ACHYRANTHES ASPERA L.: MULTIPLE THERAPEUTIC USES AMONG VARIOUS TRIBES OF KUMAUN, UTTARAKHAND

Deepika Bhatt. Achyranthes aspera L. (Amaranthaceae) has long been used in different systems of medicine in the treatment of various ailments, found as a weed throughout India. Though almost all of its parts are used in traditional systems of medicines, leaves, roots and shoots are the most important parts which are used medicinally. The review reveals that wide numbers of phytochemical constituents have been isolated from the plant which possesses activities like antiperiodic, diuretic, purgative, laxative, antiasthmatic, hepatoprotective, anti-allergic and various other important medicinal properties. The present article gives an account of various local health traditions along with their formulation and validation, related with this plant species among the tribals of the Kumaun region.


Introduction:-
Nature is a resource of therapeutic (Medicinal) agents for hundreds of years and a remarkable number of recent or novel drugs have been isolated from natural sources [Cragg et al., 2001]. Knowledge of herbs has been handed down from generation to generation for thousands of years. Herbal drugs constitute a major part in all traditional systems of medicines. Herbal medicine is a triumph of popular therapeutic diversity. Plants above all other agents have been used for medicine from time immemorial because they have fitted the immediate personal need, are easily accessible and inexpensive [Mukherjee, 2008].
In the recent past there has been an incredible increase in the use of plants based health products in developing as well as developed countries ensuring in an exponential development of herbal products worldwide. The therapeutic properties of medicinal plants are mainly due to the existence of an assortment of complex chemical substances of diverse compositions which occur as secondary metabolites. The most significant of these bioactive constituents of plants are alkaloids, glycosides, tannins, proteins, phenolic compounds and flavanoids [Cragg et al., 2001, Prince et al., 2011.
In the present era of drug development and discovery of newer drug molecules many plant products are evaluated on the basis of their traditional uses. One of the many plants which are being evaluated for their therapeutic efficacies is Achyranthes aspera L.
Traditional uses among various tribes:-Among the various tribes (Tharu, Buxa, Botiya and Raji/ Vanrawat) found in the study region, the plant is a popular folk remedy in traditional system of medicine. Traditionally, the plant is used in asthma and cough. It is pungent, antiphlegmatic, antiperiodic, diuretic, purgative and laxative, useful in edema, dropsy and piles, boils and eruptions of skin etc. Crushed plant is boiled in water and is used in pneumonia. Infusion of the root is a mild astringent in bowel complaints. The flowering spikes or seeds, ground and made into a paste with water, are used as external application for bites of poisonous snakes and reptiles, used in night blindness and cutaneous diseases [Nadkarni, 2009]. For snake bites the ground root is given with water until the patient vomits and regains consciousness.

Study area:
The present study area, Kumaun (tribal pockets), lies between the altitudes 28 0 44' N and 30 0 49' and longitudes 78 0 45' and 81 0 1' E. Kumaun, at its eastern boarder separates with Nepal by Kali river, high transverse mountain spurs separate it from the Chamoli and Pauri districts of Garhwal, a natural water separates from Tibet and the southern limit of the Tarai belt demarcates it's southern boundary. The region constitutes six districts i.e. Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh and Udham Singh Nagar.

Material and Methods:-
In order to gain an understanding of traditional healers and their practice, personnel interview and bilateral discussion were carried out in the premises of healers/informers to duly fill the LHT format. The interview itself covers few main topics: the type of people who are treated (i.e. patient or client groups), the process of healing, the healer's training and practice, his or her role in health promotion and education, and his or her relationship to practitioners of Western approaches to health care.
After gathering the data on the folk uses of Achyranthes aspera L., in the first step, data on was filled in the LHT format given by AYUSH. At the second step, folk uses were validated with the help of codified ayurvedic texts i.e. Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India (API), Ayurvedic Formulary of India (AFI), Ayurveda principles, Dravyaguna Vijana by P.V.Sharma, Handbook of Domestic Remedies, Tribal Folk Remedies published by CCRAS (documented but not yet verified) Other than the above references/Ayurveda line etc.

Results:-
Achyranthes aspera L. is one of the most important plants used by the tribes to cure numerous diseases viz. jaundice, boils, dermatitis, back sprain etc. with different formulations.
From the Buxa tribe, six formulations were documented to cure jaundice, back sprain, cut and wounds, dermatitis, chronic ulcer and earache with different formulations using roots, stem nodes, leaves. One formulation, to cure earache is mentioned in codified Ayurvedic texts. From Tharu tribe, five formulations were documented to cure boils, headache, jaundice, snake bite, piles/internal hemorrhoids. Two formulations, one for snake bite and another for piles/internal hemorrhoids is already mentioned in the codified Ayurvedic texts. While among the Raji/ Vanrawats, two folk uses were documented to cure allergic dermatitis and bone fracture using leaves and roots for different formulation. Formulation used to cure allergic dermatitis is also mentioned in codified Ayurvedic texts (Table: 1 .1, 1.2, and 1.3). No folk use was recorded from the Bhotiya tribe. In the 13 folklores, for different diseases (56%) leaves, (31%) roots and (13%) stem were used with different formulations (Figure: 2).  Table 7:-Achyranthes aspera L.: uses among Buxa tribe with validation. Achyranthes aspera L: uses among Buxa tribe:-Achyranthes aspera L.: Amranthaceae Local Name: Latjeera Part used Name of Disease in which used

Ethno-medicinal use Written in codified texts
Yes/No Roots Jaundice Roots are coarsely grounded and soaked in water, mashed and filtered. 5-10 ml. filtrate with 'Bans-Mishri' is given orally to the patient suffering from Jaundice.

Stem Nodes Back Sprain (Low back)
Nodes of the stem are fastening with the help of thread around the low back.

Leaves
Cuts and Wounds Q.S. (quantum sufficit) leaves paste, fried in cow's ghee, is applied two times daily to cure wounds.

Leaves Dermatitis
Fresh leaves are grounded finely into paste and fried in mustard oil, made in to jelly form. Q.S. (quantum sufficit) paste to be applied two times in a day to cure dermatitis.

Leaves
Chronic ulcer Q.S (quantum sufficit) fresh leaves paste mixed in cow's ghee, is fastening over wound with help of bandage. Duration of change is two days to cure chronic ulcer.