Medicinal herbs of Chhattisgarh, India having less known traditional uses. XXXXVII. Kukurjiwah (Leea indica family : Leeaceae)

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

Like the herb Hadjod (Cissus quadrangularis), the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh use this herb in treatment of bone fractures, but it is used internally only. Its freshly extracted juice is given with Kali Mirch for this purpose. According to the traditional healers, it acts fastly and play a vital role in quick reunion of fractured bones. The natives of many parts of Chhattisgarh are also aware of this use. They use it as veterinary medicine in case of bone fractures. The traditional healers of Southern Chhattisgarh use the herb in treatment of insomnia. The patients are advised to take the juice internally. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh informed me that they use it as anti-allergic also. It acts effectively against the allergy problem common due to atmospheric pollution in urban areas. Its utility in these cases, have increased its harvesting from wild these days and both the healers and traders are taking interest in its collection. The natural forests of Chhattisgarh are rich in natural population of Kukujiwah. But very few healers are aware of its medicinal properties and uses. This is the reason I have kept this herb in less known traditional uses category. The healers of Sarguja region use this herb in treatment of ear related troubles but as other promising alternatives are available it is used less frequently. In Bilaspur region of Chhattisgarh the tribal use the young shoots as vegetable. This use is not common in other parts. The ethnobotanical surveys conducted among the bone fixers revealed that most of them are aware of its use in bone fractures and the positive observation is that they are using it in their regular practice. I have yet not found much details regarding its medicinal uses in reference literatures related to different systems of medicine in India. Botanically, Leea indica (Syn. Staphylea indica syn. L. sambucina) is a shrub having height upto 5 meters, grow as an undergrowth; Leaves 2-3 pinnate, upto one meter long; leaflets many, oblong, ovate-lanceolate, apex long acuminate, base acute or truncate, margins sharply serrate, stipules obovate, caduceus; Flowers pale green; Berries sub-globose, red to black, 3-6 seeded. Flowering and fruiting from May to December in Chhattisgarh conditions. It is not in list of non-wood, forest produces of Chhattisgarh having routine demand. Now understanding its new uses as anti-allergic its collection has started. I personally feel that there is a strong need to monitor the newly emerging trade, regularly and sincerely. The traditional healers using this herb informed me that all parts of Kukurjiwah are medicinally important but roots are used commonly. According to them, it prefers calcium rich soil to grow. With the help of traditional healers we are trying to evaluate the anti-allergic properties of this herb against allergy caused by obonoxious weed Parthenium hysterophorus. Through this article, I would like to request the experts engaged in clinical trials to conduct similar trials with the help of modern scientific methods and tools. The initial observations revealed that there is a tremendous scope in this field. From the traditional healers of Bilaspur region, I got information that a typical insect infest this herb in wild. The healers use this insect as medicinal insect in treatment of common fever. The insect is used in form of decoction in combination with other herbs. I have yet not seen the insect. Very soon I visit to this specific area for collection of this medicinal insect. According to the healers, this insect is host specific. I will write more on this aspect after coming back.

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