Volume : 5, Issue : 7, July - 2016

Study on traditional therapy of rural people from selected talukas of Banaskantha district, North Gujarat

Patel J. R. , Dabgar Y. B.

Abstract :

<p>&nbsp;Now the traditional Indian system of medicine can be oadly classified into the empirical forms of folk medicine which are village based, region-specific, indigenous herb based, local resources based and in many cases, community-specific. The other system called the Shastriya stream which includes the Ayurveda, Siddha and Yunani systems of medicine is more complicated and elaborate with theoretical and research findings. An ethno botanical survey of major ethnomedicinal plants was carried out in the study area, their knowledge and uses by the local people was determined. Data was obtained through the use of interviewer administered questionnaires, distributed at random to the traditional people as the target respondents. Research shows that 35 various plant species from 21 families to have medicinal value. The leaves are predominantly used for the treatment of the various ailments. Decoction is the major mode of preparation for the cure of cough, kidney ailments, and stomach disorders such as diarrhea, ulcers and related ailments. In Banaskantha district, documentation of the claimed medicinal plants by local communities will not only provide a baseline data but also unlock opportunities for the discovery and development of new and less expensive plant-based medicines.</p>