Studies on the Folklore Claims and Evaluation of Some Selected Plants of Gajapati District of Odisha Widely used Against Diabetes and Related Health Problems

Abstract

Our motherland is home to a limitless variety of plants many of which have curative newlineproperties. These tropical plants have been fulfilling the medicinal needs of the local, newlinerural and tribal population. With the increasing demand on the development of herbal newlinemedicines, these plants are now being sought after and extensively studied. This has newlinenot only contributed to the identification of new therapeutic approaches but also has newlinesignificantly contributed to the identification and understanding of novel biochemical newlinepathways. This study was entrusted to document the utilisation of forest plants in newlinetreatment of diabetes in different tribal communities in Gajapati district of Odisha and newlineto study the antidiabetic potential of one of the widely used plants. newlineA detailed study of the geography, tribal and rural population, soil and forest types in newlinethe Gajapati district was made through recurrent field visits over a period of 2 years. newlineThe details of various plants used for medicinal purposes including indication for use, newlinemethod of preparation, mode and duration of use and side effects if any were recorded newlinefrom the local medicine men. This was cross-checked with different dwellers from newlineother blocks. The various plant specimens were collected, identified, and preserved. newlineIn dealing with plants especially for medicinal uses, it is of foremost importance that newlinethe plant in question (i.e., nomenclaturally confusing or problematic herbal drugs) newlinemust first of all be correctly identified. Inaccuracy in the determination might bring newlinefailure to obtain desired results in the patient and it might sometimes lead to the death newlineof the patient by producing undesirable or poisonous effects. Much of our failures to newlinecure various types of ailments are principally due to faulty administration of wrongly newlineidentified plants. newlineDuring the survey 105 plant species belonging to 52 families have been collected and newlineincorporated in the herbarium. Among them four of the most commonly used plants newlinenamely Boerhavia diffusa, Oxalis corniculata, Alstonia scholaris an