Abstract

DYSOXYLUM BINACTERIFERUM HOOK. F.: A PROMISING HERBAL DRUG USED IN FOLK MEDICINE BY THARU COMMUNITY OF UTTARAKHAND

Deepshikha Arya, Sumeet Goel, Prashant Shinde, G.C. Joshi, Om Raj Sharma,
S. K. Sharma

Abstract

Due to the extreme inhospitable conditions, tribal communities are dependent on collection and trade of medicinal plants, and they have gradually become familiar with the healing properties of the available plants. The Tharu tribe is a most popular tribe of India and Nepal. A smaller number of Tharu live in India, mostly in in Udham Singh Nagar District of Uttarakhand. The Tharu is largest and oldest ethnic group of the Terai region. Dysoxylum binectariferum Hook. f. Locally known as Achalkaat, is a small or medium sized tree up to 5 feet girth and 50 feet high from the family Meliaceae. Dysoxylum is used in treatment of Osteomylitis and Abscess many skin ailments and also in cancer among Tharu community of Uttarakhand. The alkaloids present in this plant have also shown antiinflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial and anti-cancer properties. Hence Dysoxylum is a promising drug which can be incorporated in extensive preclinical and clinical research for its healing, analgesic anti-cancerous properties.

Keywords: Ayurved, Dysoxylum binactiferum Hook.f., Tharu community, Uttarakhand.