Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 3(4), October 2004, pp. 407-418 Folk herbal veterinary medicines of southern Rajasthan H K Takhar* Plant Ecology Section, Division of Natural Resources and Environment, Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur 342 003, Rajasthan E-mail: hktakhar@yahoo.com and B L Chaudhary Laboratory of Ethnobotany and Agrostology, Department of Botany, College of Science, Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur 313 001, Rajasthan Received 27 January 2004; revised 12 April 2004 Survey of southern Rajasthan was carried out during 1999-2001 for ethnoveterinary herbal medicines. The study area included five districts of this region namely Banswara, Dungarpur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur and Rajsamand. The study area covers 10.78% of total area of the state and harbours 4.19% of the livestock population of the state. The information is based on the exhaustive interviews with local persons with traditional knowledge of ethnoveterinary, and other elderly persons who prescribe herbal preparation for the treatment of domestic animals. During the study, 37 plants species belonging to 25 families used for various diseases of skin, tumours, wounds, sores, swelling, lice, ticks, bone fracture, urinary and kidney stone problem, foot and mouth diseases have been recorded. A list of plant species along with their botanical name, family, local name, habit, phenology, plant part used, herbarium number and the mode of administration for effective control of ailments in domestic animals has been enumerated. Keywords: Ethnoveterinary herbal medicines, Southern Rajasthan, Medicinal Plants. IPC Int. Cl. 7 : A61K35/78, A61P13/04, A61P17/00, A61P17/02, A61P29/00, A61P19/02, A61P33/14, A61P11/04. The rich and diversified flora of India provides a valuable storehouse of medicinal plants. The curative properties of herbs have long been known and are documented in ancient manuscripts such as in Rig Veda, Garuda Purana and Agni Purana 1,2. These treatises focus on the *Correspondent author potential of plants and herbs to cure human ailments and diseases. Scientists are now documenting various ethnoveterinary practices based on plant drugs 3-12. The plant wealth of India also offers the people who tend livestock a rich reservoir in treating the diseases and ailments of the animals. Seventy six per cent population of India is predominantly
408 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 3, No. 4, OCTOBER 2004 Fig. 1. Location Map of southern districts of Rajasthan rural. The present paper provides information on the plant-based ethnoveterinary practices prevalent in southern Rajasthan. Rajasthan is located in the north western part of India (Fig. 1). Geographically it lies between 69 30 to 78 17' N latitude and 23 3' to 30 12' E longitude. The Aravalli system of mountains dominates the southern part of Rajasthan, which is characterized by unevenness, containing long continuous ridges as well as many detached hills. In the present paper, results of study conducted in the five districts situated in the south Rajasthan namely, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Banswara and Dungarpur are presented. These districts have not been surveyed earlier from ethnoveterinary point of view. The total annual rainfall varies widely. Due to differences in altitudes a great variety of vegetation is found in the area. In the lower altitudes of plains Anogeissus latifolia Wall. ex Bedd. and Anogeissus pendula Edgew. (Dhok), are the main species of the forest. The other trees include Ficus racemosa Linn. (Gular), Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Neem), Prosopis cineraria Druce (Khejri), Dendrocalamus strictus Nees (Bans), Boswellia serrata Roxb. (Salar), Wrightia tinctoria R. Br. (Khirni), Holoptelea integrifolia Planch. (Bandar
TAKHAR & CHAUDHARY: HERBAL VETERINARY MEDICINES OF RAJASTHAN 409 batti), Syzygium cuminii (Linn.) Skeels (Jangli jamun) and Cassia fistula Linn. (Karmala), etc. The shrubby species are Ziziphus nummularia (Burm. f.) Wight & Arn. (Bordi), Capparis decidua Edgew. (Kair), Grewia tenax ((Forsk.) Aschers. & Schwf. (Kankera), Cassia auriculata Linn. (Awal), Barleria prionitis Linn. (Kata wali dwaei) and Costus speciosus (Koenig) Sm. (Kubuck), etc. Common herbaceous plants include Achyranthes aspera Linn. (Unda kanta), Tribulus terrestris Linn. (Chota Gokharu), Calotropis gigantea (Linn.) R. Br. ex Ait. (Aak), etc. and common climbers are Cissampelos pareira Linn. (Kali pad), Dioscorea bulbifera Linn. (Modi), etc. Various types of livestock play a vital role in the agriculture based economy of southern Rajasthan. Sheep, goat, buffaloes, cows, dogs, bulls and camels are found throughout the region. Cattle are regarded as the wealth of the tribal people and their well being is considered to be very important. Some livestock ailments require the assistance of a specialist. Since the veterinary dispensaries are far away, people rely on traditional veterinary practices. No specific caste or ethnic groups are involved in the management and breeding of livestock. The traditional knowledge of plantbased remedies for the treatment of animals rests with the medicine men, all of who belong to one family of hereditary indigenous practitioners. Skills and experiences are passed on from one generation to the next generation and are guarded like secrets. The medicine men collect the plant needed for a particular veterinary application, either directly from the forest or from the local shops. Methodology A number of elderly persons having practical knowledge of plants as veterinary medicines in the native system were interviewed. The rapport was established with one or two persons preferably the chief of the particular village, guidance was sought and then contact was established with other tribals of the locality. The linguistic fluency, personality and social standing are crucial for establishing rapport between the participants involved. The local informants were the medicine men, men and women working in the field, village headman, priests and also other community leaders. Field sites were visited with the local medicine men. The elderly persons were found to have accurate information regarding their old traditions. Two types of interviews were taken, firstly of individuals and secondly of groups. Persons were selected at random from the village. To determine the authenticity of collected data, repeated verification from different informants and in different times was also done. The specific and reliable information cross checked with at least 13 informants, has been incorporated in the present study. During the ethnoveterinary survey, some interesting herbal medicines, not mentioned in ethnoveterinary literature have been recorded (Table 1). The collected plants were identified up to species level at the Herbarium of Forest Research Institute, Dehradun. All the
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TAKHAR & CHAUDHARY: HERBAL VETERINARY MEDICINES OF RAJASTHAN 417 collected specimens were deposited in the herbarium (with herbarium number) of Laboratory of Ethnobotany and Agrostology, Department of Botany, College of Science, Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, Udaipur for authentication of information and further reference. The information about the ethnoveterinary properties of plants are given by mentioning their botanical name, family, herbarium number, habit, phenology, local name and the mode of their administration (Table 1). Results and Discussion Present study reveals ethnoveterinary medicinal uses of 37 plant species belonging to 25 families. Some important herbal plants, which occur in this region, have exhibited remarkable ethnoveterinary medicinal properties. In analyzing the indigenous veterinary remedies based on the 37 herbal plants described in the table, it is observed that the plants are used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, ailments related to reproduction and birth, by mode of oral administration. Various skin diseases, like tumours, wounds, sores, swelling, lice and ticks and various diseases of horns, all of which are treated by the application of a poultice or a paste applied locally, followed by bone fracture, urinary and kidney stone problems, foot and mouth diseases caused by virus, cough and cold and also snake bite. These findings require further research for pharmacological validation. Acknowledgement The authors are thankful to the ICAR
418 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 3, No. 4, OCTOBER 2004 New Delhi, for providing financial assistance and to the authorities of Forest Research Institute, Dehradun (Uttaranchal), for granting permission to consult herbarium for identification of ethnoveterinary herbal plants. References 1 Holland B K, Prospecting the dung s in ancient texts, Nature, (1994) 369. 2 Priyadarsan S S, Herbal veterinary medicines in an ancient Sanskrit work The Garuda Purana, Ethnobotany, 3 (1991) 83. 3 De J N, Further observation on the Ethnobotany of Purulia district in West Bengal, Indian Forester, 95(8) (1967) 551. 4 Jain S K, Dictionary of Indian folk Medicine and Ethnobotany, (Deep Publications, New Delhi), 1991, 311. 5 Jain S K, Dictionary of Ethnoveterinary Plants of India, (Deep Publications, New Delhi), 1999, 199. 6 Joshi P, Ethnobotany of the primitive tribe in Rajasthan, (Rupa Books Pvt. Ltd. Jaipur), 1995, 312. 7 Katewa S S & Chaudhary B L, Ethnoveterinary survey of plants of Rajsamand district, Rajasthan, Vasundhara, 5 (2000) 95. 8 Maheshwari J K, Kalakoti B S & Brij Lal, Ethnomedicines of Bhil tribe of Jhabua district, M.P., Ancient Science Life, 5(4) (1986), 255. 9 Reddy K J & Sudersanam G, Plants used as veterinary medicine in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, India, Int J Crude Drug Res, 25 (1987) 145. 10 Sebastine M K, Plants used as veterinary medicines, galactogogues and fodder in forest areas of Rajasthan, J Econ Tax Botany, 5 (1984) 785. 11 Sebastine M K & Bhandari M M, Some plants used as veterinary medicines by Bhils, Int J Trop Agric, 2 (1984) 307. 12 Singh V & Pandey R P, Ethnobotany of Rajasthan, India, (Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur), 1998, 367.