Introduction

Out of the total 4, 22, 000 flowering plants reported from the world more
than 50,000 are used for medicinal purposes .In India, more than 43% of the
total flowering plants are reported to be of medicinal importance .
Utilization of plants for medicinal purposes in India has been documented
long back in ancient literature However, organized studies in this direction
were initiated in 1956 and off late such studies are gaining recognition and
popularity due to loss of traditional knowledge and declining plant
population.

Right from its beginning, the documentation of traditional knowledge

especially on the medicinal uses of plants, has provided many important
drugs of modern day .Even today this area holds much more hidden treasure
as almost 80% of the human population in developing countries is
dependant on plant resources for healthcare. In the interior areas of western
Himalaya plants become the only source of medicine and well being.
However, information on the uses of plants as traditional medicines has not
been documented from various interior areas of western Himalaya such as
Chhota Bhangal. Due to its remoteness and lack of modern health facilities
dependence on plants for medicine is very high. Ironically, information on
the uses of plants for medicine from this area is completely lacking. At the
same time, the area is undergoing rapid transformations due to its
recognition as an ideal paragliding site and is therefore becoming more
market oriented. This can be seen in the changed cropping patterns of the
local people. The role of market economy in depletion of traditional
knowledge has been well documented in many parts of Himalaya . Thus
many important leads to drug discovery may be lost in absence of proper
documentation.

Keeping this in view, the present study was initiated, with an aim to identify
knowledgeable resource persons and document their knowledge of on the
utilization of medicinal plants in Chhota Bhangal area of western Himalaya.

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NAME : Aegle marmelos
BOTANICAL NAME : Aegle marmelos Linn. Corr.
FAMILY : Rutaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Vilva, Maloorah, Sreephala, Sadaphala,
Sailoosha
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa : Kashaya, Tikta
Guna : Lakhu, Rooksha
Virya : Ushna
PLANT DESCRIPTION :
Medium sized thorny deciduous tree grows up to 10 m in height.
Leaves are trifoliate, aromatic, and alternate.
Leaflets are ovate-lanceolate.
Lateral leaflets are sub sessile and terminal long petioled.
Flowers are greenish white, found in axillary panicles.
Fruits are globose woody berry with yellow pulp.
Seeds are numerous, oblong and embedded in pulp.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :
Plant pacifies vitiated kapha, vata, body pain, poison, diarrhoea,
dysentery, vomiting, and intermittent fever.

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Pulp of unripe fruit is constipating whereas that of ripened fruit is
laxative.
Leaves cure diabetes, cough, inflammation and asthma.

USEFUL PART : Leaves, Root, Fruits

NAME : Aloe vera

BOTANICAL NAME
barbadensis Mill)
FAMILY
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
: Aloe vera (Linn.) Burm. (Aloe
: Liliaceae
: Kumari, Grithakumari, Grihakanya
: Rasa: Tikta, Madhura
Guna: Guru, Snigdha
Virya: Seeta

PLANT DESCRIPTION :
A perennial shrub grows with fleshy leaves and short stem.
Leaves are fleshy, sessile, with prickles on margins.
Flowers are in long spikes, fruits capsules, often sterile.
Reproduction is by budding.
Leave juice dried in air is called elio.

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MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, pitta, amenorrhoea, wounds, ulcers, burns,
colic, hepatitis, skin diseases, constipation, tumor, malignancy, low back
pain, edema, arthritis and general debility.
USEFUL PART : Leaves juice.

NAME : Azadirachta indica

BOTANICAL NAME : Azadirachta indica A.Juss.
FAMILY : Meliaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Nimba, Arista, Hinguniryasa, Manda,
Tiktaka

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa: Tikta

Guna: Lakhu, Snigdha
Virya: Ushna

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PLANT DESCRIPTION :
A moderate to large sized tree grows up to 30 m in height.
Leaves are imparipinnately compound, leaflets opposite, serrate and
acuminate.
Flowers are yellowish white, found in axillary panicles.
Fruits are elliptical one seeded drupes yellowish when ripe.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, skin diseases, eczema, fever, wound, ulcer,
burning sensation, tumor, worms, cough, diabetes, inflammation and
rheumatoid arthritis.

USEFUL PART : Bark, Leaves, Flowers, Seed, Oil.

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NAME : Catharanthus roseus
BOTANICAL NAME : Catharanthus roseus (Linn.) G.Don
FAMILY : Apocynaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Nityakalyani.
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa: Tikta
Guna: Lakhu, Rooksha
Virya: Ushna
PLANT DESCRIPTION :
An erect annual herb grows up to a height of 1 m in height.
Leaves are deep green oblong, flowers in cymose, axillary clusters, deep
rose or white in colour.
Fruits are cylindrical follicle.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, kapha, diabetes, hypertension, leukemia and
malignancy.
The root is stomachic and tonic.

USEFUL PART : Whole plant

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NAME : Clitoria ternatea (Blue variety)
BOTANICAL NAME : Clitoria ternatea Linn (Blue variety)
FAMILY : Fabaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Sankapushpam, Aparajita, Girikarnika.
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa: Tikta
Guna: Lakhu, Rooksha
Virya: Ushna
Prabhava: Medhya
PLANT DESCRIPTION :
Leaves are compound, imparipinnate, leaflets 5 – 7, sub coriaceous,
elliptic-oblong, obtuse. Flowers are blue, solitary, axillary or in facicles.
Fruits are nearly straight flattened pods.
Seeds are 6-10 smooth yellowish brown.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :

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Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, migraine, skin diseases, bronchitis, asthma,
tuberculosis, ascites, ulcers and fever, jaundice and skin diseases.
Seeds are used in abdominal cramps and promote intellect.
USEFUL PART : Root, leaves, seeds.

NAME : Datura stramonium

BOTANICAL NAME : Datura stramonium Linn.
FAMILY : Solanaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Dhattura, Dusthara, Unmatta,

Durdhura

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa: Tikta, Katu

Guna: Lakhu, Rooksha, Vyavayi, Vikashi
Virya: Ushna
Vipaka: Katu

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PLANT DESCRIPTION :
An erect spreading annual or biennial plant grows up to 2 m in height.
Leaves are simple, alternate, triangular and unequal at base.
Flowers are large, solitary and white.
Fruits are globular capsules covered with numerous prickles, containing
numerous yellowish brown seeds.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, kapha, arthritis, cough, asthma, muscle spasm,
fever, ulcer, skin diseases, lumbago, sciatica and dandruff.

USEFUL PART : Whole plant

NAME : Mentha piperita

BOTANICAL NAME
FAMILY
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
: Mentha piperita Linn
: Lamiaceae
: Pootiha, Pudina, Rochani
: Rasa: Katu,
Guna: Lakhu, Rooksha, Teekshna
Virya: Ushna

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PLANT DESCRIPTION :
Aromatic annual herb grows up to 60 cm.
Leaves are simple, opposite and ovate or lanceolate.
Flowers are lilac coloured seen in axillary whorls.
Fruits are nutlets.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :
Plant pacifies vitiated kapha, vata, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, dental
caries, jaundice and urinary retention.

USEFUL PART : Leaves

NAME : Mimosa pudica

BOTANICAL NAME : Mimosa pudica Linn.
FAMILY : Mimosaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Lajjalu, Samanga, Raktapadi,
Namaskari,
Kharatvak, Sankochani
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa: Kashaya, Tikta
Guna: Lakhu, Rooksha
Virya: Seeta

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PLANT DESCRIPTION :
A diffuse under shrub grows up to 60 cm in height.
Leaves are bipinnately compound, pinnate 2-4 digitally arranged with 20-
30 pairs of leaflets and touch sensitive.
Flowers are pink in round heads.
Fruits are bristly pods, flat, consisting 3-5 one seeded segments.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, kapha, oedema, allergy, bronchial asthma,
haemorrhoid, ulcer, jaundice, arthritis and fever.

USEFUL PART : Whole plant.

NAME : Ocimum sanctum

BOTANICAL NAME : Ocimum sanctum Linn (Black
variety)
FAMILY : Lamiaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Tulasi, Surasa, Svetatulasi.
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES : Rasa : Kashaya, Tikta
Guna : Lakhu, Rooksha
Virya : Ushna

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PLANT DESCRIPTION :
An erect much branched under shrub, grows up to 1 m in height.
Leaves are pale dark brown in colour, simple, opposite, elliptic, oblong,
obtuse or acute, serrate, entire, pubescent on both sides.
Petiole is slender and hairy.
Flowers are purplish in elongate recemes.
Fruits are nutlets, smooth, not mucilaginous when wet.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :
Plant pacifies vitiated tridoshas, cough, asthma, bronchitis, fever, toxins,
vomiting, lumbago, gastric distension, genito-urinary diseases, ringworm
and skin diseases.

USEFUL PART : Whole plant.

NAME : Taivetia neerifolia

BOTANICAL NAME : Taivetia neerifolia Juss
FAMILY : Apocynaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS : Karaveera, Peetakaraveera,
Asvaghna,
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AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Asvamaraka, Hayamaraka
: Rasa : Katu, Tikta, Kashaya
Guna : Lakhu, Rooksha, Teekshna
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka: Katu

PLANT DESCRIPTION :
An evergreen shrub grows up to 7-10 m in height.
Leaves are three in a whorl, linear-lanceolate, acute, and yellowish green.
Flowers pale yellow colored and fragrant;
Fruits are globular and 4 chambered.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES :
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, skin diseases, arthritis, pruritus, and ulcers for
external use. Internal use will cause toxic symptoms.

USEFUL PART : Roots, Leaves

Conclusion
It can be concluded from the study that Bhangalis inherit a rich traditional
knowledge and documentation of this knowledge has provided novel
information from the area. They still depend on the plants for medicinal
purposes and are very much concerned about their degradation in wild as
they now have to travel even more far to collect these plants. The
incoming of roads and coming up of the area as an important tourist

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destination has allured the younger generation towards market economy,
this certainly will have larger implications. Thus, the present
documentation of traditional knowledge from an area where novel
information has been generated will not only provide recognition to this
knowledge but will also help in its conservation vis-aà -vis providing
pharmacological leads for the betterment of human society.

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