Research Journal of Recent Sciences ________________________________________________ ISSN 2277 - 2502
Vol. 1(ISC-2011), 326-328 (2012)
Res.J.Recent.Sci.

Short Communication

Ethnobotanical Notes on Satpura Hills of Nandurbar
District, Maharashtra, India
Patil H.M
Department of Botany, V. N. College, Shahada, Dist. Nandurbar, MS, INDIA

Available online at: www.isca.in
(Received 30th October 2011, revised 31st December 2011, accepted 24th January 2012)

Abstract
Present communication deals with some ethno medicinal uses of 21 plant species, by the tribals of Satpura hill region in Nandurbar
district of Maharashtra. This region is inhibited by tribal communities like Bhil, Valvi, Gavit, Padvi, Mawchi, Konkani, Dhanka,
Tadvi, etc. The ethno botanical information on plants viz., botanical name, family (in parenthesis), local name, plant part used and
mode of administration is enumerated.
Keywords: Ethno medicine, tribals, Satpura hills, Nandurbar district.

Introduction
The medicinal plants have been in the focus as life saving
drugs right from the beginning of the human civilization.
The medicinal plants have been the object of research in both
systematic and advanced areas of plant sciences. The word
ethnobotany means the study of botany of human race, the
term was first used by J.W. Harshberger1. Study of traditional
or folk medicines of tribals is called ethno medicine.
Nandurbar is the newly constituted district in the state of
Maharashtra. It lies between 73047’ and 74047’ East
longitude and 2100’ and 2203’ North latitude; Satpura hill
ranges falls in the district from East to West. As much as
65% of the population of the district is tribal. The prominent
tribes inhibiting these tropical dry deciduous forests are Bhil,
Pawara, Gavit, Valvi, Konkani, Mawchi, Dhanka, Tadvi, etc.
The tribals have the knowledge of medicinal and another
uses of plants growing in the forests. Tribal medicine men
called Vaidu, Bhagat, Bawa, Vaidu, Maharaj, specifically
know the exact preparation of the medicine and diagnosis of
the diseases.
Though some workers2-5 documented ethno medicinally
important plants of the area, still lot of work is to be done. In
the present paper, folk medicinal preparations of 21 plant
species used for different ailments has been enumerated.

Material and Methods
For ethno botanical exploration frequent field visits were
arranged during the years 2008-10, in the Satpura hill ranges
of the Nandurbar district. Tribal medicine men, village heads
and local people were interviewed to record different plant

International Science Congress Association

used for folk remedies. Each of the plant material was
collected and documented. The plant specimens are dried,
pressed to prepare herbarium. They are identified with the
help of established floras6-8. Voucher specimens are
deposited in the Herbarium, Department of Botany, V. N.
College, Shahada, and Dist. Nandurbar (M.S.).
Enumeration: Abelmoschus manihot (Linn.) Medic ssp.
tetraphyllus (Roxb. ex. Horn.) Borss. (Malvaceae),
Ranbhendi, HMP-28. Few roots are crushed and soaked in
water overnight the cup of infusion is given to the patient for
curing the bone fracture for 7-8 days.
Achyranthes aspera Linn. (Amaranthaceae), Aghada, HMP62. The leaves are crushed and paste is externally applied
over the bleeding anus in piles at night until relief is felt.
Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Correa ex. Roxb. (Rutaceae), Bel,
HMP-25. Roots of plant are cleaned and crushed and watery
paste is prepared. Then it is applied in the both eyes for 4-5
days at night to cure migrane.
Aloe barbadensis Mill. (Liliaceae), Korphad.HMP-29. Fresh
healthy leaf is collected cleaned and peeled off to remove the
pulp. The half cup of pulp is orally taken in the morning and
evening, for 4-5 days to cure body heat and stomach
problems.
Acacia nilotica (L.) Del. subsp. indica (Bth) Brenan
(Mimosaceae),Babul, HMP-39. Gum is edible and is
considered to be energetic, so given in infertility (for men).
The bark decoction is orally given to the patient having bone
fracture.

326

Research Journal of Recent Sciences ____________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277 - 2502
Vol. 1(ISC-2011), 326-328 (2012)
Res.J.Recent.Sci
Bombax ceiba L. (Bombacaceae), Sawar, HMP-40. Roots of
young plants are cut and rubbed over stone to make a watery
paste and taken orally to cure leucorrhoea.
Centella asiatica (L.) Urban. (Apiaceae),Bramhi, HMP-45.
The entire plant is crushed to prepare decoction and taken
internally to cure jaundice. It is repeated twice a day for 7-8
days.
Celosia argentia L. (Amaranthaceae), Lemda, HMP-48.
Tender twigs are used as vegetable, few seeds are given
twice a day with lot of water to get rid of kidney stone or 2-3
pieces of 3-5 inch length roots are soaked in a cup of water
for overnight. It is freshly prepared every time and
administered to the patent twice a day for a week.
Cassia auriculata L. (Caesalpiniaceae), Awali, HMP-50. The
fresh young shoots are chewed continuously once a day for a
month. It is also effective to raise sperm count in men.
Cassia fistula L. (Caesalpiniaceae),Bahawa,HMP-51. The
leaves are crushed to prepared thick paste and mixed with
coconut oil. This paste is applied over the burnt skin twice a
day and repeated still till cured.
Holarrhena pubescens (Buch-Ham.) Wall. ex Don.
(Apocynaceae), Dudhkuhadi, HMP-65 The fresh leaves are
chewed early in the morning for a week to cure dental caries.
Sterculia urens Roxb. (Sterculiaceae), HMP-69. Stem bark of
7-8 inch length is crushed to prepare juice. Then it is mixed
with jaggery to prepare small pills. They are orally given
twice a day for a week to cure leucorrhoea.
Echinops echinatus Roxb. (Asteraceae), Udkata, HMP-78.
The whole plant is powered and about 10g of powder is
boiled in glass of water, reduce it to one half. It is then
filtered and then taken in the morning and evening as
febrifuge.
Fagonia cretica L. (Zygophyllaceae), HMP-60. The whole
plant is crushed and then boiled in water. This water is used
for bathing to get relief from itching.

Tribulus terrestris L.( Zygophyllaceae), Gokharu, HMP-27.
Whole plant is washed and then crushed and soaked in
appropriate amount of water. This freshly prepared
mucilaginous solution is taken for three weeks to treat
leucorrhoea.
Thespesia populnea (L.)Sol.ex. Correa.( Malvaceae), HMP44. Fresh leaves are collected and crushed and mixed with
water. A cup of filtered mixture is taken orally for 4-5 days
to cure jaundice.
Wrightia tinctoria ( Roxb.) R.Br.(Apocynaceae), HMP-43.
The bark is powdered and spoonful powder is given orally as
galactogogue, for 2-3 days.
Ziziphus rugosa Lamk., (Rhamnaceae) Ghatbor, HMP-59.
The unripe fruits are eaten to cure cough and throat disorders
for 2-3 days.
The unripe fruits are eaten to cure cough and throat disorders
for 2-3 days.

Results and Discussion
The present communication deals with the medicinal uses of
20 genera and 21 species of angiosperms for different
ailments. Though, some of the plants were earlier reported
by some workers but they are used to cure different
ailments2-5. The present paper reports some new theruptic
uses of such plants. So present information is also of
paramount importance as it restores and documents the
fading out knowledge system of the tribes and can be applied
immediately for pharmacological tests for working out
effective formulations.

Conclusion
Tribals are using their traditional knowledge system to cure
different diseases. They use plant as a source of drug through
trial and error method and the process is experienced over
hundreds of years.

Acknowledgment

Ficus religiosa L. (Moraceae), Piple, HMP-37. Tender buds
and leaves are dried; powdered, 1-2 gram powder is orally
given twice a day with water as tonic to cure general debility.

Author is grateful to the tribal medicine men of the
Nandurbar for sharing their traditional knowledge. He is also
thankful to the Principal, V. N. College, Shahada for kind
support during the tenure of the research work.

Ensete superba (Roxb.) Cheesm. (Musaceae) Jangli Keli,
HMP-25.The seeds are powdered and given to the patient
suffering from kidney stone, twice a day for 4-5 days.

References

Rubia cordifolia L.( Rubiaceae), HMP-22. The roots are
crushed and paste is prepared. This paste is externally applied
to cure mouth ulcers.

International Science Congress Association

1.

Harshberger, J. W., Purpose of Ethnobotany : Bot. Gaz.
21 (3) : 146-154 (1896)

2.

D’Souza M., Tribal Medicine, Society for Promotion of
Wasteland Development, New Delhi, (1992)

327

Research Journal of Recent Sciences ____________________________________________________________ ISSN 2277 - 2502
Vol. 1(ISC-2011), 326-328 (2012)
Res.J.Recent.Sci

3.

4.

5.

Bhaskar V.V., Tribal ecology of Toranmal Forest
region in Satpura hills, Eco. Environ Conserv., 5 (4),
307-311, (1999)
Patil H.M. and Bhaskar V.V., Medicinal knowledge
system of tribals of Nandurbar district, Maharashtra.
Indian Journal of Traditional knowledge, 5 (3), 327330, July (2006)
Patil H. M. and Bhaskar V. V. Medicinal uses of plants
by tribal medicine men of Nandurbar district in

International Science Congress Association

Maharashtra. Natural Product Radiance, 5 (2), 125130, (2006)
6.

Cook, T. The Flora of Presidency of Bombay, (Bishan
Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra Dun) (1965)

7.

Shah, G. L., Flora of Gujrat State, Sardar Patel
University VV Nagar, (1978)

8.

Patil D. A., Flora of Dhule and Nandurbar Districts,
Maharashtra, Bishan Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehra
Dun, (2003)

328

