Medicinal herbs of Chhattisgarh, India having less known traditional uses. XXXXXVII. Choupatia (Marsitea minuta, family Marsileaceae)

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

Choupatia is a common herb grows as weed in rice fields in Chhattisgarh. As you know, Chhattisgarh is known for its potherbs also. The natives use many common herbs mostly weeds as potherbs. Choupatia is among popular potherbs of Chhattisgarh. The natives consume it for taste. For the traditional healers of the state, it is a valuable medicinal herb. The patients having the problem of Insomnia are advised by the healers to eat the curry prepared by using Choupatia leaves. Very few natives are aware of this medicinal use but they know that it must be consumed during night time as it is very difficult to do heavy field work after its consumption. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh also use this herb in treatment of Migraine. They prepare a decoction by boiling its leaves in water and give it internally during attack. Before attack, it is given as preventive. In many parts of Chhattisgarh, the healers use its leaves in combination with other herbs in treatment of intestinal worms. But as other promising and cheap alternatives are available it is used less frequently. Choupatia is not in the list of medicinal herbs of Chhattisgarh having regular demand. As it is easily available, it is not sold as priced vegetable in local markets. According to reference literatures, Choupatia is a common on fern; Rhizome wide-creeping, rooting in mud; Fronds erect, stipe length depends upto the depth of water, usually upto 30 cm; Leaflets 4, cruciform, oblanceolate or obovate, size depends upon ecological conditions, thin shining dark green; Margins entire to crenate, if water is plenty, leaflets are of bigger in size, much reduced in xerophytic conditions; Sporocarps plenty, staiked, comprising of two types of spores, the large megaspore and smaller microspores. In reference literatures related to different systems of medicine, I have yet not found the details regarding its medicinal properties and uses as medicinal herb.
Through the on-going ethnobotanical surveys, I am trying my best to gather more information on its traditional medicinal uses in Chhattisgarh.

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