Traditional medicinal knowledge about common herbs used for eye troubles in Chhattisgarh, India

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

Satyanashi is not native to India, it is indigenous to Tropical America, but in Chhattisgarh it is one of most frequently used traditional herb for eye troubles particularly conjuctivitis. For weed scientists, Satyanshi is harmful weed. Few years back, this weed was blamed for dropsy epidemic in India. The seeds of Satyanashi resemble mustard seeds. It is now well established fact that adulteration of these seeds is responsible for dropsy (in Hindi shoth). The corrupt business men say that as Satyanashi is common weed in mustard fields, the mixing of seeds occur in fields and they are not responsible for this. But the fact is different. In India, Satyanashi occur as wasteland weed. It is not reported as field weed in mustard crop in any part of India. Before describing traditional medicinal knowledge about this herb, I want to mention the mother nature’s wonder here. The mustard like seeds of Satyanashi are responsible for dropsy, but you will be surprised to know that the yellowish juice inside the ste m of same herb is a popular drug to treat dropsy. It is a miracle of mother nature. Seeds are harmful but stem juice is beneficial and can cure the problems created by the seeds, this observation clearly indicates that no plant on this earth is unwanted, every plant is useful for human beings and it is our ignorance to classify some plant as useful and other as weeds. In Chhattisgarh , Satynashi is mainly used for conjuctivitis externally. This use is not limited to traditional healers only, it is common knowledge present in whole state. Like other herbs, the old generation are more aware and frequent user as compared to young educa ye drops. For conjuctivitis, yellow juice of freshly cut stem is used. It is applied on eyelids. Very soon the patient get relief. The traditional healer at Bilaspur City claim that by the use of Satyanashi juice one can get permanent rid from eye glasses. He prepare Kajal or Surma with the help of this juice and recommend his patients to apply it daily upto 6 months. I have not experienced the effects of Satyanashi juice, but I have talked to the patients getting relief by treatment. 

I personally think that there is a strong need of scientific evaluation of these medicinal properties. The scientific name of Satyanashi is Argemone mexicana (In English - Mexican poppy; in Sanskrit-Swarnakshiri or Shrigal Kantha). I have found this botanical description about this herb in reference literatures. Argemone is a glabrous, glaucous herb; stem 0.3-0.12 m high, prickly branching, juice yellow. Leaves thistle like, stem clasping, oblong, 7.5-18 cm, sinuately pinnatifid, spinous, veins white. Flowers terminal, ye llow, 2.5-5cm. Diam. Fruit capsule, prickly, oblong-avoid, 2.5-3.8cm, opening by 4-6 valves, Seeds numerous, globose, netted, brownish black. Flowering time throughout the year in Indian conditions. Many valuable medicinal properties of this herb have been reported in available literatures. In healthy time when there is no trouble in eyes, there are some recommendations by traditional healers of Chhattisgarh to prevent attack of disease and to make eyes healthy. Many of these recommendations are present in form of traditional knowledge in Chhattisgarh and also in other parts of country. One of the common recommendation is to massage gently a mustard oil (sarson ka tel) on both thumbs of legs before taking bath. 

This is belief that it will make your eyes healthy. During winter, the normal person are advised to walk (bare footed) on grass particularly on Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) covered with morning dew. The traditional healers of Bastar and Sarguja recommend routine use of pure honey internally and ext mmend to apply one drop of honey inside the eyes. In case of conjuctivitis, many traditional healers do not prefer any herb, they simply apply few drops of pure honey in both eyes. I have experienced the quick effect of honey. After application, there is a lot of irritation and burning sensation but after few minutes, hot liquid flows outside the eyes and you will feel eyes tension free and light. In our home we prefer honey in case of conjuctivitis as compared to allopathic medicine. Gorakhmundi is common winter season weed of crop fields in Chhattisgarh. The traditional healer of Pendra recommend flower heads of Mundi (locally knows as Gudaria; Scientific name Sphaeranthus indicus) for keeping eyes healthy. He recommend to take forty flower head daily upto one week. According to him, this one week course can prevent the eyes from eye diseases upto one year. Many important and valuable medicinal properties of Gorakhmundi have been reported. It is among the herbs used traditionally in Chhattisgarh for the treatment of many common diseases. It is common belief that observing green things particularly the green vegetation gives relief from tension. In order to list out the useful herbs and traditional medicinal knowledge about these herbs used in case of eye troubles. I am conducting ethnomedico surveys in different parts of Chhattisgarh. I am also taking help of questionaire and personal interview with the help of phone calls. 

I prefer personal contact through visit to the traditional healers. My this survey is focused on traditional medicinal knowledge about herbs used for conjuctivitis and night blindness. I have observed use of common herbs for the treatment of these common diseases. Fortunately in very short time, I have collected a lot of information. I am describing many of these information, in this article. As the eyes are delicate organ, the traditional healers prefer external application and in case of internal application, they always prefer to apply the herb in their own observation. They ne ng to the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, they were instructed by their fore fathers and Guru, to be always careful in case of eye, heart and urinogenital diseases. I am proud to say that the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh are still taking precautions. Wild species of Turmeric (Curcuma sp.), locally known as Van Haldi is commonly used for conjuctivitis. Surprisingly it is not applied on eyes. The traditional healers prepare a Haldi Pani by mixing turmeric in water and apply few drops in ear. If right eye is affected then they apply the drops in right ear and vice-versa. I have talked to the patients getting this treatment. According to the traditional healers, this treatments is effective in reducing eye pain. If necessary, they repeat the procedure once more. 

According to the traditional healer of Durg city, who believe in Unani system of medicine, recommend the boy’s urine for the treatment of conjuctivitis of female patients and vice-versa. The freshly collected urine in soaked in cotton an d kept externally on eyelids of patient, till relief. I have not observed or experienced the efficacy of this treatment. But according to natives, he is well known for this unique treatment. He has informed me that he has got this knowledge from his fore fathers. Freshly collected Bamboo leaves are also used in case of conjuctivis in different parts of Chhattisgarh, specially in places where natural bamboo forest in present. This is used externally on eye lids. Use of fresh juice of Anar (Pomegranate) and Nimbu (Lemon) leaves externally is also in practice. For night blindness external applications of fresh juice of Drumstick branches, black pipper, dried ginger, milk latex of Calotropis gigantea etc. are in practice. The ethnomedico surveys are still in progress. I am confident that in near future, I will get some more information on traditional medicinal knowledge about herbs used for eye troubles in Chhattisgarh.