Ethnobotanical Study

Sanjeet Kumar and M. Kumari. (2012). Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological study of Thalkudi (Centella asiatica L.): A brain tonic at our feet in Odisha. Emerging Science. 4(1): 21-23. (ISSN: 0976-4100)

 

Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological study of Thalkudi (Centella asiatica L.): A brain tonic at our feet in Odisha.

S.Kumar
sanjeet.biotech@gmail.com
Department of Life Science, Regional Institute of Education, Sachivalaya Marg Bhubaneswar- 751022

Abstract

Odisha is rich in biodiversity of medicinal flora. “Thalkudi” (Centella aciatica L.) is a common important traditional herb have been  utilizing as brain tonic and purpose of memory enhancer among the tribal group and rural community of different rural and forest divisions of  the state. The present study deals with the documentation from literature and field survey for highlighting the medicinal properties and pharmacological activity of Thalkudi (Centella asiatica L.).

Kew words: Thalkudi, Tribal Community, Ethnomedicinal value, Pharmacological

                     activity.

Introduction

Traditional medicine system is an important part of Odisha’s culture. The demands for medicinal plants are increasing in both urban and rural areas due to less or no side effect and easy availability in our environment. Most often the medicinal plants are collected by tribal communities from forest with uncontrolled harvesting has resulted in the extinction of many plants and created huge issues regards medicinal plants and their conservations. Keeping this in view we have attempted to collect the information from field and review about Thalkudi (Centella asiatica L.) belong to family Apiaceae, It is a herb with long creeping stems rooting at the nodes. Leaves, orbicular to reniform, margins entire to repand dentate, venation palmate. Inflorescence a loose to subcapitate simple umbel. Style short. Young leaves and petioles villous, below, simple L orbicular-transform never lobed but often with large rounded crenatures or sometimes coarsely dentate or sub-entire. Umbels usually several at a node, perhaps representing a sessile compound umbel, each with a pair of ovate sub –amplexicaul bracts, Flowers, sub-sessile, petals reddish white ovate acute or obtuse imbricate. Stamens red. Fruit with very narrow commissure, didymous, cocci, seed laterally compressed (Saxena and Brahmam, 1995).It is locally known as Thalkudi among urban or rural people of the state, Banda Cocha among tribal group of Niyamgiri such as Desia Kandha and Dongaria Kandha, Chake Dopa among the tribal group Kolha of Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest. In many parts of the country including among the tribal and rural community of  Odisha , it  often is used as a brain tonic for promoting brain growth and improving memory and also used in mentally retarded children to improve general mental ability.. It has been used widely in folk medicines for thousands of years to treat a wide range of illness among the tribal people of the state. It has been also used as a support for faster healing of small wounds; the treatment of burns, itching and insects bites. In contrast with other medicinal plants, this plant has been subjected to quite extensive experimental clinical investigations due to its ability to heal relieve and recover human being from various pain and sickness. Authors highlighted the traditional and pharmacological properties of Thalkudi.

Methodology

A literature survey was carried out for collecting the information on the ethnobotanical and pharmacological properties of Thalkudi. In addition an ethnobotanical survey was carried out from different forest block of Odisha such as Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Forest, Niyamgiri Hills ranges and Karlapat sanctuary.

Ethnobotanical uses among tribal community in Odisha

Centella asiatica is a very common and most utilized plant among the tribal communities in Odisha. Whole plant is used to instant treatment of headache on one side; Plant juice is used for clear vision of eyes in children, Leaf is used as growth tonic and to enhance the power of memory. The whole plant crushed with turmeric (Curcuma longa) and black pepper (Piper nigrum) and the extract gargled for month ulcers by tribal community.

Review of Ethno botanical Values

• In Blood disorders. Leaves are boiled with water and a cup of the decoction is taken with honey every morning and evening.
• In Fever. Leaf juice is mixed with leaf juice of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis and taken every morning on an empty stomach till cure. (Nawaz at al, 2009).
• Juice of whole plant is used in fever. (Manadhar, 1992).
• Whole plant parts are used to cure leprosy, tuberculosis and asthma. (Sajem et al, 2010.).
• Whole plant paste is taken with a glass of milk to treat diabetic ulcers (Jaykumar et al 2010).

Specific uses of Thalkudi among rural and tribal peoples

·         Used in Syphilis: The leaves are used to cure Syphilis among the tribal group of Simlipal Biosphere Reserve forest.

·         Used in Dysentery: the whole plant basically roots are used to cure dysentery.

·         Used in common cold and fevers: Leaves with Ocimum (Tulsi) species is used to cure common cold and fevers.

Chemistry of Thalkudi

Centella asiatica contains several bioactive constituents such as triterpene acids, thankunie acid, brahmiz and isobrative, hydrocotylin. In addition, it also contains other components including volatile oils, tannins, phytosterols, amino acids, and sugars. Asiaticoside, a trisaccharide triterpene, has been identified as the most active compound in the plant associated with the healing of wounds and duodenal ulcers, whilst the triterpene saponins are also reported to possess immunomodulatory properties and show efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Bacillus leprae and Entamoeba histolytica (Plohmann et al., 1994).

Pharmacological uses of Thalkudi

It has many therapeutic uses such as depression, impotence, leueorrhoea, dropsy, headache, vertigo, filcociasis, leprosy, syphilis, psuriasis, eczema, urticoria, weakness of memory. In classical Indian Ayurveda literature, it is considered to be one of the ‘Rasayana’ (rejuvenator) drugs. (Jayashree et al, 2003). Centela asiatica has also been reported to be useful in the treatment of inflammations, diarrhea, asthma, tuberculosis and various skin lesions and ailments like leprosy, lupus, psoriasis and keloid. In addition, numerous clinical reports verify the ulcer-preventive and antidepressive sedative effects of Centela asiatica preparations, as well as their ability to improve venous insufficiency and microangiopathy (Zheng and Qin, 2007).

Results and Discussion

The findings of the literature survey revealed its ethnomedicinal values. The whole plant juice is used to cure eye problems, leaves are used as memory booster and to cure syphilis. Therefore Thalkudi play an important role as the traditional medicine populace of Odisha. Its therapeutic and ethnic values shown the ethnobotanical and pharmacological potential but further more research work is needed to finding the pharmacological and ethnobotanical properties.

Reference

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