Traditional Medicinal Knowledge about medicinal herb Til (Sesamum indicum) in Chhattisgarh, India

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

As a student of Agronomy, I have read that Sesamum, commonly known as Til, is one of the important edible oilseeds cultivated in India. It is grown in the country since antiquity. India is a major producer of this crop in the world. Til is rich in oil (50 percent) and protein (18-20 percent). About 78 percent of the Til seed produced in India is used for oil extraction, 2.5 percent for planting purposes and the rest is used in confections and in religious Hindu ceremonies. As a student, I was not aware of Medicinal properties and uses of Til as medicine. When I started ethnomedico surveys, I was surprised to know that although for farmers it is just oilseed crop but for the herb experts and traditional healers of Chhattisgarh , it is valuable medicinal herb. Through these surveys, I have collected a lot of information on ethnomedico uses of Til in different parts of Chhattisgarh. I personally feel that if we give recognition to the ethnomedico uses of Til, this oilseed crop can become a potential medicinal crop and the farmers can get more higher price for their produce. In Chhattisgarh, Til is cultivated as major oilseed crop. There are many varieties, developed by research centres, suitable for different agro climatic situations. As oil seed crop the main emphasis of crop breeders is on higher production. Heavy doses of chemical inputs have been recommended and used by the scientists and farmers. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, don not consider these high yielding varieties suitable for preparation of drugs. They prefer organically grown traditional varieties. Their emphasis is on low yielding high quality herbs. Most of the healers specialised in using Til as medicine, grow this herb in their Badi or home gardens according to their need and use it as per need. The healers use it both externally and internally. At present, Til seeds are only important for farmers but for the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh all parts of Til are valuable and useful as medicine . According to the healers, all stages of Til herb is useful in treatment of common diseases. On the basis of seed colour, there are two groups of Til, white seeded and black seeded. The white seeded Til have less number of flowers and branches as compared to black seeded Til. Although in reference literatures, related to different systems of medicine, medicinally black seeded type is considered best as compared to white seeded type but for the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, both types have their own importance and uses. The healers use the Til oil as base oil for the preparation of herbal oils very frequently. I have written a lot on this aspect in my previous articles focused on herbal oils and I am not repeating all these in this article. In present article, I am describing some practical ethnomedico uses of different parts of Til herb.

The traditional healers use beautiful flowers of Til as medicine very frequently. In case of urinary troubles particularly in dysuria the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, use Til flower successfully. They collect 40 to 45 flowers of Til and clean it with water. After washing they dip it in half glass of water. Twelve hours after dipping, the patients are advised to drink the water. The traditional healers instruct the patients to take this medicated water twice a day, one at morning and second dose at evening till relief. I have talked to the patents using this medicated water. According to them, within one month this water solve the problem. The healers informed that it is "Poor Man’s herb" for the patients suffering from Sujak (gonorrhoea). Many healers use these Til flowers externally in treatment of eye troubles. For treatment of eye troubles they use Till flower in combination with other herbs. In rural areas of Chhattisgarh, it is general practice that natives collect the dew drops from Til herb and apply one to two drops inside the eyes. According to them, it is good eye tonic. The traditional healers are also aware of this use. According to them, white seeded variety is preferred for dew collection and dew drops collected on flowers are most important and useful. This use reduce the unwanted heat from eyes. Many healers informed me that this dew is very good hair tonic also, but it is difficult to collect large amount of dew. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh use the Til roots (before flowering) for treatment of Pathari (Renal Calculi). The roots are collected and after drying, the healers burnt it. The patients are advised to use the ash with pure honey. The healers informed me that it is promising solution (Shartia Dava). As overdose can cause many troubles, the healers give this ash under their strict supervision. In urinary troubles the traditional healers also use the leaves of white seeded Til variety. The healers collect the leaves from five plants and dip it in two glass of water. After dipping they extract the juice from leaves. After extraction, they add two pinch of Kali Mirch (Black Pipper) and sugar (for taste) and the patients are advised to drink this water, till relief. According to the traditional healers of Pendra region, this medicated water is also a good sex tonic. Like in other parts of India, the sweets prepared from both black and white seed varieties are very popular in Chhattisgarh. These sweets are popularly known as Laiya, Gajak or Papdi. Both sugar and gud (Jaggery) are used to prepare the sweets. According to the traditional healers sweets prepared from black seeded variety and gud are best for health. The natives use these sweets during winter. Although most of them are not aware of its medicinal uses, but the healers informed me that these sweets very useful as medicine.

The natives also prepare "Laddus" from Til seeds. The Laddu prepared by using black seeded Til is considered as best tonic for lungs. The patients suffering from asthma and related respiratory troubles are advised to take these Laddus twice a day during whole winter season. I have tried this Laddus for my respiratory troubles successfully. These sweets are also very beneficial for the patients suffering from chronic constipation. According to the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh these sweets are natural blood purifier and develops resistance in body. The Sweets prepared from black seeded Til are used for treatment of piles and mouth troubles. The traditional healers instruct the patients to drink plenty of water after eating the sweets. This drinking helps the patients to get rid from piles. In reference literatures, related to different systems of medicine, Til holds a reputed position as medicinal herb. According to Ayurveda, seeds are acrid, oleaginous, indigestible, tonic, cooling, galactagogue, diuretic, astringent to bowels, and aphrodisiac. It is useful in treatment of diarrhoea, gout, diseases of eye and urinary system. Roots are aphrodisiac, hair tonic and useful in treatment of Sore-throat, inflammations, bleeding piles, spleen troubles, and gout whereas seed oil is fattening, strengthening and useful in dry cough, asthma, lung diseases, scabies, Small-pox, syphilitic ulcers and inflammations. The scientific name of Til is Sesamum indicum (family : Pedaliaceae). I am describing its botany, I have noted from reference literatures. It is a herbaceous annual having height upto 2.0 meters. The stem is erect, normally square in section; Stem colour light green to almost purple, but the most common is darkish - green shade. The upper part of the stem is particularly covered with short and dense hairs; Leaves variable in size and shape; In general, the lower leaves tend to be broader while the upper ones narrow; Arrangements of leaves may be alternate, opposite or mixed; Inflorescence is a raceme and the flowers arise in the axils of the leaves and on the upper portion of the stem and branches. The flower has a two-lipped, tubular corolla with five lobes which are united at the base; The colour of Corolla varies from white to purple; Fruits capsule having two or four carpels; Numerous seeds are borne; Seeds are small, ovate, slightly flattened and some what thinner at the hilum; seed colour as mentioned earlier, black, white or in various shades.

Many traditional medicinal uses of Til as described in this article, are not mentioned in reference literatures. I personally feel that there is a strong need for documentation of such uses. These medicinal uses will help us to establish this important oilseed crop as medicinal crop in Chhattisgarh, and farmers can get additional income by selling its different parts as medicine with the help of herb traders. Recently, the traditional healers of Raipur region informed me that they have information regarding use of Til herb with different traditional medicinal rice varieties. This is really unique and unreported information. I am focusing my surveys on this important information. I will write a separate article on this aspect very soon.