Interactions with the herb collectors of Gandai region, Chhattisgarh, India having rich traditional medicinal knowledge about useful herb Dhawai (Woodfordia fruticosa)

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

Dhawai phool (Dhawai Flower) is one of the well known non-wood forest produces of Chhattisgarh having regular demand in national and international drug markets. Although all parts of this herb possess valuable medicinal properties but there is heavy demand of flowers only. It is collected and marketed for both industrial and medicinal purposes. The flowers yield yellow and red dye. It also produces gum which is used as substitute to gum-tragacanth. Barks and leaves are used for tanning. The traders at Dhamtari city, well known market of herbs in Chhattisgarh, informed that there is more demand of Dhawai for industrial purposes as compared to medicinal purposes.

Common names of Dhawai
Languages / regions	Names
1. Bengali	Dawai, Dhai
2. Bihar	Icha, Ihenti, Dhai Phul.
3. Gujarati	Dhavdi
4. Hindi	Dhawi, Jaju, Dhanta
5. Jammu & Kashmir	Thawi, Thai
6. Kanarese	Tamrapushpi
7. Oriya	Jaliko, Harwari
8. Purjals	Dhawi
9. Marathi	Phulsatti, Dhaiphal
10. Sanskrit	Dhalaki, Agnijwala
11. Kanarese	Are, Bela

During my ethnobotanical surveys in different parts of Chhattisgarh, I have noted that the traditional healers and natives have rich traditional medicinal knowledge about this herb and they are using it as medicine in their day today life. Although no systematic surveys on present status of Dhawai herb in dense forest, has been done by any worker but from visual observation I can say that due to high demand and over collection of this herb, its population is decreasing in its natural habitat. I personally feel that there is a need for immediate surveys to study the present status of this herb in forests so that timely steps can be taken before any threat on this species. Gandai-Salewara forest region is one of my favourite regions for ethnobotanical surveys. The in-depth traditional knowledge of traditional healers and natives have impressed me a lot. In order to list out the existing and traditional uses of this important herb in Gandai region, I interviewed herb collectors having traditional knowledge about Dhawai herb. At first, I am describing its botany and reported medicinal uses and after these descriptions, I will write on traditional uses of Dhawai as informed by the herb collectors. According to reference literatures, Dhawai (Woodfordia fruticosa syn. W. floribunda syn. Lythrum fruticosum, family Lythraceae) is a shrub, ca 1 m. tall, much branched; Bark pale-brown, peeling off in fibres, young parts with small black glands; leaves sub sessile, linear-lanceolate, 3-10 cm long; Flowers in fascicled axillary racemes; calyx tube ca 1 cm long, red; Petals small, red; Stamens much exserted, filaments filiform, red, ovary 2-celled; Fruits ellipsoid, ca 1 cm long, enclosed by persistent calyx-tube; Seeds numerous, wedge-shaped, brown, smooth. Flowering time in Chhattisgarh conditions December to May. According to Ayurveda, Dhawai is pungent, acrid, cooling, toxic, alexiteric, uterine, sedative, anthelmintic and useful in thirst, dysentery, leprosy, erysipelas, blood diseases, leucorrhoea, menorrhagia, toothache etc.

The herb collectors of Gandai region informed me that they use all parts of Dhawai both internally and externally in treatment of many common and complicated diseases. During visit to forest when they get injured, to stop bleeding, they apply the flower directly. The dried flower is powdered and applied on old wounds to heal it in less time. They also prepare a special herbal oil by boiling the fresh flower in base oil. When all watery contents evaporate, oil is collected and used in treatment of open wounds. The herb collectors informed me that in case of complications, they mix Dhawai flower and Lodrh in equal quantities and apply it on wounds. The herbal oil prepared from Dhawai flower is used as home remedy for burns also. Dhawai is also used in treatment of dysentery. There are many methods of uses. They prepare a decoction by boiling fresh flowers in water. They add Sonth (dried ginger) in this decoction and take it internally. In another method, the Dhawai flowers and Ber leaves (Ziziphus sp.) are mixed in equal quantities and given to the patients with fresh curd. The indigenous Ber species is used in this combination. They also use it with Intrajau (Wrightia tinctoria) and other herbs. The herb collectors informed me that the Dhawai flower is a boon for the females having the problem of dysmenorrhoea. According to the herb collectors, the powdered flowers with sugar and milk is given to the patients twice a day till cure. This combination is very popular in this part of Chhattisgarh. In treatment of Safed Pani (Leucorrhoea), the decoction of Dhawai flower with rice water is given internally. They use the leaf powder with sugar as female tonic. In treatment of chronic fever, along with other herbs, they also use the decoction of Dhawai leaves with sugar. In this decoction, Sonth is also added to make it more effective. In treatment of children having teething troubles, the collectors apply the herbal combination prepared by mixing Dhawai flower, Kali Mirch and juice of Aonla fruit, externally. As other promising alternatives are available, they use this combination less frequently.

Many of the above mentioned traditional uses have not been documented earlier. In Chhattisgarh, although Dhawai is an important non-wood forest produce but unfortunately there is not a single pharmaceutical establishment using this raw material, for the preparation of herbal drugs. The detailed ethnobotanical surveys in different parts of Chhattisgarh can help us in listing out the existing and traditional medicinal uses, of different parts of this valuable herb. As the traditional knowledge and uses are unique, this listing can help us in establishing a successful Dhawai based pharmaceutical establishments. The concept of 'Value addition' will not only provide new employment opportunities but also help us in recognizing the traditional healers and herb collectors specialized in use of Dhawai as medicine.

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