Medicinal herb of Chhattisgarh, India having less known traditional uses, IX. Boir (Ziziphus nummularia, family : Rhamnaceae)

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

Since childhood, I am observing the traditional uses of Boir leaves with Doomar leaves in treatment of scorpion bite. The leaves are mixed and aqueous paste is prepared. This paste is applied externally on affected parts as first aid measure and I have observed that in most of cases the application of this paste solve the problem. When I started ehtnobotanical surveys in different parts of Chhattisgarh, I was happy to note that the natives specially the farmers and herb collectors are still using this combination. This is good sign and also it shows that the combination is still effective. Since childhood, I am fond of Birchun or Borkut, a powder prepared by crushing the dried Boir fruits. If you taste it once you will never forget the specific flavour of this delicious powder. Since my childhood, my mother is preparing Birchun for me and before writing this article, I have taken a fistful of Birchun to make the article interesting in real sense. Although it is standard rule that one must take healthy fruits for preparation of this powder but I have seen that the natives use the insect infested fruits without any hesitation. They know the insects select the best ones and when fruits are dried in intense sun light, the insect body inside the Boir fruit get sterilized and cause no harmful effects. The use of Birchun is popular in every corner of Chhattisgarh. The natives use it for taste but the traditional healers consider it very useful medicinal powder. According to them if taken in specific doses, it improves the digestion and act as carminative. But hardly any native consider or use it for medicinal purposes. The Boir trees are present in Chhattisgarh since time immemorial and the delicious fruits are fulfilling the demand of Birchun without any problem. Birchun as product is very popular in neighbouring states and many families are getting income by selling Birchun powder but it has yet not been developed as small cottage industry. The village names like Boirdih, Boirbhata, etc clearly confirms the presence of Boir in Chhattisgarh from very old time. There are many surnames based on Boir like Sonboir, in Chhattisgarh. It is not wrong to say that Boir is one of the most common herbs in Chhattisgarh. In reference literatures, the Boir of Chhattisgarh is considered as wild or indigenous species of cultivated Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana). The fruits are of small size and less sweeter as compared to cultivated Ber but Boir is considered as superior in terms of medicinal properties. Many reference literatures confirm this fact. The traditional healers are also aware of this fact. When I was studying Agriculture, as student I read by converting the desi Boir through improved breeding or propagation methods into improved Ber, one can improve the economical status of Chhattisgarh natives. As student and later volunteer, I worked hard with the help of budding methods and conducted several farmers training camps to convert the Desi Boir into improved Ber. But later when I interacted with the traditional healers and under stood the fact that in the name of improvement we are damaging and destroying medicinally important Desi Boir trees, I shocked and stopped this anti-bio-diversity act immediately. The Agricultural organisaitons at Chhattisgarh are still promoting improved varieties without understanding the bitter fact. Although Boir is present in abundance but very few natives and traditional healers are aware of its medicinal properties and uses. And all these information are not available in document form. This observation motivated me to write and document the traditional knowledge about different uses of Boir as medicine, in form of article. The name of Boir is not is list of medicinal herbs of Chhattisgarh but I am confident that this article will motivate the Boir lovers to establish this valuable herb as potential medicinal herb. As the Boir is present in abundance, there is tremendous scope of establishing Boir based industries and processing units in Chhattisgarh.

Common Indian names of different Ziziphus species
Languages	Z.mauritiana	Z. nummularia	Z.xylopyra	Z.oenoplia
Bengali	Ber	Jharhrberi	-	Siakul
Hindi	Ber	Jhahrberi	Kat-ber	Makai
Kanarese	Elanji	-------	Mullukare	Barige
Malyalam	Elentha	----	------	Kottavalli
Tamil	Elentha	Kargodi	Kottei	Ambulam
Marathi	Bera, Bor	Junglaber	Koddntegoti	Kanerblli
Oriya	Bodori	------	Goetoboro, Kantobohul	Kanto Kolli
Telugu	Reega, Gangareegu	Neelareegu	Gotte	Banka - Paragi
English	Indian Jujube	Wild Jujube	-----	Jackal Jujube
	Common Jujube
Gujarati	Bordi	Chanyabor	-----	------

At first I am describing the Botany and reported medicinal uses of Boir, I have noted from reference literatures. Boir is a thorny, small bush or a shrub, with widely divaricating, flexuous, pale purplish stems and or grey-velvety stipular prickles in pairs. Leaf ovate to orbicular, densely tomentose beneath, serrate. Flower pale yellow, in axillary cymes. Fruit red or black drupe, one cm long. According to Ayurveda, root is bitter, cooling, causes cough, biliousness, headache. Bark causes boils, good in dysentery and diarrhoea. Leaves are antipyretic and reduce obesity. Fruit is cooling, indigestible, tonic, aphrodisiac, laxative and remove biliousness, burning sensation, thirst, vomiting etc, good in consumption and blood diseases. Seeds cure eye-disease. It is also useful in leucorrhoea. According to Unani system of medicine, root and bark are tonic, whereas leaves are anthelmintic, and good in stomatitis and gum bleeding. Flowers afford a good collyrium in eye diseases, fruits are sweet and sour, causes diarrhoea in large doses. Seeds astringent, tonic to heart and brain. It allays thirst.

Difference among major Ziziphus species
Characterstics	Z. mauritiana	Z.nummularia	Z.xylopyra
Habit	A small, evergreen tree of variable size, upto 15 meters or more with a spreading crown but more commonly as a compact shrub of 3-4 meters.	A thorny small bush or a shrub, with widely divaricating, flexuosus, pale-purplish stems and or grey velvety stipular prickles in pairs	A large, straggling shrub or a small tree, armed with spines, upto 4 meters, covered with short, greyish tomentum.
Leaf	Variable, oblong-elliptic, ovate or suborbicular, closely serrulate or entire, rounded at both ends, prominently 3-nerved.	Ovate or orbicular, densely tomentose beneath, serrate	Broadly elliptic, obovate or orbicular, serrulate, globrous, dark above and covered with soft and pale tomentum beneath, oblique
Flower	Greenish yellow, in axillary Cymes, April-October	Pale yellow, in axillary cymes.	Yellowish green, in compact cymes, April-June
Fruit	Oblong-globose or ovoid, reddish brown, orange or yellowish, one seeded drupe, October - March	Red or black drupe, one cm long, November	Globose, 3 or rarely 2 or 4 celled, with usually a seed in each.
Seed	Shape depend upon fruit,1240-1760 / Kg.	-----------	Very hard, woody, January - April

The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh use the decoction of Boir fruit in treatment of common fevers. The matured, insect free fruits are selected and after washing, decoction is prepared. The patients are advised to take this decoction along with routine herbs in order to reduce the high body temperature. The healers of all parts of Chhattisgarh are aware of this use. The fresh fruits are preferred for preparation of decoction. In off - season, the healers avoid the use of stored, dry fruits. The traditional healers of Bastar region, use the dried Boir leaves to dress the wound. The fresh leaves are also used for the same purpose. The aqueous paste of Boir leaves is also applied externally in parts having buring sensation. In case of vomiting, the natives of Chhattisgarh use the seeds with Bar sprouts (Ficus benghalensis) and sugar. But as other promising alternatives are available the natives use this combination less frequently. To treat dysentery, the healers of Chhattisgarh Plains use the Boir roots internally . It is given with cow milk till complete cure. Chhal (Bark) is also used for same purpose. The senior natives informed that in early days they were using the fresh leaf juice of Ber with Buffalo's milk in order to reduce the intensity of small pox. But at present, this use is not much popular among the natives. Similarly, in early days, the use of Boir seeds in case of eye troubles was common. In order to treat the hoarseness of throat, the traditional healers advise the patients to keep the fresh roots of Boir inside the mouth. It is considered as one of the promising treatments. The traditional healers of Mudpar village use the fresh leaves of Boir with Zeera (Cumin) in treatment of urinary troubles.

These uses are not enough to establish Boir as potential medicinal herb in Chhattisgarh but I personally feel the other uses like Birchun must be promoted. There is also a strong need for scientific evaluation and confirmation of traditional uses and after this, establishment of processing industries based on Boir herb. In the same time, the introduction of new improved variety should be regulated so that it can not harm the existing indigenous species of medicinal importance.

Thank you very much for reading the article.