Traditional use of family loranthaceae form Western maharashtra, India.

Family Loranthaceae is charactherized by parasitic nature of its species. Tribal people give importance to members of this family for their wild edible, medicinal values and withcraft and superstitious uses. In this connection, ethnobotanical survey among Mahadeokoli tribe was carried out in five districts namely Ahmadnagar, Nasik, Pune, Raigad and Thane. Information collected during field survey in Western maharashtra as well as from ancient literature is presented in this paper.

Pharmacological studies on sterculia foetida leaves.

An alcoholic extract of Sterculia foetida L. leaves was subjected to pharmacological screening using various animal models. The extract caused reduced exploratory activity in mice. Further it potentiated pentobarbitone sleeping time in normal and chronic pentobarbitone-treated mice. It also potentiated barbital sodium-induced hypnosis, indicating central nervous system depressant activity. The extract also exhibited significant antiinflammatory activity in the acute carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and the chronic granuloma pouch models. However, it was devoid of analgesic activity in the tail flick model.

Evaluation of Acacia nilotica (L.) del. and Casuarina equisetifolia forst. for tolerance and growth on microbially treated dyestuff wastewater.

Two tree species, Acacia nilotica (L.) Del. and Casuarina equisetifolia Forst., were tested for their tolerance and growth on dyestuff wastewater containing phenol, aniline, and methyl violet. The wastewater was treated microbially by using a culture of Pseudomonas alcaligenes in a fixed-film bioreactor. The plants were watered with untreated and treated wastewater and tap water (control) at the rate of 2 litre per plant per week. A. nilotica exhibited 100% survival with both untreated and treated wastewater, and growth (increase in height) was comparable to that of control plants. However, growth of C. equisetifolia was adversely affected. It exhibited 100% survival with treated wastewater but only 87% survival with untreated waste-water and the percentage increase in height was less with both treated and untreated wastewater. There was no effect on soil except for an increase in chloride content.

Taxonomic study of an ayurvedic herb kade-chirayet from pune and neighbouring districts.

Five difference species of plants are known as Kade-Chirayet in different parts of Pune and neighbouring districts. Botanical identification of all the five species is presented in this paper.

Observations on wild plants used in folk medicine in the rural areas of the kolhapur district.

This paper deals with the wild medicinal plants used by rural population of south-western part of Kolhapur district, Maharashtra State. The authors gathered data on 34 species of locally available wild plants used in curing common human ailments. The plants are arranged according to the type of ailment. Vernacular name of each species followed by its botanical name, relevant plant family and known use of the plant in local medicine are given.