Ethno botany of Rajasthan and India
Ethnobotany of Rajasthan:-
> Ethnobotanical information on Rajasthan, India, is presented using a variety of sources, including the author's own observations over the past 25 years. > More than 2000 plants are used by the 4.2 million tribal population of Rajasthan.
> Of 610 species the scientific name, local name, ecology, distribution, structure, flowering and fruiting period, medicinal and other uses are provided.
> Local names by different tribes are included and the tribe is named in the case of tribal specific uses and preparations.
> Uses include food, fodder, timber, firewood, tannin, dye, oil, fibre, medicine, alcohol, gum and resin.
> General information on the following tribes, and their culture and customs, is also given: Meena, Bhil, Garasia, Saharia, Damor, Kathodi, Bhil-Meena, Gadulia Lohar, Banjara, Kalbelia, Kanjar and Bhat, Sansi and Nut, and Bauria and Baghri.
> Special subjects are the occurrence of plants in folk songs and proverbs, plants as landmark, auspicious and inauspicious plants, and plants in musical instruments.
> Rajasthan is one of the largest states of India. About 12.44% of the population belongs to tribes reside in remote areas devoid of basic infra-structure facilities.
> Nomadic tribes (Banjara, Gadolia-Lohar, Kalbelia, Sikligar, Kanjar, Sansi, and Bagri) further enrich the ethnic heritage of Rajasthan.
> These ethnic groups are widely distributed throughout the state and have considerable communication with each other. As a result, most of the ethnobotanical information is passed by one group to the other.
> Although, flora of Rajasthan has been compiled by Bhandari (1990) and Sharma (1993) but detailed information about their medicinal properties are lacking.
> The present review highlights the importance of ethno medicinal plants from different regions of Rajasthan.
Ethnobotany of India:-
> The medical ethnobotany of India is the study of Indian medicinal plants and their traditional uses.
> Plants have been used in the Indian subcontinent for treatment of disease and health maintenance for thousands of years, and remain important staples of health and folk medicine for millions.
> Indians today utilize plants for both primary medical care (principally in Rural and undeserved areas) and as supplementary treatment alongside modern medical science.
> It is estimated that 70% of rural Indians use traditional plant based remedies for primary healthcare needs.
> This reliance of plants for medicine is consistent with trends widely observed in the developing world, where between 65% and 80% of people use medicinal plant remedies.
> Herbal medicine in India is largely guided by folk medicine, both in codified cultural practices shared widely (Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani), and highly localized practices unique to individual tribes or tribal groups (Adivasi).
> Between 3,000 and 5,000 species of medicinal plants grow in India with roughly 1,000 threatened with extinction. Of these, more than 2,400 plant species have been documented for medicinal use.
> Herbal Ayurveda:- Ayurveda practitioners believe certain plants can restore balance distorted by disease. The vast majority (90%) of Ayurvedic remedies are plant based.
Plant properties in Ayurveda:-
- Ayurvedic medicine is guided by a complex set of cultural, religious, and textual practices.
- Despite diversity in its application and practice, it operates as a codified system of folk medicine with a coherent methodology.
- Broadly speaking, Ayurvedic practitioners evaluate plants for medical use by examining 5 purported physical and energetic properties:
i. Rasa:- taste or "essence"- broadly categorized into sweet (madhura), sour (amla), salty (lavana), pungent (kaṭu), bitter (tikta) or astringent (kaṣaya).
ii. Virya:- effect on metabolism or body temperature
iii. Vipaka:- effects on digestion
iv. Prabhava:- unique properties inherent to the plant
v. Karma:- therapeutic action (e.g. digestive, stimulant, purgative)