Construction of house House is made of mud, bamboo stick with paddy straw and local tiles. 2. Ornaments made of bamboo Women folk wear ornaments made of bamboo. Kesla 3. Collection of bamboo twigs from forest Women folk and children collect bamboo twigs from forest. 4. Use of bamboo as fuel-wood Bamboo is used as fuel wood as it is an excellent. 5. Use of doors and windows Shutters made of bamboo mats, fixed on bamboo frame is common in housing. Small openings framed with bamboo or wood are provided in the walls to serve as windows. 6. Flooring Houses constructed on raised platforms use bamboo for flooring while bamboo culms are used as floor joints and beams act as framework. Over this frame work, covering sheathing of split bamboo, bamboo boards/mats, small full culms or flattened bamboo strips are suitably fastened. 7. Bamboo mats Mats are made by women folk used in their homes and sold in weekly market 8. Bamboo baskets Baskets are made of bamboo and sold in weekly market for income generation. 9. Bamboo toys Toys are made from bamboos. 10. Musical instrument Flute a common musical instrument in Hoshanagabad district is made out of bamboo. 11. Bamboo furniture frames Furniture sofa set with chairs made of bamboo. Bagra Tawa Bagra Tawa, Kesla, Hoshangabad, Seoni malwa and Kesla Bagra Tawa and Kesla Hoshangabad, Seoni malwa and and Kesla Sold in weekly market at Bagra Tawa Sold in weekly market at Kesla and Seoni Malwa Bagra Tawa Kesla and Seoni Malwa b. Plants used by tribes as anti-diabetic properties Etyomologically the term diabetes can be defined as to pass through Diabetes is derived from a Greek word ( dia means through, betes means pass). More appropriately it has been defined as the secretion of an inordinate quantity of sweet in urine with high content of blood sugar, urine with a peculiar smell, accompanied with great thirst and dryness of skin and deficiency of insulin in the human body. In urban areas the disease is controlled by restricted intake of sugar and synthetic medicine. In tribal pockets of Korku, it uses different medicinal plants and formulations as evident from Table 3. c. Plants used by tribes as natural drug in cure of cancer and tumours Cancer is one of the most dreaded disease of the 21 st century which is plaguing the life of mankind. It is a painful syndrome of modernization, where even modern medicines have failed to bring out a curative medicine for it. On the other hand several drugs have severe side effects which instead of giving solution to the problem, creates more problem and baffling conditions. The traditional herbal healers have become more aware about the problems and are striving hard to find the solution. Some of the herbal and folk healers have recorded medicinal plants which possess anti-cancerous and antitumour properties. Such plants are listed in Table 4 which are being used by such traditional healers belonging to Korku tribe. Cancer cause a variety of symptoms such as thickening or lump in the breast or any other part of the body, changes in bowel or bladder habits, obvious change in a wart or mole, a sore that does not heal, nagging cough or hoarseness, indigestion or difficulty in swallowing, unexplained changes in weight and unusual bleeding or discharge. When these or other symptoms occur, they are not always caused by cancer. Infections, begin with tumours, or other problems may also cause them. It is important to meet the traditional healer regarding any of these symptoms or about other physical changes. Some symptoms are specific to certain types of cancer, such as difficult urination for prostrate cancer, or flu-like symptoms for acute leukemias. Diagnostic tests are available for most common cancers. If diagnosed early, chances of survival are greatly increased. One should not wait to feel pain: Early cancer usually does not cause pain. These tribal communities use medicinal plants and their parts and prepare formulation of the drug and apply on tumour or on cancerous 88 ENVIS

4 Table 2. Localities surveyed: Korku tribe in M.P. Table 3. Plants used as anti-diabetic properties by tribal communities Table 4. Plants used by tribals as natural drug in cure of cancer and tumour Forestry Bulletin, 12(2),

5 growth. They also consume extract and decoction for internal healing of the disease (Table 4). d. Plants used by tribes as carminative drug in cure of gastro-intestinal problems indigestion, acidity, flatulence Gastro-intestinal problems have become very common in our day to day problems in urban areas. Infestation of worms both the helminths and protozoan in the intestine of children and adult has become a common ailment in our society. Chemical and biological infestation of food and water due to deteriorating environmental condition and consumption of processed food with less fiber content has been attributed to increase in problems leading to indigestion, acidity and flatulence. Nature has provided several herbs to over come the existing ailments. Such plants are enlisted in Fig. 2 and Table 5 which are being used by such traditional healers. a. Treatment by the Korku Vidya Raj. e. Plants used by tribes in cure of diarrhoea Diarrhoea is referred to frequent passage of watery stool which lead to the depletion of fluids and salts (sodium and potassium) that are responsible for maintaining the fluid balance in our body. Diarrhoea is caused due to food poisoning, allergy to certain foods, overeating and over use of laxatives. Diarrhoea is also caused by parasites and bacterial infections. In traditional and indigenous system, the best way to cure diarrhea is to replenish the lost fluids by mixing a teaspoon each of salt and sugar in a cup of water and sip it many times as one can. In tribal pockets many plants are used which are presented in Table 6. f. Plants used by tribes in cure of baldness Baldness has been attributed to hectic lifestyles not only in urban areas but also seen in rural areas and tribal communities, they also suffer from problem of baldness. Generally patients are associated b. Bilarikand/Patalkumhra. Fig. 1. Documentation of indigenous knowledge from Vadiya Raj of Korku tribe. Fig. 2. Plants used for treatment of gastro-intestinal problem. 90 c. Abrus precatorius (Ratti) used in cure of cancer. with mechanized work, unbearable stress levels, consume packaged foodstuff, lack of manual activity or excessive physical exercise and environmental pollution have all resulted in a constant deterioration in health with an increasing number of psychosomatic ailments. Those persons who have more exposure to fumes, exposure to sun and dew, sleeping too much or too less are also affected by process of mental stress. Stress is also attributed to patients on account of crying or preventing tears, drinking lot of water or alcohol, talking too much and consuming very spicy, salty food have been found to bear the symptoms of hair fall and suffer from baldness, along with graying of hair. Baldness may also be a hereditary problem. The traditional herbal healers use a number of plants and apply paste, powder, oil extracted from seed, leaves and oil in order to check baldness. Such plants and their parts are presented in Table 7. ENVIS

6 Table 5. Plants used by tribals as carminative drug in cure of gastro-intestinal problems-indigestion, acidity and flatulence S. no. Plant species Local name Family Plant part used Formulation 1. Ardisia solanaceae Roxb. Myrsinaceae Seeds Powder 2. Commiphora wightii Guggul Burseraceae Bark Resin Extract (Arn.) Bhandari 3. Eugenia heyneana Duthie Myrtaceae Flower Extract 4. Cocculus pendulus (Linn.) Diels Menispermaceae Bark Powder Table 6. Plants used by tribals in cure of diarrhoea S. no. Plant species Local name Family Plant part used Formulation 1. Anogeissus latifolia (Roxb.) Wall Dhawa Combretaceae Bark Powder 2. Hibiscuss rosasinensis Linn. Gurhal Malvaceae Flower,bud Powder 3. Curcuma angustifolia Roxb. Tikhur Zingiberaceae Tuber Decoction 4. Mentha piperita Linn. Jangali podina Lamiaceae Leaves Oil 5. Acorus calamus Linn. Bach Araceae Root Extract 6. Soymida febrifuge (Roxb.) A. Juss. Rohan Meliaceae Bark Decoction Table 7. Plants used by tribals in cure of baldness S. no. Plant species Local name Family Plant part used Formulation 1. Nyctanthes arbortristis Linn. Harsinghar Oleaceae Seed Paste 2. Allium cepa Linn. Piyaj Liliaceae Bulb Powder 3. Lawsonia inermis Linn. Mehndi Lythraceae Seed Oil 4. Xanthium indicum Koeing Lapetevana Asteracee Leaves Paste g. Plants used by tribes in cure of sexual impotency and weakness Impotency is also called erectile dysfunction, is most often the result of some underlying physical (organic) condition. Impotency in about 85 per cent cases is physical in origin. Earlier about one to two decades ago it was thought to be caused due to emotional problems. It is estimated that 15 per cent patients are suffering from impotency due to psychological problems. The causes of impotency which have been observed by traditional healers are due to hardening of arteries, heart disease, high cholesterol, and blood pressure. Diabetes has also been observed in some patients by local healers in Madhya Pradesh to be a cause of impotency. Tribal communities use indigenous plants in cure of sexual impotency and weakness are enlisted in Table 8 as below. Table 8. Plants used by tribals in cure of sexual impotency and weakness S. no. Plant species Local name Family Plant part used Formulation 1. Abelmoschus esculentus (Linn.) Moench Jangali bhindi Malvaceae Roots and seed Powder 2. Abrus precatorius Linn. Ratti Fabaceae Root Decoction 3. Acacia nilotica (Linn.) Babul Mimosaceae Seeds Powder Willd. 4. Bombax ceiba Semal Bombaceae Roots Powder 5. Curculigo orchioides Kali musli Hypoxidaceae Root Powder, extract Gaertn 6. Sida spinosia Linn. Kantibel Malvaceae Root Powder Forestry Bulletin, 12(2),

7 Conclusion The utilization of 40 medicinal plants have been recorded during field survey which revealed different uses of plant parts with formulations being used by Korku-Pardhi tribe in cure of ailments such as anti-diabetic, cure of tumor and cancer, as carminative to check flatulence, diarrhoea, to check baldness, to eliminate impotency and sexual weakness. The present investigation focuses on use of medicinal plants by tribal communities in cure of various ailments. Such plants need to be examined for phyto-chemical studies to know active ingredient and chemical compound present in them which are beneficial in cure of ailments. Acknowledgement The author is thankful to Director, Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur for providing financial assistance for conducting the studies. Head, Biodiversity and Sustainable Management Divison, TFRI, Jabalpur is also being acknowledged for providing necessary facilities for completing the aforesaid investigation. References Bhalla, S.; Patel, J.R. and Bhalla, N.P Ethnomedicinal studies of genus Indigofera from Bundelkhand region of M.P. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany, Additional Series, 10: Chopra, R.N.; Chopra, I.C.; Handa, K.L. and Kapur, L.D Indigenous drugs of India. 2 nd ed. New Delhi, Academic Publishers. Chopra, R.N; Chopra, S.L. and Chopra, I.C Glossary of Indian medicinal plants. New Delhi, CSIR. 330p. Jain, S.K Observation on ethnobotany of the tribals of M.P. Vanyajati, 11(4): Jain, S.K Ethnobotany of central India tribals. Journal of Indian Botanical Society, 1(6): 63. Jain, S.K Glimpses of Indian ethnobotany. New Delhi, Oxford and I.B.H. Jain, S.K Dictionary of Indian folk medicines and ethnobotany. New Delhi, Deep Publications. Jain, S.K. and Tarafdar, C.R Native plant remedies for snake bites among the adivasis of central India. Indian Medicinal Journal, 57: Jain, S.P Ethno-medico-botanical survey of Chaibasa, Singbhum district, Bihar Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany, Additional Series, 12: Kapur, S.K Review on ethno-medico plants for skin affiliations. Indian Drugs, 28(5): MoHA (India. Ministry of Home Affairs) Census report. New Delhi, Government of India. Maheshwari, J.K Ethnobotanical survey of Mandla district of M.P. In: Workshop on MAB Project, 2 nd, New Delhi, March. Proceedings. pp Maheshwari, J.K Case study of three primitive tribes of M.P. (Abujhmarias, Baigas, and Bharias) of central India. In: Jain, S.K. Ed. Methods and approaches in central India. Lucknow, Society of Ethanobotanists. pp Maheshwari, J.K Ethnobotanical documentation of primitive tribes of Madhya Pradesh. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany, Additional Series, 12: Maheshwari, J.K. and Dwivedi, R.P Ethnomedicinal plants of Bhariya tribes of Patalkot Valley, Chhindwara district, M.P. In: Kaushik, P. Indigenous medicinal plants including microbes and fungi. New Delhi, Today and Tomorrow Printers and Publishers. pp Nadkarni, A.K Indian materia medica. Vol Bombay, Popular Prakashan. Oomachan, M. and Srivastava, J.L Flora of Jabalpur. Jodhpur, Scientific Publisher. 354p. Pandey, D.N Ethno-forestry: Local knowledge for sustainable forestry and livelihood security. New Delhi, Himanshu Publication. Pandey, P.K Ecological assessment of vegetation studies in JFM adopted villages in Satpura plateau, Madhya Pradesh. Indian Forester, 131(1): Pandey, R.K.; Bajpai, A.K. and Bhattacharya, P Some unique folk medicines of Baiga tribes of Mandla district Madhya Pradesh, Journal of Tropical Forestry, 7(1): Rai, B.K.; Ayachi, S.S. and Rai, A A note on ethnomedicines from central India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany, Additional Series, 12: Rai, Rajiv and Nath, V Some lesser known oral herbal contraceptives in folk claim in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. Journal of Natural Remedies, 5(2): Rai, Rajiv and Nath, V Use of indigenous herbal medicinal plants by Gond traditional healers in cure of skin diseases in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. In: Trivedi, 92 ENVIS

8 P.C. Ed. Medicinal plants: Traditional knowledge. New Delhi, I.K. International. pp Rai, Rajiv; Nath, V. and Shukla, P.K Ethno-medicinal studies on Bhariya tribes in Satpura plateau of Madhya Pradesh. Agriculturist, 13(1-2): Rai, Rajiv; Nath, V. and Shukla, P.K Ethnobiological studies on Bhariya tribes of Madhya Pradesh. Journal of Tropical Forestry, (1): Rai, Rajiv; Nath, V. and Shukla, P.K. 2004a. Ethnobotanical studies in Patalkot Valley in Chhindawara district of Madhya Pradesh. Journal of Tropical Forestry, 20(2): Rai, Rajiv; Nath, V. and Shukla, P.K. 2004b. Characteristics and ethnobotanical studies on primitive tribes of Madhya Pradesh. In: Singh, V.K.; Govils, J.N.; Hashmi, S. and Singh, G. Eds. Recent progress in medicinal plants. Vol. 1: Ethno-medicine and pharmacognosy. New Delhi, Researcho Book Centre. pp Ram Prasad; Pandey, R.K and Bhattacharya, P Socio economic and ethno-medico botanical studies of Patalkot region. A case study of Bhariya tribes. In: National Seminar on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Jabalpur, 6-7 April Proceedings. pp Saxena, H.O Observations on the ethnobotany of Madhya Pradesh. Bulletin of Botanical Survey of India, 28: Saxena, H.O. and Shukla, C.S Medicinal plants of Patalkot Chhindwara. Technical Bulletin No. 13. Jabalpur, SFRI. Shukla, P.K Role of research in sustainable and profitable management of NWFP. Vaniki Sandesh, 28(2-3): 1-4. Tiwari, D.N Primitive tribes of Madhya Pradesh: Strategy for development. New Delhi, Government of India. Forestry Bulletin, 12(2),