Medicinal herbs of Chhattisgarh, India having less known traditional uses. 62. Mamuri (Flacourtia indica; family Flacourtiaceae)

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
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Mamuri is the name of this herb in Oriya. I have seen this herb in areas near to Chhattisgarh. Orissa border and also found that the traditional healers of these areas have rich traditional medicinal knowledge about this herb. The drummers use this herb very frequently in case of body pain and to get rid from it in very less time. Its seeds and leaves are used for this purpose. The seeds are mixed in water and an aqueous paste is prepared. This paste is applied all over the body. The healers also add Neem leaves and Haldi (Curcuma longa) rhizome powder in this paste to make it more powerful. The leaf juice is applied externally like seed paste. Also, the decoction of leaves is given internally. The healers of other parts of Chhattisgarh use Mamuri alone or in combination with other herbs in treatment of Migraine and rheumatic pain. Its fruits are one of the popular edible fruits of Chhattisgarh. According to the reference literatures related to different systems of medicine in India, the fruit posses diuretic properties. The healers of Chhattisgarh are not much aware of this property. In combination with other herbs, they use it in enlarged spleen. The traditional healers of Bagbahera region use the roots in combination with parts in treatment of Kidney pain and to flush out the stones. Although Mamuri is a common medicinal herb in Chhattisgarh but this is really surprising that the traditional healers are not much aware of its medicinal properties and uses. The herb is not in the list of medicinal herbs having regular demand in national and international markets. I am describing its botany, I have noted from reference literatures. Botanically, Mamuri (Flacourtia indica syn. Gmelina indica syn. Flacourtia sepiaria sy. F. ramontchi) is a deciduous shrub or small tree, with young branches and leaves pubescent; spines axillary; leaves ovate to almost orbicular, veins prominent, pubescent, margins crenate to serrate, apex obtuse to acute, Male flower in short branched clustered racemes, sometimes on the thorns; Female flowers on short branches, solitary or impairs. Fruits globose and seeds obovoid. Flowering and fruiting time from March to June in Chhattisgarh conditions. It is not wrong to write that its use to provide relief to drummers, has established this herb in Chhattisgarh. This use is still very popular. The other uses are less popular because the healers have other promising alternatives.

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