Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge
Vol. 6(3), July 2007, pp. 531-533
Traditional medicinal practices of Rajasthan
Laxmi Kant Sharma* & Ashwini Kumar
*46, Soni Colony, Bhomia Nagar, Kalwar Road, Jhotwara, Jaipur 302 012, Rajasthan; Biotechnology Laboratory,
Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur 302004, Rajasthan
Email: laxmikant1000@yahoo.com
Received 17 August 2006; revised 21 February 2007
During the course of investigation it has been observed that a particular plant is sometimes prescribed for different
ailments in different localities and some Vaidyas (Ayurvedic physicians) apply a mixture of plants for remedy of diseases.
The data collected from Vaidyas have been presented. However, a systematical and methodical approach is needed to collect
such information.
Keywords: Ayurveda, Traditional medicine, Vaidyas, Rajasthan
IPC Int. Cl.8:
A61K36/00, A61P1/10, A61P9/00, A61P9/04, A61P11/00, A61P11/06, A61P13/00, A61P13/02,
A61P19/00, A61P25/00, A61P27/16, A61P29/00
WHO has recognized the role of Traditional Systems
of Medicine and considers them a part of strategy to
provide healthcare to the masses. Folk medicines are
gaining importance. Much of this wealth of
knowledge is being lost as traditional culture is
gradually disappearing1. Tribal people and ethnic
races throughout the world have developed their own
cultures, customs, cults, religious rites, and myths,
folk tales and songs, foods, medicinal practices, etc.
Numerous wild and cultivated plants play a very
important and vital role among these cultures and this
interrelationship has evolved over generations of
experience and practices2. In India, Ayurvedic system
evolved over 5,000 yrs ago and is still in practice. The
Rigveda and Atharva veda have included more than
700 medicinal prescriptions3. Rajasthan is one of the
largest state of India with about 12.44% of the
population belonging to tribes such as, Bhil, BhilMeena, Damor,Dhanka, Garasia, Kathodi, Kokna,
Kolidhor, Naikara, Patelia, Meena, and Seharia and
these reside in remote areas devoid of basic
infrastructure facilities. Nomadic tribes (Banjara,
Gadolia-Lohar, Kalbalia, Sikligar, Kanjar, Sansi and
Bagri) further enrich the ethnic heritage of Rajasthan.
These ethnic groups are widely distributed throughout
the state. Some ethnobotanical research work from
Rajasthan has been reported4-9.
__________
*Corresponding author
Methodology
The survey of Rajasthan state was carried out
during 1999-2002. Rapport was established with local
persons and the chief of the locality. Inquiries were
made on the plant material used for curing different
ailments. Generally two types of interviews,
individuals and groups selected at random were taken
from the villagers including Bhopa (village priest) or
the headman. Women folk were also interviewed
resulting
in
heterogeneity
of
information.
Participation in their feasts, festivals, other social
events, etc. was of great use in collecting information
on plants and their use. The plants were identified and
deposited in the Herbarium at the Department of
Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur10,11. During
present study, information on some selected species
of flowering plants were also collected from ancient
hand written scripts, tickets of herbaria and from local
vaids (Ayurvedic physicians). It is hoped that this
effort will not only provide additional support to the
earlier findings, but also provide clues for new
materials having medicinal potentiality for the benefit
of mankind.
Results
The tribal and rural repository of Rajasthan
contains many medicines for the treatment of one
ailment. The medicine varies according to the
symptoms and secondary effects and with the tribe
and place. For one disease, many plant are used on the
532
INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 6, No. 3, JULY 2007
basis of availability. The plants are enumerated
alphabetically in with their botanical name, local name,
family, parts used and disease in which used.
Enumeration
Pills made from the mixture of equal parts of ginger
(Zingiber officinale Rosc.), black pepper (Piper
nigrum Linn.), Kapittha (Feronia elephantum
Correa) pulp and honey slowly swallowed creates
appetite.
Isubgol (Plantago ovata Forsk.) is one of the best
known household remedies in chronic diarrhoea
and dysentery. Root paste of tamarind and
powdered black pepper is given with honey for 3
days in diarrhoea.
In dysentery with mucus, mehandi (Lawsonia inermis
Linn.) seeds are efficacious; powdered seeds mixed
with ghee rolled into small balls are given twice a
day.
Powder of bael fruit, bark of Kurchi (Holarrhena
antidysenterica Linn.), Madhurikaa or Saunf
(Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), is given with isubgol
in sub-acute and chronic dysentery.
In chronic constipation, pills made of rosebuds, senna
leaves, ripe pod pulp of Cassia fistula Linn.
(Amaltaas) and haritaki (Terminalia chebula Retz.)
are given twice daily for 5 days.
Dry powder leaves of Adhatoda vasica Nees.
(Vaasaa) with honey twice a day is an excellent
remedy in cough & cold.
For immediate relief of spasmodic asthma, smoke of
Dhaturaa (Datura stramonium Linn.) leaves as
cigarettes is very efficacious.
Dry Apaamarga (Achyranthus aspera Linn.) leaves
smoked in a pipe are very efficacious drug for
asthma. The ash of burnt dry plants is given with
honey twice a day for 7 days.
Arjuna tree (Terminalia arjuna Roxb.) bark is useful
in heart diseases; bark powder with ghee or milk is
given twice or thrice daily for 15 days.
Powder of Katuki (Picrorrhiza kurroa Royle. ex
Benth.) and Madhuyasti (Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn.)
in equal part is very efficacious in heart diseases.
Garlic (Allium sativum Linn.) given as Kshirapaaka
or decoction with milk is very efficacious in heart
diseases.
Fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) juice taken
with sugar twice a day checks excessive urination.
Paste made from Berberis aristata DC. (Daaru
haridraa) wood, embelic myrobalan (Emblica
officinalis Gaertn.) leaf and sugar checks excessive
urination.
Guduchi satva (starchy dry extract of Tinospora
cordifolia Willd.) is given with milk and sugar
twice or thrice daily to check excessive urination.
Kanghi (Abutilon indicum Linn.) root decoction,
Varuna (Crataeva religiosa Hook. f. & Thoms)
bark decoction and decoction of leaves & seeds of
muli (Raphanus sativus Linn.) is most efficacious
drug to remove bladder stone.
Tender leaf paste of Terminalia catappa Linn.
(jangali badaama) is applied over eczema effected
parts.
Decoction of Bavachi (Psoralea corylifolia Linn.)
seed powder, Acacia catechu Willd. and aonla
(Emblica officinalis Gaertn.) is very effective for
leucoderma.
Paste of Abrus precatorius Linn. (gunjaa) seeds and
Plumbago zeylanica Linn. (chitrak) roots is applied
for the treatment of leucoderma.
Milky juice of Calotropis gigantiea Linn. (Arka) is
applied on tooth to stop pain.
Bark decoction of babula (Acacia nilotica Linn.) is
used as astringent gargle and mouth wash in sore
throat and other diseases of throat.
Braahmi (Centella asiatica Linn.) is very efficacious
drug in mental disorders. Its swarasa / juice is
given with honey as a brain tonic.
Vachaa (Acorus calamus Linn.) given twice a day
with honey is very effective drug in epilepsy.
Bhumyamla (Phyllanthus fraternus Webster) seed
powder given twice daily with rice water and
honey is very efficacious in menorrhagia.
Tender flowers of the semal (Bombax ceiba Linn.)
fried in ghee and sugar is given early morning in
paralysis.
Bark and seeds powder of babula (Acacia nilotica
Linn.) given with honey twice daily for three days
are very efficacious bone fracture.
A plaster prepared from Rubia cordifolia Linn.
(manjisthaa) root, mahuva (Madhuca indica J.F.
Gmel.) bark, and tamarind leaves applied over
fracture and dislocation is very efficacious in
helping the union of the broken bone.
Chitraka (Plumbago zeylanica Linn.) powder taken
twice daily with honey is very effective in reducing
fat.
Discussion
The traditional Ayurvedic physicians, in their
routine treatment practices, use plants reported from
SHARMA & KUMAR: TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PRACTICES OF RAJASTHAN
different tribal and rural areas of Rajasthan. Acacia
senegal Willd., Azadirachta indica A. Juss.,
Tinospora cordifolia Willd., Phyllanthus emblica
Linn. are used in diabetes. Boerhaavia diffusa Linn.,
is used in liver disorders; Euphorbia hirta Linn. is
often used against asthmatic problems; Phyllanthus
emblica Linn. is given with buttermilk to cure
jaundice. Ageratum conyzoides Linn. Anacyclus
pyrethrum DC, Aristolochia indica Linn., Calotropis
procera (Ait.) R.Br., Capsicum annuum Linn., Elettaria
cardamomum Maton, Syzygium aromaticum (Linn.)
Merrill & Perry, Piper nigrum Linn., Amomum
subulatum Linn., Flemingia chappar Buch.,
Podophyllum emodi Wall. are used as antileukaemic
plant crude drugs by Ayurvedic Vaidyas. Ficus
glomerata Roxb., Fagonia cretica Linn., Curcuma
amada Roxb., Cyperus rotundus Linn., are used by
the women folk for menstruation related problems and
to regulate the menstruation cycle. Bombax ceiba
Linn., Calotropis procera (Ait.) R.Br. and Curcuma
longa Linn. are used for the treatment of face shadow,
darkness and pimples.
Acknowledgement
Authors are thankful to Prof BL Gour, Director
NIA, Jaipur, Head, Department of Botany, University
of Rajasthan, Jaipur and Vaidya Surendra Kumar
Sharma (Retd Govt. Ayurvedic Physician) for his
533
valuable advice and encouragement of the work.
Award of the Senior Research Fellowship (NET), by
CSIR New Delhi to LKS is gratefully acknowledged.
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