Major Ipomoea Species (Morning glories) of Chhattisgarh, India : Natural Occurrence, Traditional Medicinal Knowledge and Trade

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

Although over 60 species of Ipomoea are reported in India, but in Chhattisgarh, I have found 18 species of Ipomoea and most of species are of economical importance. The natives and traditional healers of Chhattisgarh are aware of medicinal uses of all 18 species and about 6 species are in routine use as medicine in the state .Many species are in the list of non-wood forest produces and there is a routing demand of these species in national and international drug markets. Many species of Ipomoea have been introduced in Chhattisgarh few decades back and became weed. The Chhattisgarh farmers and natives, do not believe in chemical weed control and as result, they have developed some unique uses of these introduced weeds. The traditional healers are also engaged in development of new formulations from these Ipomoea species. Not much has been written on natural occurrence, traditional medicinal knowledge and trade of Ipomoea species in Chhattisgarh, India. With the help of this article, I am describing details of major eight species of Ipomoea in Chhattisgarh, India.

Major Ipomoea species and Botanical differences among them
Characteristics	Ipomoea	Ipomoea	Ipomoea	Ipomoea	Ipomoea	Ipomoea	Ipomoea
	aquatica	carnea	pes-carpae	pestigridis	reniformis	nil	tur pethum
1) Habit	A very rapid growing, aquatic, trailing or floating, herbaceous, perennial herb	A large diffuse or straggling shrub with milky juice.	An extensively climbing or trailing, perennial herb	A spreading or twinning, herbaceous annual	A herb	An annual herb	Large perennial herb with milky juice, root long, fleshy, much branched
2) Stem	Long, hollow, rooting at nodes	----------	----------	----------	Stems many, fili form, creeping, rooting at the nodes	Stems twinning sparsely hairy	Very long, twining and twisted, together, angled and winged
3) Leaf	Elliptic or ovate oblong, cordate or hestate at base	Ovate-cordate, entire, acuminate	Orbicular, deeply bilobed	Deeply palmate, 5-9 lobed, hairy	Reniform or ovate, cordate, crenate, glabrous, petioles hairy	Ovate-cordate, deeply three lobed, lobes ovate	Ovate or oblong, mucronate, rarely slightly lobed, base cordate or truncate
4) Flower	Infundibuliform, 2.5-5.0 cm long, white or pale purple with a dark purple eye, solitary or 5 flowered cymes	Large, companulate, pale rose, pink or light violet, in lax, dichotomously branched axillary and terminal peduneulate cymes	Large, funnel-shaped, briliant rose-purple, pink or violet, in axillary, pedunculate cymes	Funnel shaped, white or pink, in axillary cymes	Yellow axillary solitary or 2-3 together	In 1-5 flowered axillary cymes, bracts linear, tubular funnel shaped, blue with tinged pink	In few flowered cymes, bracts large, often pinkish, pedicles, thickened upwards, calyx white, 3-8.5 cm long
5) Fruit	Ovoid, 8mm long, smooth, 2-4 seeded capsule	Glabrous capsule, 1.25m long	Small, avoid, glabrous, 4 seeded	Ovoid, paperly, glabrous capsule	Capsule, subglobose, surrounded by ciliate sepals	Capsule, subglobose or ovoid, 3- celled	Capsule, globose, enclosed in enlarged sepals
6) Seed	Densely pubescent	Silky	Dark brown, villiously tomentose	Minutely velvety	Dark chestnut coloured	4-6	-----------
7) Flowering and fruiting	November-January	Throught the year	Throught the year	September to December	September to October		October to January

Beshram was introduced in Chhattisgarh as green manure crop during 1963-64. A senior advocate Mr. Gaya Lal Chandrakar who was rural agricultural extension officer during 1963-64, still remember that at that time he visited Bhopal and brought this herb in trucks as per instructions of his officers. This was first introduction of Beshram in Chhattisgarh. The natives and traditional healers have also confirmed this. The agricultural department started an extensive programme to promote the Beshram cultivation in Chhattisgarh. As you know, the green manure crops are raised prior to main crop and at flowering stage, these crops are buried and decayed in same fields. In general, Leguminous crops are preferred for green manuring. Beshram is not a leguminous herb, its family is Convolvulaceae. In many scientific research works conducted in India and abroad, revealed that the different parts of Beshram are rich in nutrients and it can be used as green manure crop. The agriculture department of Chhattisgarh, introduced Beshram as green manure crop in paddy cultivation. In green manuring, when green manure crop is buried in main fields, sufficient water or moisture is essential in the field, to decompose the crop rapidly. For the decomposition of crop, there is a need of assured irrigation facilities. In absence of assured irrigation facilities, farmers may suffer a lot, if the decomposition process delays, the time of sowing of main crop delays and finally it affect the yield to the great extent.

Common Indian namves of Ipomoea species.
Languages	I.aquatica	I. carnea	I. pescarpae	I. pestigridis	I. reniformis	I-nil	I.turpethum
Bengali	Kalmisag	Beshram	Chhagalkuri	Langulilata	-	-	Dudhkalmi Tohri
Hindi	Kalmisag	Beshram, Behaya	Dopatilata	Ghiabati	Musekani	Kaladara,Mirchai	Nishoth, Pithori
Gujarati	Nalanibhaji	Beshram	Marjadavela	-	Undirkani	Kalaeona, Kalokumpo	Nohatara, Nashotar
Marthi	Nadishaka	Beshram	Maryadvel	-	Undirkani	Nilvel, Nilpushpa	Nishottara
Tamil	Vellaikeerai	-	Adamby	Pulichavali	-	-	Shivadai, Kumbum
Telgu	Tuttikoora	-	Balabanditeegu chevulapil iteega	Chikunuvvu	-	-	-
English	Swamp - Cabbhage	Morning glory	-	-	-	Indian Jalap	False Indian Jalap, Turbith root
Oriya		Behayo	Kanchonaluota	Bilaipadu	-	-	Dudholomo
Malyalam		-	Adumbu valli	Pulichuvatu	-	-	Chivaka, Tribhandi
Sanskrit	Kalaka, Nadika, Pechuli, Shradhashaka	-			Vrischikparni, Mushakaparni	Shyama-bija, Shyama-bijak	Kalaparni, Nandi, Triputi, Trivrit
Kannarese	-	-	-	-	Undirkani	Ganribij	Bili-Aluti gadde, Nagdanti

In Chhattisgarh, the irrigation facilities are still not much developed even to day. The agriculture is dependent on monsoon rains only. You can imagine the situation of 1963-64. When the motivated Chhattisgarh farmers have started the cultivation of Beshram in paddy fields as green manure crop, the problem arises. At the stage of burying and decaying due to lack of timely rains, farmers awaited long and after crossing the flowering stage its vegetative multiplication started in paddy fields. The farmers were getting late in sowing of paddy crop When finely the rains came and farmers buried the Beshram, they noted that this crop was not decaying (because proper stage was over). Many farmers suffered and they failed to sow main crop paddy in their fields. After getting sufficient moisture from rains, Beshram crop became vigorous and started rapid multiplication and in very less time, it spread in farmer’s fields as weed. The farmers invested a lot of money to eradicate this socalled beneficial cop from their crop fields. Experiencing this, all farmers threw away the Beshram crop from their fields and decided to never believe in these extension workers. The extension workers tried to convince the farmers to try this crop once again but they were very angry and the Chhattisgarh farmers are still aware of that bitter experience. The extension workers dropped their plan to promote the cultivation of Beshram as green manure crop and shifted their focus on other crops and programmes. Rejected by the farmers and ignored by the extension workers, the Beshram plant occupied the moist wastelands of Chhattisgarh and in very short time, it became a problematic weed of Chhattisgarh. During my visits to Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India, I have seen miracle effects of Beshram as green manure crop but the conditions of Punjab and Chhattisgarh are totally different. The Punjab is having rich irrigation facilities and in absence of rains, farmers can use these facilities to bury and decompose the green manure crop, timely. The concept of green manure crop is feasible for irrigated areas.

I am searching the name of responsible officer who has introduced Beshram in Chhattisgarh in 1963-64. At that time; unfortunately, the responsible officer have not consulted the ecologists about the impact of this introduction on natural biodiversity of Chhattisgarh Mr. Gaya Lal Chandrakar was very much impressed by this green manure crop initially. As per his information, he tried hard to convince the farmers to cultivate this crop but when the farmers started facing the problems, Mr. Chandrakar shocked and decided to resign from this job. Today he have no faith on research recommendations. Beshram herb as weed enjoyed the climate and freedom of Chhattisgarh. About 20 years after its introduction in Chhattisgarh, the weed scientists noticed its spread in Chhattisgarh. It is declared as problematic weed and a trend of expensive projects in the name of eradication of this weed has started. As the infestation of Beshram increased in moist wastelands due to high evapotranspiration, this herb was blamed as natural water looser. The herb has became the shelter places for many venomous creatures and poisonous insects. The domestic cattles visiting the water bodies were started getting casualities from these creatures and insects. As you know, the farming and life in Chhattisgarh are dependent on rains, the natives are using water storage ponds from decades, in order to collect the rain water for odd days. The increased infestation of Beshram in these ponds attracted the attention of common people and on the basis of its shameless nature of spread, the name Beshram ( Shameless) was given to this herb. Few years back, in my surveys I have noted that Beshram is one of the most preferred herbs by the blister causing toxic insect Orange Banded blister Beetle, Zonabris pustulata. You can seen heavy infestation of this harmful beetle in Beshram flowers. These beetles attack on the person, disturbing this herb. This is the reason the natives avoid to enter the water bodies having Beshram herb. According to the natives, Beshram is a shelter place of a typical green snake, poisonous to their cattle and the cattle die with in minutes after this snake bite. I have yet not seen this snake in Beshram infested water bodies. The cattle never prefer to eat this herb, but when accidentally they try to eat the flowers and nearer new leaves, they swallow these beetles accidentally and a single beetle is enough to kill an individual. Beshram is found as weed in almost every corner of Chhattisgarh. In natural forests, it has became a curse for aquatic herbs. Like cattle, it is harmful to the wildlife but no one has given time, to study the impact of this exotic species in natural forests of Chhattisgarh. Recently, while studying the research journals, I read that many scientists of Chhattisgarh are planning to promote the use of Beshram as green manure again in the state. Possibly these scientists, are from new generation and they are not aware of bitter experiences of Chhattisgarh farmers. The old generation of scientists have not told their mistakes to new generation but the old farmers have already warned their new generations to believe less (and be cautious) in scientific communities.

Many studies on use of Dhaincha (Sesbania) as green manure crop are in progress. The funding agencies are wasting lot of money in these meaningless studies and researchers are wasting valuable time and effort. Unfortunately no one is ready to learn from past experiences. Before describing other details, I am describing the botany of this herb, I have noted from reference literatures. The scientific name of Beshram in Ipomoea carnea. It is a large, diffuse or straggling shrub with milky juice; Leaf ovate -cordate, entire, acuminate; Flower large campanulate, pale rose, pink or light violet (light violet varieties are most common in Chhattisgarh ), in lax, dichotomously branched axillary ad terminal, pedunculate cymes; Fruits glabrous capsule; Seed silky. Flowering time throughout the year. Living with this herb since many decades, the natives and traditional healers have developed many uses of Beshram. The traditional healers are aware of its harmful impact on their natural forests and bio-diversity. They have taken it as challenge and according to them the new uses of this herb can manage this herb in the state. Although the traditional healers are not aware of modern R&D methodologies and advanced equipment, but their experiments, are on. Many healers are using Beshram for the treatment of skin troubles successfully. The milky juice of Beshram is used for the treatment of Safed Dag (Leucoderma). The juice is collected and applied externally on affected parts.

The traditional healers of Bastar, have focused their experiments on roots. And they are using it in different formulations. They are also trying to evaluate the medicinal properties of soil nearer to Beshram roots. In my previous articles based on my ethnomedico surveys in Oodlabari region of West Bengal, India, you will get more information on its use as pot herb (vegetable). The natives of Chhattisgarh are not aware of this use but they informed me that they have tried to use the fresh twigs, as Dataun (Herbal Tooth Brush) but not got the success. I salute these efforts and experimentation of the natives and traditional healers of Chhattisgarh. Seeing its adoptability and multiplication rate, the natives have started using Beshram as live fencing. Although it is reported that the fumes are toxic but the poor natives are using the dry stem of Beshram as fuel wood. The use of Beshram as fence is very popular in villages nearer to forests where wild herbivore animals visits to farmer’s fields in search of food and destroys the crops. The natives release the blister beetle on these live fences and when wild animals enter through these fences, the beetles attack and injure them. Many industrialist of Chhattisgarh, are using Beshram along with Typha to treat polluted tanks. In many places it is used for thatching purposes. The farmers aware of its slow decomposition nature, are collecting its leaves and decaying it in compost pit for preparation of green manure. According to them, it is rather easy to decompose leaves as compared to the whole herb.

In my allelopathic studies, I have observed the stimulatary effects of different parts of Beshram on germination and seedling vigour of many crop seeds. When Beshram is established as weed in literatures related to weed science, surprisingly and suddenly in research papers and reports the flood of the findings related to its harmful effects have started. Every one is blaming the Beshram as harmful herb and no one is ready to accept this fact that is also a nature’s gift to humankind. In my allelopathy field, surprisingly no one has reported the stimulatory allelopathic effects of Beshram, although a lot of work have been done on this herb. This is a wrong trend in research that the researchers follow blindly the published works. If any scientist reports that this herb is harmful, every one writes yes it is harmful. This trend is both in national and international level. The honourable referees of research journals never encourage the new findings and as result the scientists manipulate the findings, because they know only data similar to early reported studies can help in publishing their work as research paper. This is really shocking and sad. When I reported the stimulatory allelopathic effects of Beshram after long struggle, suddenly the trend changed, now more and more scientists are publishing papers indicating that Beshram is really an useful allelopathic herb. I am aware that many of such studies are not genuine and data are created in rooms. Many of my farmers specially the farmers engaged in organic farming are adopting my method of Beshram utilization. In this method the farmers collect the leaves of Beshram and decay it in water in specific ratio. After decay, the extraction is performed and crop seeds are soaked in extract for 24 hours. After this soaking the farmers sow these seed without treating it with chemicals. According to the farmers, this soaking treatment enhance the germination and seedling vigour, helps crops to smoother the weeds and reduce early crop weed competition. The farmers use Beshram with other herbs and cow urine to repel away the insects and pathogens in crop fields. We are engaged to make these methods more users friendly and effective. In reference literatures, it is mentioned that Beshram is native to South America. I am expecting that the natives and traditional healers of South America must be aware of different medicinal uses (also other uses) of Beshram and interactions with the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh and South America, can help the world community to know more about this herb.

Karmatta and Muscaini are popular potherbs of Chhattisgarh. Karmatta is under cultivation in many parts of Chhattisgarh particularly in urban areas. The scientific name of Karmatta is Ipomoea aquatica. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh are aware of medicinal properties of Karmatta bhaji and they frequently recommend it as dietary supplement to the patients particularly the female patients. The natives eat this Bhaji because of its good taste. In rural and forest areas of the state, it occurs as weed in water bodies. In urban areas, Karmatta is still popular as potherb and to fulfil the demand of urban areas, many farmers grow this herb in low lying areas along with the railway track. During my ethnomedico surveys, I have observed that its use is decreasing as educated and young natives hesitate to eat the vegetables grown in waste water. Now Karmatta is becoming "The poor man’s vegetable". In rural areas, it is a general trend that educated or person living in cities avoid to eat the vegetables found as weed in fields. This is against their "Status Symbol" and they use highly priced cultivated vegetables. In other parts of India, it is popularly known as Kalmisag or Nalinibhaji. In reference literatures related to different systems of medicine, Karmatta holds a reputed position. Its use as potherb is not described in majority of literatures. The details on medicinal properties are available. According to Ayurveda, Karmatta as medicinal herb is aphrodisiac, galactagogue, anthelmintic and useful in leucoderma, leprosy, fevers and biliousness. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh use this herb in the treatment of over 50 common diseases. I am describing its botany in short. It is a very rapid growing, aquatic, trailing or floating, herbaceous herb; stem long, hollow, rooting at nodes; leaf elliptic or ovate-oblong, cordate or hastate at base ; Flower infundibuliform, white or pale purple with a dark purple eye, solitary or five flowered cyme; fruit ovoid, smooth and 2-4 seeded capsule; seed densely pubescent. In low land paddy fields and canals, it grows naturally. For weed scientists it is one of the problematic weeds. Many agrochemicals are recommended for eradication of this weed in crop fields and canals.. As farmers are aware of the utility of this herb as vegetable, they never use chemicals to manage it. As it is common herb in different parts of India, there is no demand of different parts of this herb in national and international markets. Muscaini is known as Muscaini because its reniform leaves looks like the ears of mouse (Mus-Mouse; Kaini-Ear).Due to the shape of leaves (kidney shaped) according to the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, it is useful in kidney related troubles. The scientific name of Muscaini is Ipomoea reniform is. Its leaves resemble the leaves of Mandukparni Centella asiatica and in confusion many collectors supply this herb in name of Mandukparni to the traders. Botanically both are entirely different species. Like Karmatta, Muscaini is also a popular pot herb. It is found as weed in Kharif (rainy) season crops and in wastelands. During my ethnomedico surveys, I have observed many biotypes of Muscaini. The traditional healers informed me that rose and yellow flowered types are common in Chhattisgarh and they use both types for preparation of drugs. The natives are strictly following this. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh told me that regular use of this herb as vegetable prevents the attack of kidney related troubles. They instruct the patients suffering from kidney troubles to eat regularly this herb. As vegetable, leaves are preferred but in many parts natives use whole plant as vegetable. In reference literatures the medicinal properties of Muscaini are described. According to Ayurveda, Muscaini is bitter, acrid and pungent and useful in treatment of kidney related troubles, pain, fevers, urethral discharges, fistula, anaemia (the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh recommend the anaemic patients to eat Muscaini and Karmatta during the season to get early relief), leucoderma and diseases of lungs, heart, abdomen, bladder and uterus. Botanically Muscaini is wasteland herb with many stems, creeping and rooting at nodes, clothed with long and dense hairs; Leaves reniform, crenate, glabrous, and with hairy petioles; Flowers yellow (rose coloured type is also found in Chhattisgarh), axillary, solitary or -3 to gather on a very short peduncle, Fruit capsule, sub globose, surrounded by ciliate sepals; seed dark coloured. As it is common wasteland herb with no demand as medicinal herb, it is not in the list of herb growers and collectors.

Bhuikohla (Ipomoea digitata), Nishoth (Ipomoea turpethum) and Kaladana (Ipomoea nil) are in the list of important non wood forest produces of Chhattisgarh. There is a fair demand of all these herbs in national and international drug markets. All three are forest species. I have observed the natural occurrence of these herbs in almost every part but the Amarkantak region (Madhya Pradesh -Chhattisgarh border) and Bastar are rich in these herbs. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh are aware of the medicinal properties of all three herbs. I have written about traditional medicinal knowledge Nishoth in my previous article (also the botany). You will get the details of traditional medicinal knowledge about Kaladana and Bhuikohla in my coming articles. Here I am describing the botany and reported medicinal uses of these two herbs. In other parts of India, Bhuikohla is also known as Bilaikand. In reference literatures related to botany I have found this detail. Bhuikohla is perennial herb with large and ovoid roots; stem long, thick and twinning; Leaves 10-15 cm long, deeply palmately divided, lobes 5-7 ovate-lanceolate, entire, pale and glabrous; Flower in many flowered corym basely paniculate cymes : peduncle solitary axillary, purple; fruit capsule, 4-celled, enclosed in fleshy sepals ; Seeds clothed with brown hairs. According to Ayurveda roots of Bhuikohla are cooling, hard to digest, tonic, aphrodisiac galactagogue, diuretic stimulant and alterative. It is useful in leprosy, sensation, vomiting, blood diseases and hair problems. Kaladana is named because of its black (Kala in Hindi) seeds (dana). It is used as cheap purgative. The traders of Chhattisgarh are not aware of its uses. According to them there is a routine demand of this herb in markets. Most of them supply the seeds to specific pharmaceutical companies in different parts of India. The traders are not aware of its international demand. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh are aware of its uses. Botanically Kaladana is an annual herb (found in forest floor); stems twinning, sparsely hairy; Leaves ovate-cordate, deeply three lobed, lobes ovate; Flowers in 1-5 flowered axillary cymes, bracts linear; Corolla tubular funnel shaped, blue tinged with pink; Fruits capsule, sub-globose or ovoid, 3-ceeled; seeds small and numerous. This herb is not under cultivation in Chhattisgarh.

During 1993-94, when I was taking a training named rural agricultural work experience (RAWE) at Sarguja region, I got opportunity to observe the natural population of Panchpatri and its traditional uses. In this part of Chhattisgarh, Panchpatri is found as roadside and wasteland weed. The natives and traditional healers use this herb for the treatment of many common disease both internally and externally. One of the most common uses is the external application of leaves on boils and wounds to heal it early. The healers use this herb for face care. The roots are popular purgative. It is also used as veterinary medicine by the natives. The scientific name of Panchpatri is Ipomoea pes tigridis. I have seen its natural occurrence in other parts of Chhattisgarh also. Botanically it is spreading herbaceous annual; Leaves deeply palmate, hairy; Flower funnel shaped, white or pink, in axillary cymes; Fruit ovoid, papery glabrous capsule; seeds minutely velvety. Unfortunately, not much has been written in reference literatures about this herb. I am proud to write that the natives and traditional healers are using this herb for the treatment of many common disease successfully since generations. As it occurs as weed it is neither in demand nor under cultivation.

The Agricultural researchers of Chhattisgarh have found the climatic condition of Bastar suitable for commercial cultivation of Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and agricultural extension workers are now promoting its commercial cultivation in the region. The scientists working on tuberous crops of Bastar, have also collected some wild related species of sweet potato from the Bastar forests. As agricultural crop much have been mentioned and written on sweet potato, I am not describing it in detail