Abstract
Objective
To document traditional medicinal plants knowledge used in treating skin diseases at Hyderabad Karnataka Region.
Methods
The information on the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of skin diseases was gathered from traditional herbal healers and other villagers through interviews.
Results
A total of 60 plants species belonging to 57 genera and 34 families were found useful and herewith described them along with the method of drug preparation, mode of administration, probable dosage and duration of treatment. Several new findings on the traditional rural practices were reported.
Conclusions
The present study revealed that the Hyderabad Karnataka rural people is primarily dependent on medicinal plants for treating skin diseases.
Keywords: Ethno medicinal plants, Hyderabad Karnataka, Skin diseases, Traditional knowledge
1. Introduction
The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that as many as 80% of the world population is dependent on traditional medicine for their primary health needs[1]. People living in the developing countries rely quite effectively on traditional medicine for primary health care[2]. The art of herbal treatment has very deep root in Indian culture used the plants not only for curing diseases but also during several ceremonies. Today, there is an increasing desire to unravel the role of ethno-botanical studies in trapping the centuries old traditional folk knowledge as well as in searching new plants resources of food, drugs, etc. India is a repository of medicinal plants. At present about 65% of Indians are dependent on the traditional system of medicine[3]. Skin diseases like eczema, leucoerma, ringworm, scabies, and many other conditions are treated completely with herbal drugs. Hundreds of medicinal plant species worldwide are used in the traditional medicine as a treatment for skin diseases caused by bacteria, fungi and viruses[4]. In India also there is a huge base of herbal treatment for skin diseases.
The Hyderabad Karnataka region comprises four districts namely, Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur, and Yadgir located in the northern part of Karnataka, economically little backward, but culturally unique. People speak five languages such as, Kannada, Marathi, Telugu, Hindi and Urdu, and knowledge flows from one culture to other. The plant diversity is very rich and a good number of medicinal plants are used in the treatment of various diseases including skin diseases. Therefore, the present study focused on the documentation of traditional knowledge on medicinal plants used in the treatment skin diseases.
2. Materials and methods
An ethnobotanical survey of Hyderabad Karnataka region, Karnataka was conducted during August 2010-August 2012 to identify the plants with the medicinal properties against skin diseases (Figure 1). Eighteen villages were identified from different areas of Hyderabad Karnataka region namely Warvatti, Chitguppa, Manne-E-khli of Humnabad taluk, Aland of Bhalki taluk, Chitta, Gutti of Basavakalyan taluk from Bidar distrct, Bondym pally, Adki Imdapur, of Sedam taluk, Miryan, Chndapur of Chincholi taluk from Gulbarga district, Kavithal of Lingsugar taluk, Markamddinni of Deodurga taluk, Kapgal, Kallur of Manvi taluk from Raichur district, Medaka, Yanagundi, Sandruka of Gurumathkal taluk from Yadgir distrct. The information on the use of medicinal plants was gathered by direct interaction with Hakeem, Kadukurba, Lambani, Vidhya, local folk practitioners and villagers at field. Of the 18 informants, 11 were men and 07 were women, whose age ranged from 40–95 years.
Figure 1. Study area: Hyderabad Karnataka region, Karnataka, India.
The information was recorded in standard questionnaire which include, local name of the plant, parts used, method of drug preparation, mode of administration, probable dosage and duration of treatment. At the end of each interview, plants specimens were collected and identified with the help of regional and local floras[5],[6]. Prior informed consent was taken from all the tribal and traditional healers. Voucher specimens were deposited in the herbarium centre, Department of Post Graduate Studies and Research in Botany, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga, Karnataka.
3. Results
During the present ethnobotanical study, 60 plant species belonging to 34 families were reported by the informants for the treatment of common skin diseases (Table 1). Among them, 21 families represent single species each. The predominant families were Fabaceae with 5 species, Ceasalpiniaceae and Euphorbiaceae with 4 species each. These plants are arranged in alphabetical order of their scientific name along with family followed by local name, parts used, method of drug preparation, mode of administration and probable duration of treatment. The plant parts used in treating skin diseases are present in Figure 2.
Table 1. Medicinal plants used against skin diseases by rural people of Hyderabad-Karnataka region.
| Plant name with voucher number | Family | Parts used | Local name | Mode of use |
| Achyranthes aspera L. HGUG-06 | Amarathaceae | Leaf | Uttarani | Root and Leaf paste is applied on ringworm affected area till it cures. |
| Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr. HGUG-710 | Rutaceae | Leaf | Bilva pathre | Bark paste is applied on the ringworm affected area till it cures or leaf juice is applied on affected area daily twice for a week. |
| Allium cepa Linn. HGUG-548 | Liliaceae | Bulb | Ullagaddi | Bulb paste mixed with curcuma paste is applied on itching affected area 1–2 d |
| Allium sativam L. HGUG-549 | Liliaceae | Bulb | Bellulli | Bulb paste is applied on eczema infected area till it cures. |
| Aloe vera L. HGUG-547 | Liliaceae | Leaf | Lolesara | Leaf juice is applied on ringworm infected area for 3–4 d. |
| Amaranthus spinosus L. HGUG-05 | Amarathaceae | Leaf | Mullu dantha | Whole plant juice is applied on allergic infected area before bathing daily once. |
| Annona reticulata L. HGUG-20 | Annonaceae | Leaf | Ram phal | Older leaves paste is applied on ringworm the affected area till it cures. |
| Annona squamosa L. HGUG-19 | Annonaceae | Leaf | Seetha phal | Dried leaf powder soaked in safflower oil for 24 h and applied on ringworm affected area daily once for 5–6 d. |
| Argemone mexicana L. HGUG-614 | Papaveraceae | Leaf | Peevala Dhaturi | Latex or whole plant paste is applied on eczema affected area for a week. |
| Azadirachta indica A.Juss. HGUG-576 | Meliaceae | Leaf | Bevu | Older tree bark paste is applied on all type of skin infected areas daily once till it cures. |
| Bergera koenigii L. HGUG-713 | Rutaceae | Leaf | Kare bevu | Leaf paste is applied daily once on Pssoriasis affected area till it cures. |
| Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub. HGUG-514 | Fabaceae | Leaf | Muttuga | Leaf and bark paste of an older tree is applied on ringworm infected area about twice a day. |
| Cajanus cajan (L.)Mill. HGUG-515 | Fabaceae | Leaf | Tugri | Young leaves paste slightly heated and applied on cuts and wounds for 2–4 d. |
| Calotropis gigantea L. HGUG-47 | Asclepiadaceae | Leaf | Kempu yekke | Leaf paste is applied on allergic infected area till it cures. Latex is applied on ringworm infected area till it cures. |
| Carica papaya L. HGUG-259 | Caricaceae | Leaf | Papaya | Leaf and bark paste of younger plants is applied on ringworm infected area twice a day. |
| Ceasalpinia bonducella (L.) Flem. HGUG-208 | Ceasalpiniaceae | Seed | Gajjaga | Seed cotyledon paste mixed with castor oil is applied on ringworm infected areas till it cures. |
| Celosia argentea L. HGUG-08 | Amarathaceae | Seed | Thunge | Older leaves paste is applied on ringworm infected area for 4–5 d. |
| Citrus medica L. HGUG-67 | Rutaceae | Leaf | Nimbin kaye | Leaf paste is applied on itching affected area for a week. |
| Coccinia indica Wt. & Arn. HGUG-808 | Cucurbitaceae | Leaf | Thonde | Whole plant paste is applied daily once on Psoriasis affected area till it cures. |
| Corchorus capsularis L. HGUG-752 | Tiliaceae | Seed | Senabu | Seed paste mixed with castor oil is applied on ringworm infected areas till it cures. |
| Coriandrum sativam L. HGUG-22 | Apiaceae | Aerial part | Kottumbri | Leaf paste is applied on allergic affected area for a week. |
| Cryptolepis buchananii Roem&Schult. HGUG-49 | Asclepiadaceae | Aerial part | Halu | Latex is applied on ringworm affected area alternate day till it cures. |
| Curcuma longa Linn. HGUG-52 | Zingiberaceae | Rhizome | Haldi | Rhizome paste is used for curing wounds for a week. |
| Dalbergia sisso Roxb. HGUG-1298 | Fabaceae | Leaf | Sissu | Bark paste is applied on itching affected area daily 1–2 times till it cures. |
| Datura stromium L. HGUG-738 | Solanaceae | Leaf | Ummetti | Leaf juice is applied on ringworm affected area externally daily twice till it cures. |
| Emblica officinalis Gaertn. HGUG-197 | Euphorbiaceae | Leaf | Bettad nelli | Leaf and bark paste is applied on allergic affected area daily once till it cures. |
| Euphorbia tirucalli L. HGUG-191 | Euphorbiaceae | Leaf | Kolkalli | Fresh latex is applied on eczema affected area. Decoction of leaves applied on ringworm affected area. |
| Ficus racemosa L HGUG-585 | Moracea | Leaf | Atti | Older tree's bark paste is applied on eczema affected area till it cures. |
| Gymnosporia montana (Roth)Benth HGUG-134 | Celastraceae | Leaf | Dantigida | Old bark paste is mixed with turmeric applied on ringworm affected area daily twice for a week. |
| Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. HGUG-566 | Malvaceae | Flower | Dasavala | Flower paste is applied daily once on itching affected area till it cures. |
| Hyptis suoveolens (L.)Poit. HGUG-536 | Lamiaceae | Leaf | Nayitulsi | Leaf paste is applied on sores and fungal infections. |
| Ixora coccinea L. HGUG-700 | Rubiaceae | Flower | Malathi | Flower paste is applied daily once on cuts and wounds till it cures. |
| Jatropha glandulifera Roxb. HGUG-194 | Euphorbiaceae | Leaf | Totla | Young leaves paste is applied on ringworm affected area daily once till it cures. |
| Lantana camara L. HGUG -769 | Verbenaceae | Leaf | Hunni | Leaf paste is applied on cuts & wounds for a week. |
| Lawsonia inermis Linn. HGUG-554 | Lythraceae | Leaf | Mehandi | Leaf paste is applied on cuts and wounds for a week. |
| Lycopersicon esculentum L. HGUG-1022 | Solanaceae | Leaf | Tamata | Whole plant juice is applied on itching affected area for 2–4 d. |
| Mangifera indica Linn. HGUG-15 | Anacardiaceae | Leaf | Mavu | Young leaf paste with coconut oil is applied daily twice on cuts and wounds for 10 d. |
| Mentha viridis L. HGUG-1052 | Lamiaceae | Aerial part | Podina | Leaf paste mixed with turmeric paste is applied on itching affected area daily once till it cures. |
| Milletia pinnata (L.) Panigrahi HGUG-169 | Fabaceae | Leaf | Honge | Bark paste is mixed with coconut oil is applied on ringworm affected area. Seed paste is also applied on itching affected area daily once for a week. |
| Momordica charantia L. HGUG-809 | Cucurbitaceae | Leaf | Hagala | Aerial part juice is applied on ringworm affected area till it cures. |
| Nerium odorum Solander. HGUG-1056 | Apocynaceae | Leaf | Kanagile | Equal amount of Bark powder with turmeric is soaked in coconut oil for 24 h and applied on ringworm affected area daily once till it cures. |
| Ocimum sanctum L. HGUG-532 | Lamiaceae | Aerial part | Tulasi | Leaf paste is applied daily once on ringworm affected area till it cures. |
| Piper nigrum L. HGUG-1028 | Piperaceae | Seed | Menasu | Seed powder ground with equal amount of betel leaf paste is applied daily once on eczema affected area till it cures. |
| Plumbago zeylanica L. HGUG-617 | Plumbaginaceae | Leaf | Chitra mula | Leaf juice is applied on ringworm affected area daily thries for 3–4 d. |
| Ricinus communis L. HGUG-193 | Euphorbiaceae | Seed | Oudala | Seed paste mixed with turmeric powder is applied on the itching affected area daily once till it cures. |
| Santalum album L. HGUG-716 | Santalaceae | Leaf | Gandada gida | Bark, Leaf paste is applied on allergic affected area daily once for 4–5 d. |
| Senna auriculata (L.) Roxb. HGUG-222 | Ceasalpiniaceae | Flower | Thangedu | Root decoction is applied on eczema infected area for 1–2 weeks. |
| Senna tora L. HGUG-223 | Ceasalpiniaceae | Leaf | Chegche | Leaf paste is applied daily once on cuts & wounds till it cures. |
| Solanum nigrum L. HGUG-744 | Solanaceae | Leaf | Kakkigida | Leaf paste or juice is applied on ringworm affected area for 3–4 d. |
| Sterculia foetida L. HGUG-869 | Sterculaceae | Seed | Bhootale | Seed paste mixed with leaf juice is applied on ringworm affected area daily twice till it cures. |
| Semecarpus anacardium L. HGUG-33 | Anacardiaceae | Bark | Karigeru | Bark paste is applied on Itching affected area daily twice for a week. |
| Tamarindus indica Linn. HGUG-224 | Ceasalpiniaceae | Leaf | Hunase | Leaf paste is applied on cuts & wounds for 5–6 days. |
| Tectona grandis L. HGUG-766 | Verbenaceae | Leaf | Sagwan | Young shoot paste is applied on cuts & wounds daily once till it cures. |
| Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) J. Hook & Thoms. HGUG-576 | Menispermaceae | Leaf | Amrutha balli | Leaves ground with equal amount of betel leaves to get a paste and applied on ringworm affected area. |
| Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers. HGUG-469 | Fabaceae | Leaf | Koggi | Fresh leaf paste is applied on Itching affected area daily once till it cures. |
| Thevetia nerrifolia Juss. HGUG-26 | Apocynaceae | Leaf | Haldi kanagile | Leaf paste with latex is applied on the ringworm affected area, daily once for 10–15 d. |
| Tribulus terrestris L. HGUG-782 | Zygophyllaceae | Aerial part | Neggel mullu | Whole plant juice is applied on Psoriasis affcted area daily twice till it cures. |
| Tridax procumbens Linn. HGUG-80 | Asteraceae | Aerial part | Tikki | Leaf paste is applied on cuts and wounds for 2 d. |
| Zingiber officinale Rosce. HGUG-1064 | Zingiberaceae | Rhizome | Alla | Dried rhizome paste applied on allergic affected area for a week. |
| Zizyphus jujuba Lam. HGUG-684 | Rhamnaceae | Bark | Baare | Bark paste is applied on eczema affected area till it cures. |
Figure 2. Plant parts used in treating skin diseases.
4. Discussion
Data was compared with the available literature and found that many of the usages listed are not recorded earlier[7]–[10]. However, the use of Ocimum sanctum leaves for ring worm, leaf of Datura stromium to reduce swelling, leaf, flower and bark of Azadiracta indica for all type of skin diseases and the leaves of Tridax procumbens for wounds and scabies are reported. In some cases, the plants are reported to be used for skin diseases, but the part used, mode of administration and drug preparation recorded were different. Leaf juice of Datura stromium is used externally in Hyderabad Karnataka region, where as warmed leaf juice is used at coastal districts of Orissa[11]. Latex of Argemone mexicana is used in Hyderabad Karnataka region, whereas seed powder mixed with Curcuma longa rhizome is used at Kanyakumari district of southern India[12], entire plant paste is used in Andhra Pradesh[13]. Bark, Leaf paste of Santalum album is used in Hyderabad Karnataka region whereas seed oil is used at Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh[13]. The leaf juice of Achyranthes aspera is also used in control to dysentery[14]. Leaves and fruits of Emblica officinalis were used in treating Leucorrhoea in Banladesh[15]. In Karnataka, ethnobotanical studies on medicinal plants were conducted in Bellary, Kodagu, Uttar Kannada, Chikmagalur, Tumkur, Bidar and Gulbarga districts[14],[16]–[26]. However in Hyderabad Karnataka region, no detailed study on ethnobotany of medicinal plants used in skin diseases is reported. The study represents a contribution to the existing knowledge of folk remedies that are in current practice for the treatment of skin diseases, which happens to be the most common ailment amongst rural population, because of their unhygienic living conditions. The documentation of such knowledge plays an important role in farming the health policies for the people and also for the extraction and characterization of the bioactive compounds. So that people in the same or in other regions can make use of it.
Acknowledgments
Authors are grateful to the herbal practitioners and rural people of Hyderabad Karnataka region for sharing their traditional knowledge on medicinal plants. Authors are also thankful to University Grant Commission, New Delhi for extending financial support for Major research project No.F.No.37-166/2009. Thanks are also due to Smt. Ganna Bai, Smt. Ambamma, Sri Narayana for their cooperation and support.
Comments
Background
Today, there is an increasing desire to unravel the role of ethno-botanical studies in trapping the centuries old traditional folk knowledge as well as in searching new plants resources of food, drugs, etc.
Research frontiers
The study report collected from different age group people from different villages. The same data can be used to cure disease in other parts of Karnataka.
Related reports
The author has collected sufficient literature national and international. The present work results support the other scholars' findings.
Applications
The study results are more useful in curing skin disease in Hyderabad-Karnataka regional area. The same research paper results can be accepted for publications.
Peer review
This research article generates a corpus of knowledge to the traditional medicinal practitioners and to the users. The crude drug extracted from different plant parts play important role in curing the disease. The mode administration also supports in curing the skin diseases.
Footnotes
Foundation Project: Supported by University Grant Commission, New Delhi for Major research project No.F.No.37-166/2009.
Conflict of interest statement: We declare that we have no conflict of interest.
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