Abstract

USES OF LEAVES IN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN AURANGABAD DISTRICT (MAHARASHTRA) INDIA

I. H. Zahid and *Rafiuddin Naser

Abstract

Aurangabad a district of Maharashtra (India) offers a great scope for ethnobotanical studies because of its biodiversity and tribal population of the region, who primarily depends on plants of their surroundings for curing different diseases. Leaf therapy is an old practice among them. Locally available plant species are used for the prevention and cure of diseases like piles, mouth ulcers, cough, diarrhea dysentery, contraceptives, abortifiacient, boils, swelling and injury etc. The objective of present study is to highlight the information of leaf therapy used by rural and tribal people of the region. During study field trips arranged and information collected on the basis of personal interviews with traditional healers, village heads and knowledgeable persons of the society. Investigation reports 37 plant species, some of the species are Abrus precatorius, Acacia nolotica, Alangium salvifolium, Annona squamosa, Azadirachta indica, Calotropis gigantea, Enicostemma littorale, Lawsonia inermis, etc. are documented. This knowledge has not been recorded earlier by any worker from the reported site. The collected information confirmed by the medicinal practitioners. Plant species identified with the help of taxonomist, available literature and floras. Herbariums are deposited in the herbaria of Botany Department of Maulana Azad College, Aurangabad. This information provided first hand knowledge to all herbalists.

Keywords: Ethnobotanical, rheumatism, contraceptives, abortifiacient etc.