The present study is carried out on traditional knowledge of plants which are widely used as antidotes among the local people of northern Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. The survey was conducted in northern Bastar region of Chhattisgarh state and information was collected from the people about the plants used as antidotes for treating snake/scorpion bites. The study revealed that a total of 29 species of plants belonging to 20 families are widely used as antidotes in northern part of Bastar. The plant species were documented on the basis of their phytochemicals and use in antidotes. Maximum (03) species belonged to Asclepiadaceae family and (02) each belonged to Fabaceae, Acanthaceae and Liliaceae family. Of the plants observed, 75.86% were propagated by their seeds, while 6.89% were propagated by rhizomes, 10.34% by stem cuttings and 3.44% by other plant parts such as tubers and bulbs. The study also revealed that herbivorous plants are propagated and preserved by the local people of the northern region of Bastar as they are important in treating snake/scorpion bites.
Introduction
Bastar is one of the tribal districts situated in the southern part of Chhattisgarh state at an altitude of 2000 msl. In Chhattisgarh state, Bastar district is found surrounded by Kanker district in the north, Maharashtra state in the west, Dantewada district in the south and Odisha state in the east. The total forest area of Bastar is 7112 sq. km, which is more than 75% of the total area of the district. Out of the total population, 70% are tribals like Gond, Abujhmaria, Dandmaria, Muria, Doria, Bhatra and Halba etc. All the tribals have dependence on forest resources for health protection and livelihood; therefore, they have rich knowledge of plants and its uses. As the area is covered with rich and dense forest having rich plant diversity, cases of snake and scorpion bites are quite common and the tribals have their own method of treatment using plant resources. This knowledge is transferred from one generation to another by oral discussion (Samy and Ignasimuthu, 1998, 2000). The rich traditional knowledge of medicinal plants among the local people was studied by (Harsha et al., 2002, 2003 and Parinitha et al., 2005).
Medicinal plants used specifically for snake bites were recorded by (Martz, 1992). The plant used as an antidote is found in the local forests and is effective for snake/scorpion bites as it has remarkable ability to neutralize the action of poison. The root of Gymnema sylvestris and whole plant parts of Andrographis paniculata have been recorded as antidotes by Russell, 1980. Several flavonoids, glycosides obtained from plants are valuable chemical compounds for antidotes (Gujral and Dhawan, 1956). A variety of plant species in India have been found suitable for use as antidotes (Nadkarni, 1976, Alam and Gomes, 2003). These plants are used by the tribals as crude drugs either independently or in combination with other plants, though both the ways are effective against snake and scorpion venom. This knowledge of the tribals is slowly getting lost; hence an attempt has been made in this work to record such knowledge for the future generations.
Materials And Methods
This study was conducted in 15 villages of northern region of Bastar district and information was collected with the help of questionnaire and personal interview with tribals, folk healers and Baigas. The information was documented under 8 headings. Plants were identified on the basis of The Flora of British India Vol. I-VII by Hooker (1872, 1879), Cook (1967), Panigrahi and Murthy (1989) and Gamble (1935). Conservation practices of tribals were also observed and recorded during the study. Local people/Baigas provide local name, used part and method of utilization of medicinal plants as medicine. Other scientific details such as their botanical name, family, habit, phyto chemistry and propagation etc. are observed after literatures like flora/encyclopaedias like D. L. C. (2005), Sharma R. (2003), Tiwari P. C. (2006) and Pullaiah, T. (2006).Results And Discussion
In the present study, 29 plants belonging to 20 families were recorded to be used as antidotes by the tribals. Maximum number of plants (03) belonged to Fabaceae and Asclepiadaceae families, while 02 plants each belonged to Acanthaceae, Rutaceae, Liliaceae, Aristolochiaceae, Rubiaceae and 01 plant each was recorded from other families. Plant parts such as root, rhizome, stem, leaf, flower, fruit, resin, gum, bark were found to be used for treating snake and scorpion bites. Root of 12 plants, leaves of 07 plants, stem and whole plant parts of 03 plants, rhizome of 02 plants and tuber, flower, latex, tuber, gum of 01 plant each were found to be used as antidotes.Different parts of the plants contain a variety of phytochemicals such as tannins, saponins, oleanolic acid, alkaloids, sulfur, terpenoids, flavinoids, mannitol, glycosides, oil, ursolic acid, pyrrolidine, steroids and formic acid, however, the methods extensively used were preparation by powder, paste and decoction. The common way of using the medicine was either applying the powder or paste on the site of snake and scorpion bite or consuming the decoction orally. 75.86% of the plants yielding antidotes were propagated by seeds, 10.34% were propagated by stem cuttings, 6.89% by rhizomes and 3.44% by tubers and bulbs each. Due to the easy availability of the plant and its effectiveness as an antidote for snake and scorpion bites, the tribals successfully adopt this method of treatment and also propagate the plant for their conservation.
