Traditional medicinal knowledge about common herbs used in treatment of Leucorrhoea (Safed Pani) in Chhattisgarh, India

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

The problem of Safed Pani (Leucorrhoea - a whitish viscous discharge from the vagina and uterine) is very common in Chhattisgarh. In urban areas, the problem is more severe as compared to rural areas. The traditional healers and natives have rich traditional medicinal knowledge about common herbs used in treatment of Safed Pani. This is the reason that it is not consider as serious problem in rural areas even today. According to the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, Safed Pani is not a disease but it is a result of many complicated disease and with the help of natural cure, one can get rid from this problem in very less time. In this article, I am describing traditional medicinal knowledge present in natives and traditional healers, separately. According to the natives, in most of the cases, the patients get cure from home remedies but in case of complexities, they consult the traditional healers for treatment. The natives prepare various preparations from wild Aonla fruits for the Leucorrhoea patients. In general, the fruits are collected from wild early in the morning and dried in shade. After drying, it is converted into powder. A teaspoonful of powder is recommended with two tea spoonful of pure honey, daily. As mentioned earlier, only wild Aonla fruits are preferred, as these fruits are rich in fibre and medicinal properties. Cultivated high yielding Aonla fruits are not preferred by the natives. For wild fruits, the natives living in urban areas are dependent on local herb shops, where it is hard to get pure powder. According to the natives, regular intake of above mentioned doses daily, one can get rid from this problem within a month. In case of less relief, the patients are advised to take fresh juice of Aonla fruit, in place powder with pure honey. The scientific name of Aonla is Emblica officinalis (Syn. Phyllanthus emblica; family: Euphorbiaceae).

Botanical differences between major Bauhinia species.
Characteristics	Bauhinia tomentosa	Bauhinia variegata
1) Habit	An erect shrub, Branches slender, terete, zig-zag	A medium sized deciduous tree, young shoots brown pubscent.
2) Leaves	Broader than long, divided a little less, than half into two rounded lobes, base truncate.	10-15 cm, long and as broad, cleft 1/4 to 1/3 into two obtuse lobes, base deeply cordate.
3) Flowers	Usually in pairs, petals rarely (one or three) on short axillary or leaf opposed peduncles, petals 3.8-5.0 cm, yellow, much imbricated, obovate, spatulate.	In racemes, large fragrant, white or purplish, petals 5.0-6.3 cm, long, Clavate with broad claws, all white or four parts purple and fifth darker.
4) Fruits	Pod, stalked, 10.0-12.5x1.3-1.6 cm, flat, pointed, veined.	Pod, 15-20x1.8-2.5 cm flat dehiscent.
5) Seeds	8 - 12 .	10 -15 .

The natural forests of Chhattisgarh are well known for natural population of wild Aonla trees and Aonla fruits are in list of non wood forest produces having regular high demand. When drought occurs in any part of Aonla rich forests in India the demand and rates of local Aonla increases many folds. Few decades back, due to high demand, the pressure on natural forests increased many folds. And in order to fulfil the demand, the collectors started felling the whole trees instead of collection of fruits only. During my ethnobotanical surveys in different parts of Chhattisgarh, many natives complained that due to this unscientific exploitation, the natural population has decreased upto one third. During the preparation of bio-diversity action plant of Chhattisgarh state, we have added the fact in the draft in order to emphasize the need to educate the collectors about non-destructive harvesting methods. Seeing the heavy demand of Aonla fruits as non-wood forest produce, many innovative rich farmers have started commercial plantation of Aonla trees but unfortunately they are growing high yielding hybrid varieties having less medicinal properties. As medicine, there is less demand of cultivated species in drug markets. As medicine, Aonla hods a reputed position in different systems of medicine in India. All parts of Aonla are used as medicine. According to Ayurveda Aonla fruit is acrid, sour, cooling, alexiteric, carminative, alterative, laxative, tonic and antipyretic. It is useful in treatment of burning sensation, vomiting, inflammations, erysipelas, piles, anaemia, strangury, sweats anuria. Leaf is useful in treatment of ophthalmia and incipient blindness whereas seeds are useful in asthma, bronchitis, leucorrhoea and considered as acrid and aphrodisiac. I have described its botany and many traditional medicinal uses in my previous articles. The matured fruit of Kela (Banana) is also considered as best remedy for Leucorrhoea by the natives. They suggest the patients to take a banana fruit, with milk and honey. The natives of Chhattisgarh Plains, Suggest the patients to take matured fruit with cow’s ghee as treatment. A sweet dish "Kheer" is also prepared by mixing the banana fruit in milk. Banana is under cultivation as horticultural crop in Chhattisgarh . The farmers are taking keen interest in commercial cultivation of this important fruit crop. Under the technical guidance of eminent horticulturist Dr. Sanket Thakur, an advanced tissue culture lab is also working in the state, in order to provide the high yielding varieties to interested banana growers.

Common and popular names of Bauhinia species around the world.
Languages/Regions/Countries	B. tomentosa	B. variegata
1) Myanmar	Maha-le-ga-wa	Bwaycheng, Bwechin
2) Kanarese	Kadatti, Karanasupu	Arisinantige, Ayata
3) Hindi	Kachnar, Kanchana	Barial, Kachnar, Kandan
4) Malyalam	Kanjanam, Kattatti	Kovidaram, Suvannamadaram
5) Marathi	Aptu, Pivalakanchan	Kanchan, Thaur
6) Sanskrit	Phalgu, Pitakanchana, Ush madugha	Raktakanchana, Gandari, Yugapatraka, Kantar
7) Tamil	Iruvaji, Kanjani, Kattatti, Tiruvatti	Mandarai, Segapumanchori, Semmadarai, Vellaippuvatti
8) Telugu	Adavimandaramu, Devakanjanamu, Kanjelapa, Kanjini, Mandara, Palepi	Bodanta, Kanjanamu, Mandara, Mandari

Last week, I got the information in form of news from BBC that due to attack of specific diseases, the banana crop will become extinct within next ten years. This is really shocking. Fortunately, the banana crops in Chhattisgarh are free from these diseases. In my previous article on Aphrodisiac of Chhattisgarh, I described the uses of Singhara fruits and its various preparations, popular in Chhattisgarh. The natives use this useful aquatic herb also for the treatment of Leucorrhoea. A sweet dish "Halwa is given to the patients suffering from leucorrhoea. The special Chapati prepared from the fruit powder (dried) of Singhara is also given to the patients. The scientific name of Singhara is Trapa bispinosa. The fruits of indigenous varieties of Tamatar, locally known as Patal (Tomato) are also considered a good supplement in treatment of leucorrhoea. High yielding tasteless Tamatar fruits are not used for treatment. Tamatar is also under cultivation in Chhattisgarh as vegetable crop but like other crops the area under low yielding indigenous varieties is decreasing very rapidly. Different parts and species of Tulsi herb (Ocimum species) are also used in treatment by the natives. The use of freshly extracted leaf juice with pure honey is most popular use among the natives. The patients are advised to take this combination twice a day, upto six months in order to get permanent relief. According to the patients, getting relief from this combination, although this is time taking method but alone it is capable of treatment. Many natives recommend the use of decoction prepared by boiling the dried Ginger (Sonth) in water, along with Tulsi leaf juice for early relief. All parts of Chickpea herb (Chana) are also used by the natives. The use of Chickpea seeds with gud (jaggery) is most common combination given to the patients as supplement. In rural areas of Chhattisgarh plains, during winter the whole herb with dew drops is collected and juice is extracted. This juice is given to the patients suffering from leucorrhoea. The herb at vegetative stage is preferred. As many insects attack on Chickpea crop in Chhattisgarh, the natives use lethal agrochemicals for pest control. This is the reason, the popularity of fresh juice is decreasing, as it is hard to get pesticide free herb. Like Chickpea herb, the juice of wheat herb is also used by the natives. The wheat and chickpea are common winter crops in Chhattisgarh. The natives have develop a special therapy named "Jawara Chikitsa" and in this therapy they use the juice of various herbs like wheat and chickpea. Now, I am describing the common herbs used by the traditional healers. Before starting the systematic treatment, the healers instruct the patients to follow certain rules strictly during the treatment. They instruct to be happy and take special care of health, avoid tension and stress. Light excercise is recommended. They also suggest them to avoid ( at least decrease the frequency ) the intercourse during treatment period. The use of tea and spicy food is restricted. For bath, they recommend to take bath with black soil and avoid the use of soap. They recommend the use of common herbs both internally and externally. There are many common herbs used alone or in combination with other herbs. During my surveys, I have met fifteen traditional healers specialised in treatment of leucorrhoea only. Other traditional healers also give herbs but natives prefer specialists for the treatment. As the specialists are less in number, they have special status in society. In general, they avoid to disclose the herbs used in treatment. In this article, I am describing some promising herb and herbal combination, I have noted during my ethnobotanical surveys.

The bark of common tree Maulshri is very frequently used in treatment of leucorrhoea. The healers collect the barks early morning and convert it into powder. After mixing, sugar (for taste) in it, they instruct the patients to take a teaspoonful of bark before breakfast. According to the healers, regular use upto one week with strict rules, one can get rid from this trouble. Many family friends have tried this bark powder and found it very effective. According to them, the time required for cure varies from person to person and one month is maximum time required for complete cure. Maulsari occurs as forest tree in different parts of Chhattisgarh. It is also planted as garden plant. As medicine, all parts of Maulsari used. It holds a reputed position as medicine, in different systems of medicine in India. I am describing its reported medicinal uses, I have noted from reference literatures. According to Ayurveda, its bark, flower and fruits are acrid, sweet, astringent to bowels, cooling an oleaginous. Bark is cardio tonic, alexipharmic, stomachic, and anthelmintic whereas flowers cure blood disorders. It is also useful in treatment of biliousness, liver complaints, headache, nose bleed, and asthma. The buds of common medicinal tree Kachnar are also used to prepare a herbal combination for the treatment of Leucorrhoea. In this herbal combination Kachnar buds are used as main ingredient. The fruit rind of Anar (Pomegranate), immature pods of Babool (Acacia nilotica) are also used in this combination. All herb parts are dried and converted into powder. This powder is recommended to the patients (Two teaspoonful twice a day upto complete cure). I am describing the botany and reported medicinal uses of Kachnar is short. The scientific name of Kachnar is Bauhinia variegata (family : Leguminoaseae). It is a small tree with hairy branches; Leaves upto 15cm long, as broad as or broader than long, 9-15 nerved, cleft one-fourth to one-third way down, lobes obtuse, base cordate; Flowers in corymbose from leafless axils or terminating lateral branches; bracts and bracteoles deltoid; Calyx pubescent, spathaceous five-toothed at apex; Petals 4-5cm long, obovate-oblong, the uppermost darker with purple veins; pods flat, glabrous containing 10-15 seeds. According to reference literatures the bark is alterative, tonic, astringent, increase appetite and useful in treatment of leucoderma, biliousness, leprosy, dysmenorrhoea, menorrhagia, asthma, blood disorders, cough, ulcers, vaginal discharges, thirst, headache, tuberculous glands etc. Bud is used in treatment of piles, cough and eye troubles. In third important and valuable herbal combination the traditional healers use Babool Gond (Acacia gum) and Dhawai phool (Woodfordia flowers ). The equal quantity of both herb parts (or produces) are mixed and converted into small globules. The patients are advised to keep these globules inside, the vagina. This use is also popular among natives of many parts. Many healers add the fruit powder of Harra (Terminalia chebula) in this combination in order to make it more useful.

I personally feel that there is a strong need of scientific evaluation and standardisation of these useful combinations. My surveys are in progress. I am sure that I will get more valuable information about common herbs useful in treatment of Safed Pani (Leucorrhoea) through these surveys. Thank you very much for reading the article.