INTRODUCTION:

Now a days ethno-botany is important part of our ancient plant world which helps to getting increase knowledge of plant uses. Southern districts of Maharashtra are rich floristic region for medicinal plants.

The art of herbal healing is deep rooted in Indian culture and folklore. Even today in most of rural areas, people or Vaidu depend on local traditional healing system for their primary health care.

The district of Sangli is one of the southern districts of Maharashtra lying between 160 43` and 170 38’ north latitude and 730 41’ and 750 41’ east longitude and has an area of 8591.3 Km and a population of 1230716 with six towns and 534 villages of which four are uninhabited according to the 1961 census¹.

The climate of this district is on the whole agreeable and is characterized by general dryness in the major part of the year. The cold season is from December to about the middle of February. The hot season which follows, lasts till the end of May. The annual average rainfall in district is 692.4 mm (27.26”)¹.

CONCLUSION:

In this present report, emphasis was laid only on less known medicinal uses of plants with different mode of application. Proper scientific evaluation of this plant might lead to the discovery of some interesting and fruitful information. The use of plant resources as remedies is probably as ancient as man himself.

Total 26 numbers of species of plants from 19 families were recorded which are used medically by the Vaidu people of the Sangli district. The name of the plant with family, local name and medicinal uses of the plants which were enumerated (Table 1).

TABLE No. 1: LIST OF PLANTS AND THEIR USES:^2-5.

Sr. No.	Plant Name	Family	Local Name	Uses
1.	Anona squamosa, Linn.	Annonaceae	Sitaphal	Leaves are used for destroying worms bred in sores.Seeds are ermicide,insecticide.
2.	Argemone mexicana, Linn.	Papaveraceae	Piwala-dhotara	Seeds are used for laxative and emetic.
3.	Cadaba indica, Lam.	Capparidaceae	Kali takali	Leaves are used as anthelmintic, for round worms.
4.	Capparis divaricata, Lam.	Capparidaceae	Wagati	Analgesic,aphrodisiac, diuretic,antiulcer.
5.	Capparis zeylanica, Linn.	Capparidaceae	Govindphal	Sedative and diuretic.
6.	Gynandropis pentaphylla, DC.	Capparidaceae	Pandri-tilwan	Carminative,antispasmodic, anthelmintic.
7.	Helicteres isora, Linn.	Sterculiaceae	Murudseng	Demulcent,mild astringent.
8.	Balanaties roxburghii, Planch.	Simarubaceae	Hinganbet	Seeds used as cough and colic.Bark and leaves used as purgative, anthelmintic.
9.	Clitoria ternatea, Linn.	Fabaceae	Gokarn	Roots are used as laxative, diuretic, demulsent.
10.	Dulburgia sissoo,Roxb.	Fabaceae	Sisvi	Dried bark and fresh leaves used as local astringent, haemostatic.
11.	Woodfordia fruticosa, Salisb.	Lythraceae	Dhayati	Bark is anthelmentic,used in thirst,uterine sedative,dysentery,leprosy,erysipelas.
12.	Caesalpinia sappan, Linn.	Caeselpiniaceae	Patang	Wood used as astringent and in dysentery.
13.	Hamiltonia suaveolens, Roxb.	Rubiaceae	Gidesa	An infusion of the root is given in courbature.
14.	Calendula officinalis, Linn.	Asteraceae	Makhmal	Astringent, styptic.
15.	Carissa carandas, Linn.	Apocynaceae	Karvand	Antiscorbutic.
16.	Calotropis procera, Br.	Asclepidaceae	Rui	Latex used as to remove corn,leprosy rheumatism;root bark used as alterative, antispasmodic,diuretic,emetic .
17.	Hemidesmus indicus, R.Br.	Periplocaceae	Anantvel	Demulcent,diaphoretic,diuretic,valuable alternative.
18.	Gymnema sylvestre,R.Br.	Asclepidaceae	Bedkicha Pala	Antidiabetic,diuretic, astringent.
19.	Martynia diandra, Glox.	Pedaliaceae	Vinchu	Local sedative.
20.	Clerodendron infortunatum, Linn.	Verbenaceae	Pandhri takali, Bhandira	Juice of leaves used in laxative, anthelmintic, cholagogue,killing ascaris by rectal route.
21.	Boerhaaiva diffusa, Linn.	Nyctaginaceae	Vasu;Ghetuli.	Roots are used as purgative, diuretic, anthelmintic.
22.	Achyranthes aspera, Linn.	Amarantaceae	Aghada	Astringent, diuretic,purgative.
23.	Celosia argentea, Linn.	Amarantaceae	Kurdu	Seeds used in diarrhea and leaves are used as anti-inflammatory and diuretic.
24.	Ricinus communis, Linn.	Euphorbiaceae	Erand	Counter irritant,non-irritant purgative.
25.	Ficus rumphii, Blume.	Moraceae	Pair , Ashta	Used as emetic and in asthma and snake bite.
26.	Ficus religiosa, Linn.	Moraceae	Pipal	Seeds used as laxative,cooling,refrigerant and leaves are used as purgative.

* : According to Bentham and Hooker.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT:

Authors wish to acknowledge Prof. D. D. Chougule, Principal, Appasaheb Birnale College of Pharmacy, Sangli for their support. Authors also wish to acknowledge Dr. Ushaprabha Chavan, Principal, Dr. Patangrao Kadam Mahavidyalya, Sangli. We also thank all the teaching and non-teaching staff of our college for their help.

REFERENCES:

1. Gazetteer of India ,Maharashtra State , Sangli District, Bombay, Directorate of Govt. printing, Stationary and Publications, Maharashtra State,1969,Chapter1,General,Geography-Climate, Page No.1, 12.

2. Kirtikar K.R. and Basu B.D. Indian Medicinal Plants, Vol. I-III, III ^rd Ed., Periodical Expert Book Agency, Delhi, 1991.

3. Kulkarni K.M. Indian Materia Medica, V ^th Reprint Ed. Bombay Popular Prakashan, Mumbai, 1991.

4. CSIR, The Wealth of India: Raw Materials, Publication and Information Directorate, New Delhi, Vol. I -VI, 1962.

5. T. Cook .The Flora of the Presidency of Bombay, Vol. I – III, 1967.

Received on 15.06.2011 Accepted on 06.08.2011

Asian J. Pharm. Res. 1(3): July-Sept. 2011; Page 53-54