¹ Department of Botany , Government Agrasen College, Bilha, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh India
² Head of the Department, C.M.Dubey P.G. College, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh India
³ Government Agrasen College, Bilha, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh India

*Corresponding author: Shubha Verma, Department of Botany, Govt. Agrasen College, Bilha, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh India E-mail Id: vermashubha27@gmail.com Mobile Number-9926134188

Copyright: © Verma S, et al. 2023. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Information: Submission: 05/05/2023; Accepted: 07/06/2023; Published: 12/06/2023

Surguja is a tribal dominated district in the north-eastern part of the Chhattisgarh State of India. Surguja district harbours rich biodiversity of medicinal plants. People of Surguja district, using indigenous local medicinal plants for the treatment of various diseases. During April 2022 to March 2023 field surveys were conducted in Lundra, Ambikapur, Udaipur, Lakhanpur and Batauli block and a total 152 species of medicinal plants were recorded belonging to 52 families. In these 147 were dicot and 5 species were monocot. Fabaceae was the largest family with the 14 species, Asteraceae, Lamiaceae, Caesalpiniaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Amaranthaceae and Solanaceae were the dominating families belonging to 8 to 10 species of medicinal plants. Twentyeight families were represented by single genera. Out of 152 species 95 were herbs, 12 species were shrub, 10 species were climber and the rest of the 33 species were trees. Plant parts used as a medicine were leaf, stem, bark, root, rhizome, latex, seeds, flower and 26% times whole plant. About 152 species, 34 percent of leaves, are being used as medicine. Ten percent times roots, 26 percent times whole plants are used as a medicine for treatment of different diseases.

Keywords: Medicinal plants; Surguja district; Medicine men; Herbal healers

Surguja district houses a rich diversity of medicinal plants. 80% of rural dwellers of Surguja district, relying on the indigenous plant species for treatment of various diseases. A large number of plants are known as the main source of drug therapy in various traditional healthcare practices (Martini- Bettole 1980) [1]. The types of plants and methods of application vary from locality to locality. A medicinal plant is one whose organs contain some substances that can be used for therapeutic use (Sofawara 1982) [2]. According to Adhikari, et al (2010)[3] plants having active chemical compounds with any of its parts like root, stem, leaves, bark, fruit and seeds, which produces definite curing properties in the treatment of various diseases is regarded as medicine. They are potential source of the number of new compounds which can be used for drug development. Medicinal plants are the main source of the traditional medicines. They are a potential source of the number of new compounds which can be used for drug development. The documentation of diversity and traditional uses of medicinal flora can prove pivotal in the conservation and sustainable use of plant resources. This baseline information on traditional uses of medicinal plants can also provide information regarding designing and development of future drugs.

Surguja district is located in the northern part of Chhattisgarh. Surguja district is spread over with high lands/uplands and dense forest in its north and south region and it lies between 22 0 94’ to 24 0 6’ N latitude and 810 35’ to 84 0 5’ E longitude. The study sites are five blocks of Surguja district such as Lundra, Ambikapur, Udaipur, Lakhanpur and Batauli. These are located 30 to 35km away from each other [Figure 1].

The major type of soil is red and yellow, second important soil is alluvial soil. In Surguja rainfall varies between 1000-2000 mm, with mean annual temperature 260C to 270C and relative humidity is 60- 80%. Surguja district has tropical climate, which is favourable for germination and growth of many of the plants which have medicinal value. Moderate rainfall during the month of July and September also supports luxurious growth of plants.

The study includes extensive and thorough field surveys. Plant explorations were carried out every alternate month. We have covered all different seasons of the year at villages of five selected blocks. Plant collections were done from August 2020 to May 2022. Fresh plant specimens were collected and dried within a wooden press. Herbarium sheets were prepared of these collected plant specimens according to the method suggested by Jain &Rao (1976) [4].The specimens were identified with the help of available literature (Kirtikar et al. 1984,Panigrahi et al. 1989, Jain S.K. 1991 and Pullaiah, T. 2006) [5-8]. Voucher specimens were deposited at Botany Department of CMD PG College, Bilaspur. The specimens were identified with the help of available literature. Medicinal importance of the plant species has been described according to local herbalists and available literature.

Name of medicinal plants, family name, local name, habit, plant parts used and their medicinal importance have been depicted in [Table 1.1] . Habit wise distribution and plant parts used have been shown in pie graph 1.2 and 1.3.

Medicinal knowledge given by local medicine men, more than 10 species were more effective for treatment of different diseases. Local inhabitant villagers and tribes used those plants to cure their health related problems. They prepare some pest and decoction from these medicinal plants and utilize them to treat different ailments. Frequently obtain herbaceous medicinal species are Abutilon indicum, Ageratum conyzoides , Amaranthus viridis, Cassia alata, Chenopodium album, Canscora diffusa, Elephantopusscaber, Euphorbia thymifolia, Leucosporamultifida, Ocimumbasilicum, Phyllanthus amarus. In this survey total 152 species of medicinal plants belonging to 129 genera out of 52 families were recorded. Out of 52 families, 47 were dicots and only 5 families were monocots. Fabaceae was the largest family with 14 species, followed by Asteraceae and Lamiaceae families, which is represented by 10 species each. Caesalpiniaceae and Euphorbiaceae have been recorded by 9 medicinal species each. Eight medicinal species belonged to the Amaranthaceae and Solanaceae family. Twenty-eight families were represented by a single genus.

Out of 152 species 95 were herbs, 13 species were shrub, 10 species were climbers and rest of the 34 species were of trees. Plant parts used as a medicine were leaf, stem, bark, root, rhizome, latex, seeds and flowers. Sometimes the whole plant containing the medicinal value is used. The types of plants and methods of application vary from locality to locality. Thirty four percent of leaves are used as medicine and 26% times the whole plant is being used as a medicine. Root has been used 10% times. The ratio of bark and fruit were 8% each. Seeds are being used 7% times, Stem and flowers were covering 3 and 2 percent respectively. Latex and rhizome both covered one percent. Similar results obtained by some researchers such as Adhikari (2010), [3] Martinez. (1995), [9] Pullaiah (2006) [8] and. Verma et al (1993) [10]. This medicinal knowledge is given by local medicine men / herbal healers called Vaidya or Baigas in this region. Phytochemical studies are required for confirmation of medicinal properties of plants.

Surveys of medicinal plants are very important for starting material for pharmacological research and drug discovery. The plants used in the rural healthcare system are of great interest which may lead to drug discovery through Phytochemical profiling and standardization of raw materials. There is no proper report of the present status of these medicinal plants in Surguja District. Purpose of this present study is to enumerate the medicinal plants of Surguja district. The documentation of diversity and uses of medicinal flora can prove pivotal in the conservation and sustainable use of plant resources.