Medicinal herbs of Chhattisgarh, India having less known traditional uses. XXXXXV. Giddi Van (Pulicaria crispa, family Compositae)

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

Since my childhood, playing with village children I am listening the name of this common herb. When I studied about weeds during my

M. Sc. (Agronomy) course, the name of Giddi Van came again as common weed that competes with agricultural crops for light, moisture and nutrients. During field works, as student of weed science I uprooted this weed to clean the experimental fields. When I started loving the medicinal herbs and visited and interacted with the traditional healers, the name of Giddi Van appeared again as valuable medicinal herb. I was never imagined that one day I will get the opportunity to tell the world community about this herb. Since my childhood, I am aware that the farmers engaged in cattle farming use this herb very frequently. Like the use of Tridax procumbens or Cynodon dactylon by human beings to stop the bleeding from injured parts as first aid measures, Giddi van is used in case of cattle. During the attack of infectious diseases in cattle the care takers wash the cattle with the decoction of whole herb. It is used as both preventive and curative. Through the ethnobotanical surveys conducted in different parts of Chhattisgarh, India, I have collected a lot of information on traditional medicinal knowledge of Giddi van. Unfortunately, not much have been written about the medicinal properties and uses of this valuable herb in reference literatures related to different systems of medicine in India. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh use the whole herb externally in treatment of Bavasir (Piles) in different ways. They prepare the decoction and suggest the patients to use it externally to wash the anus. It is considered as one of the promising treatments to stop the bleeding from Piles immediately. In another way, the freshly collected herb is dried in shade and put in fire. The patients having the problem of Piles are advised to expose the anus in fumes.

The traditional healers of Bastar region use the ash of burnt herb externally in treatment of ring worm. The fresh herb is also used for this purpose. The herb collectors of Southern Chhattisgarh informed me that its roots possess anti-venom properties and the specific smell of roots repel away the scorpions. This is the reason they tie the fresh roots around the ankle during field visits. The roots are also kept inside the shoes. I have yet not seen its practical use. Giddivan is not in the list of medicinal herbs of Chhattisgarh having regular demand in national and international drug markets. Its occurrence as wasteland herb in almost all parts of India is the possible reason for this less demand. The herb collectors collect its roots for adulteration is other herbs roots but they do not disclose that in which herbs these roots are mixed. According to reference literatures related to flora, one more species of Pulicaria, other than Pulicaria crispa, is reported in Chhattisgarh. It is Pulicaria angustifolia but Giddi Van I am observing since childhood is Pulicaria crispa (Syn. Francoeuria crispa) I am giving its botanical description, I have noted from the reference literatures. Botanically, it is annual or perennial erect branched whitish wolly herbs, 30-70 cm high, woody at base; Leaves sessile, obovate-oblong, obtuse, margins crisped or recurved, toothed; upper most leaves linear on lanceolate, wolly on both surfaces. Heads in branched panicles; Involucral bracts many-seriate, outer bract linear, acute, glandular hairy, inner bracts, linear, acute, scarious; Ray-florets ligulate, disc florets 3-5 dentate; Achenes terete, glabrous; pappus white, sub-plumosely scabrid above. Flowering and fruiting October to January in Chhattisgarh conditions. Its use as veterinary medicine is common in all parts of Chhattisgarh. As herb researcher, I consider its utility aspect more important than its weedy properties, I will write more on this valuable herb in future articles.

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