RÉSUMÉ
An ethno-medicinal survey was undertaken in the North Tarai Forests of Uttar Pradesh for the documentation of ethno-medicinal information of plants and herbs used for the treatment of various ailments in the area by traditional healers as well as rural inhabitants. The North Tarai region of U. P. has well blessed phytodiversity in its green natural forests as well as rich ethnic and rural communities. The rural inhabitants of the area are still far from modern civilization so they are totally dependent on forests for their various needs specially for healthcare. Due to the presence of rich traditional knowledge of medicine and great faith and belief on Ayurvedic and Siddha system of medicine the rural inhabitants use herbal medication. During the ethno medicinal survey we found one hundred forty plant species in which one hundred ten plant species belonging to ninety five genera representing fifty one families were reported which were being used for the treatment of headache. The present work was undertaken for the treatment of headache. The investigation was performed by collection of medicinal plants in consultation with local healers, rural dwellers, as well as medicine venders. Questionnaire method was adopted for the documentation of ethno medicinal information. Various medicinal plant parts viz. leaves, flowers, bark, latex, seeds, rhizome, root, as well as whole plant part were being used as ethnomedicine. Mostly medicines were used externally while somewhere also being used internally. For each plant species details of scientific name, author name, family name and vernacular name as well as method and mode of medicine administration are described in the text. In conclusion the North-Tarai region of U. P. disposes great diversity of medicinal plants as well as large phytotherapeutic knowledge which are to be scientifically investigated and needed to be conserved.
RÉSUMÉ
In this study the medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus is inventoried based on the ethno pharmacological survey in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh. Bahraich is well blessed with phytodiversity which is a rich source of medicinal plants as well as ethnic communities. The remote locality, poverty, illiteracy and lack of touch with modern civilization make them confined to hold on traditional faith hence they are wholly dependent on indigenous plants for the treatment of diabetes as well as other ailments. For the purpose traditional herbal healers as well as experienced elder persons were interviewed. The result indicated that the rural people use phytotherapy because it is cheaper, more efficient and without any side effect than modern medicine. In this ethno-medicinal enquiry sixty five species of medicinal plants belonging to sixty five genera representing thirty two families are cited which were used for the treatment of diabetes in the area. Many parameters have been evaluated such as knowledge of the method of medicine preparation, plant part used for medicinal purpose, doses and mode of administration. Many different plants have been used individually or in formulations with other plants. A list of medicinal plants with anti-diabetic properties which were mostly used in the treatment of diabetes are Allium sativum, Aegle marmelos, Azadirachta indica, Curcuma longa, Emblica officinalis, Gymnema sylvestre, Mangifera indica, Momordica charantia, Syzygium cumunii, Trigonella foenum-geaecum, Terminelia bellerica, Terminelia chebula and Zingiber officinale etc. In conclusion Bahraich district disposes a large phytotherapeutic knowledge which are to be scientifically investigated.
RÉSUMÉ
Estima-se que as áreas invadidas por algaroba Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. (Fabaceae) no semi-árido nordestino já ultrapassam um milhão de hectares. O presente trabalho objetivou estudar os impactos da invasão de P. juliflora sobre a fitodiversidade e a estrutura do componente arbustivo-arbóreo, em remanescentes de caatinga no Estado da Paraíba. Usando-se o método de parcelas, foram amostrados quatro ambientes, nos quais os indivíduos de todas as espécies arbustivas e arbóreas foram inventariados e medidos, estimando-se os parâmetros estruturais das comunidades. Também foi calculada a diversidade, pelo índice de Shannon-Wiener (H) e o índice de impacto ambiental de exóticas (IIAE). No total, foram amostradas 19 famílias, 35 gêneros e 39 espécies. A invasora foi responsável por mais de 70% de toda a estrutura dos ambientes inventariados. A baixa diversidade e o elevado valor de impacto ambiental obtidos para os ambientes invadidos revelaram, conjuntamente com os dados de estrutura das populações, os graves impactos que P. juliflora provoca nas comunidades invadidas. Evidencia-se com isso a formação de sistemas monodominados pela espécie invasora, o que revela a necessidade de controle efetivo de P. juliflora para se proteger o patrimônio genético autóctone.
It is estimated that invader populations of algaroba Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. (Fabaceae) in the northeastern semi-arid, Brazil, cover more than one million ha. This study aimed to study the impacts of P. juliflora invasion on phytodiversity and on the structure of the shrub-tree component in caatinga fragments in Paraiba state. Four environments were sampled by plots in which all shrubtree individuals were surveyed and measured, estimating structural parameters of the communities. Diversity was estimated by the Shannon-Wiener index (H'), and the index of environmental impacts of exotic species (IIAE) was also calculated. A total of 19 families, 35 genera and 39 species were surveyed. Invader species accounted for more than 70% of the entire structure of the surveyed environments. The low diversity and the high environmental impact indexes obtained, as well as the structure of populations on the invaded communities, reveal that native communities are seriously jeopardized by P. juliflora. Interventions aiming at effective control of P. juliflora are recommended to protect the genetic heritage of native species.