Sharma V, Rao V. S, Diwan R. K, Saxena R. C, Shrivastava P. N. Screening of Ethnomedicinal Plants of Chhindwara District used by the Tribal and Rural Communities for Antimalarial Activity. Biomed Pharmacol J 2010;3(1)

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Manuscript received on :April 20, 2010
Manuscript accepted on :May 17, 2010
Published online on: 21-11-2015

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Vikas Sharma, Sudhakar Rao V, R. K. Diwan, R. C. Saxena and P. N. Shrivastava

Pest Control and Ayurvedic Drug research laboratory, S. S. L. Jain P.C. college Vidisha India.

Abstract

The present study carried out in remote areas of chhindwara district of M.P. India. Tribal communities of Chhindwara use commonly available plants for the treatment of malaria. The paper gives detail about 21 plants of 15 families. Data on botanical name, family local name and dosage are given. Antimalarial plants for chhindwara district are enlisted for the first time.

Keywords

Tribal; Antimalarial; Ethnomedicinal; herbal drug; Chhindwara district

Introduction

Chhindwara district is situated at 1550 – 3820 feet above from the sea level. It is surrounded by Satpura plateau. It’s geographical coordination is 21.28 – 22.49 deg. North (longitude) and 78.40 – 79.24 deg. East (latitude). It is tribal & backward district of M.P. Medical facilities are not so good here: even there is no primary health centre in many village & settlements. Malaria is common among all over district. It is caused by protozoan parasite Plasmodium. P.falciparum is most fatal for human beings. It causes millions of death annually. The Sousar&Pandhurnatahsil of Chhindwara district are the reserve bank for the malaria disease. But there are no great evidences of malaria caused death, because of use of herbal medicine.

The first antimalarial drug quinine was isolated from the bark of Cinchona species (Rubiaceae) in 1820. It is one of the oldest and most important antimalarial drug, that is still used today. In 1940 another anitmalarial drug chloroquinine was synthesized and until recently, this was only drug, used for the treatment of malaria. Unfortunately after an early success, the malarial parasite speciallyP.falciparumbecame resistance of chloroquinine. Treatement of chloroquinine resistant malaria was done with alternative drugs or combinations, which were rather expensive and sometimes toxic. (Saxenaet. al 2003). Drug resistant malaria has become a major problem in malaria control. Resistance to antimalarials has been reported in both P.falciparum andP.vivax. Drug resistance in P.falciparum is not confined to Chloroquinine alone but also to the other currently used antimalarials like – Sulphadoxine – Pyrimethamine (SP), Quinine and Mefloquine. (Farooqet. al. 2004).Artimisinin and its dervatives are the newest and most effective antimalarial drugs. These drug affect the protein synthesis of the parasite. There has not been any solid evidence of artimisinin resistance reported from any part of the world. But recently a news published in “DainikBhaskar” Chhindwara edition dated on 5 Aug. 2009. and “Lokmatsamachar” Nagpur edition dated on 5 Aug. 2009 with the title of “Be – asarhotijarahiMalerialkidava”, that indicates about the resistance of malarial parasite against artimisinin.

For seeing the sensitivity of the matter and rapid enhancement of resistant in plasmodium, it has become necessary to search new herbal source for the control and treatment of malaria. In the present laboratory a lot of work on malaria control have been carried out by Saxenaet.al (1989), Krishna et, al. (2008), Saxenaet. al(1993) Some other ethnomedicinal work have been carried in same laboratory by saxenaet. al(2001 & 2002), Koliet. al(2002) & Lone et. al(2008). In 2005, Singh mentioned the Tinosporacordifoliaas an adjuvant drug in the treatment of hyper reactive malarious splenomegaly. In 2008 B.A. Iwalokum use the aqueous leaf extract of Vernonia amygdaline with chlriquinine in mice and observed that the antimalarial activity fochloroquinine for both resistance and sensitive strain. Another is combination of Andrographispaniculata and Hedyatiscorymbosaextract with Curcuminis recorded as a effective antimalarial herbal drug (Kirtiet. al 2009).

Methodology

The authors conducted extensive field survey in different remote areas of district during 2008 – 2009. Ethnomedicinalinformations were obtain from herbal medicine practioners, Vaidyas and old men & women of different tribal communities. The information recorded from one areas has been cross checked from another area. The specimens were collected in the guidance of tribal communities. Voucher specimens were identified with the help fo botanist, S.S.L.jain P.G. College Vidisha M.P. and deposited in herbarium of Pest Control and Ayurvedic Drug research laboratory, Vidisha M.P.

Enumeration

Information about antimalarial plants are presented in table 1. Plant species are arranged in alphabetical order along with the family, local name, part used and their uses.

Table 1: Plant species being used in treatment of malaria by the tribal and rural communities of Chhindwaradistt of M.P.

Results and Discussion

Ethnomedicine and ethnobotany based on folklore in India is not new as primary information in our ayurvedic system have been used since time immemorial (Chopra et at). The present paper reports 21 plants of 15 families are used in the treatment of malaria among the rural and tribal community. Deepak Acharya (2002) &Babistaleet al. (2007). Are the ethnobotanists, those suggest the herbal medicines for the treatment of various ailments. The study is quite new in the sense the antimalarial plants of Chhindwara district are enlisted first time.

During the study one most important overview came out that : Tribal use the plants having bitter taste for the treatment of malaria mostly and the alkaloids have bitter taste also. Oliveira et at. Mentioned the activity of alkaloids belonging to different structural classes as well as its importance as new antimalarial drug. They divided the alkaloids into 2 groups : the first group contains highly active compounds and having a complex structure, and the second group contains moderate to low activity having relatively simple structure.

There is no doubt, artimisinin& its semi synthetic derivatives are remarkable examples of diverse contributation of natural products to the development of effective antimalarial drugs. These drugs are particularly valuable for the treatment of chloroquinine resistance parasite. But low yield of artimisinin in plants, increasing demand and extremely difficult synthesis in laboratory has motivated scientist worldwide to investigate an economic alternative (Namdeoet al.). so we have to decide to organize a survey for the collection of primary data of antimalarial plants.

Looking to the sensitivity of the matter and successive enhancement of malarial parasite against available drugs, it should be organized a research on medicinal plants for the identification, evaluation & quantification of phytochemical agents to ensure the efficient and safe medicine at a low cost.

References

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