Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR)
Technology Information Facilitation Programme (TIFP)

Studies on the Traditional folk herbal veterinary medicines and poisonous plants of Rajasthan by M.L.Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan

The objective of the project was the followings: 

v      Ethno veterinary survey of Rajasthan state for documentation of traditional knowledge and folk wisdom of veterinary herbal medicines and poisonous plants.

v      Establishment of database on ethno veterinary herbal drugs and poisonous plants

v      Identify the endangered ethno veterinary medicinal herbs and develop awareness among tribal and rural people of the state for their conservation.

v      Collection of germplasm of all the veterinary herbal medicines

v      Preparation of herbarium of all the ethno veterinary herbal medicines and poisonous plants for future reference

v      Preparation of herbal veterinary pharmacopoeia

v      Create awareness about traditional ethno veterinary healing practices etc.

OUTCOME:

1.            Ethnoveterinary medicinal plants

An extensive ethno veterinary survey of the study area were carried out and identified 179 plant species, belonging to 73 families, used for preparing approximately 450 medical remedies. The apparent reliance on these medicines for the animal health care is reported to be associated with the lack of modern medication, poverty and their traditional belief on its effectiveness. Herbs were the primary source of ethnoveterniary drugs in terms of the number of species (46 % of total species) followed by shrubs. This is perhaps because they are abundant and /or weedy species that are frequently found in the forest, and it is believed that the more abundant a plant is the more veterinary medicinal virtues it may possess (Coe and Anderson, 1996). The ease with which they can be collected, stored and transported and the ease with which bioactive compounds can be extracted are also factors that contributes to the preference of herbs.

2.         Plant part used

The plant parts used for the veterinary drug preparations are bark, flowers, fruits, leaves, rhizomes, roots, sap, seeds, stems and young shoots. In some cases the whole plant including the roots was utilized. It is important to note that the removal of roots can have significant detrimental effects on plant survival and regeneration (Dhillion and Amundsen, 2000).

3.            Ailments treated

Gastro-intestinal problems, skin diseases, skelto - muscular problems, fever and maternity ailments were the most frequent ailments treated with the ethnoveterianry medicial plants. Most of the species were found having more than a single therapeutic use. The largest number of plants (60 plants) was used to treat gastro-intestinal ailments (constipation, diarrhea/dysentery, gastric, indigestion, stomachache), 53 were used for maternity ailments, 38 plants were used to cure skin diseases, 21 plants were used to cure skelto - muscular problems and 20 plants are used to treat fever . Diseases like foot and mouth disease, horn breakage, sun stroke etc. are also common and to a lesser extent for ENT, and ophthalmological ailments, fever, antidote, cardiovascular diseases and genito urinary ailments etc.

4.            Poisonous plants

The report deals with 28 poisonous plant species belonging to 16 different families. The poisonous parts of majority of plant species were seeds, latex and root or root bark. Besides these, poisonous parts of some plants were fruits, stem bark, tubers or bulbs and sometimes whole plant also. Some plants causes poisoning to both human beings as well as livestock population while some causes poisoning to human being only. The poisonous nature of plant or plant part depends mainly on the quantity consumed. In small quantity plant shows their therapeutic value while in higher quantity shows their poisonous effects. For example, the extract of bark of Alangium salvifolium is used by the tribals to lower down the blood pressure but in higher dose it depresses the heart permanently and causes irregular respiration. Some plants e.g. Dioscorea bulbifera and Dioscorea pentaphylla can be used as food after processing (by washing or cooking) which is highly nutritious but if taken raw they creates severe irritation and inflammation of mucous membrane of mouth.

The significance of the wild poisonous plants for their economic and toxicological value cannot be over rated. The present study on the poisonous plants of Southern Aravalli hills of Rajasthan indicates their economic, toxicological and therapeutic values. On one hand these plants may cause serious health problems and sometimes death yet on the other many of them in regulated doses may act as effective remedies for amelioration of diseases.

For query, contact to

Dr.S.S.Katewa, Professor
Laboratory of Ethnobotany and Agrostology
Department of Botany, College of Science, 
M.L.Sukhadia University, Udaipur, Rajasthan
sskatewa@yahoo.com  

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Updated on: October 10. 2008