Medico-Ethnobotany of Plants Surveyed and Studied in District Bijnor with Special Emphasis on their Medicinal, Religious and Ornamental Significance

The Indian scriptures such as Rigveda and Atharvveda have given and identified several plants which can be used for curing diseases of humans as well as the animals. Ethnobotanical studies are making a valuable contribution to the cataloguing of biological diversity and hence to the conservation of endangered ecosystems and the human societies which depend upon them. Theplant based traditional medical systems continue to provide the primary health care to more than three – quarters of the world’s populace. Present study gives an overview of the survey and study of the 22 medicinal plants of district Bijnor (U.P.) with special reference to their traditional medicinal uses, religious and ornamental significance.


Introduction
Ethnobotany deals with the relationship of the people of aboriginal societies and the plants of their interest, particularly the medicinal ones. This discipline became established as a genuine academic and research activity in the second half of the twentieth century. The term ethnobotany was first coined by Harshberger in 1895 for the study of plants used by primitive and aboriginal people (Trivedi, 2002). The broad indigenous knowledge of the aboriginal people based on the behaviour of complex ecology and utilization system in the localities has accumulated over a sufficient span, through a long series of observations (Sahu, 2003).
In our earlier study, purified phytocystatin from Catharanthusroseushasbeenreported to possess strong antibacterial activity in the purified inhibitors CRC-I and II against E. coli and S. aureus [Sharma etal. 2011]. The present research work is concerned with the ways of human perception and use of plants, and then influence on the environment. Efforts shall also be made to adopt an interdisciplinary and utilitarian approach by probing into the ethos of local population and their understanding of the immediate environment with a bearing of the relationship to plants coupled with it's regulation on their day to day usages vis-a-vis interaction. The Bhoxa, Bengalis, and some Bhotias tribal groups are inhabitants living in Haldaur, Nehtaur, Chandpur, Noorpur, Dhampur, and Bijnor. The present work focusses on the ethnobotanical study and survey of district Bijnor with special focus on the traditional medicinal plants and their religious and ornamental significance, the plant parts used and the dosage and route of administration. The study, documents comprehensive information about the plants given by traditional healers, vaidyas and elderly people interviewed in district Bijnor.

Materials and Methods
The work was undertaken through field study carried out throughout the seasons of August 2010 to May 2014 in various areas of Bijnor. To fulfill this purpose, ethnobotanical survey of areas around district Bijnor (western U.P.) were selected to collect the information through traditional medicinal plant healers and practitioners. Attempt was also made to provide the most acceptable scientific , common and local names, FL (Fidelity level) values of various plants of medicinal, traditional and religious significance found in the study area. First hand information about the folk medicinal uses of plants was collected from the traditional healers, Vaidyas, Hakims, Jarrahs, Tribals and elderly rural people. The age of the respondents ranges between 45 to 80 years and the number of male respondents was higher (80%) as compared to the female respondents (20%). Few of the informants were reluctant to reveal any information but many of them consented for collection from the forest/agricultural lands and for the interviews. The village cultivators, also revealed many plants used for daily ailments and also agreed for field trips to identify the plant species.
The specimens have been identified using relevant floras and standard literature (Hooker, 1989, Kanjilal etal. 1982and Gaur, 1999. The respondents were selected randomly and prior informed consent was obtained from each respondent to get traditional knowledge of the plants.

Results
Documentaion and conservation of the medicinal plants has become big challengeto scientific communities throughout the world. The forests/agricultural regions of western Uttar pradesh is a rich source of medicinal plants due to it's geographical and climatic conditions. Thepresent study providesanaccount of 22 medicinal plants belonging to 22 species. Out of which 18 plants belong to different families while rest of them belong to the same family. Ethnobotanical survey and study of the medicinal plants revealed in the present study are being utilized to treat and cure 57 diseases/ deficiences and ailments, which includes: "Gastric disorders, piles, oedema, jaundice, obesity, paediatric disorders, urinary complaints, gynaeacological disorders, rotavirus, giardia, kidney pain, appendicitis, placental disorders, migraine, inflammation and allergy caused by honey-bee bite, skin infections, asthma, diabetes, diarrohea, epilepsy, dengue, enlarged spleen, urological disorders, regulation of blood pressure, bone strengthening, protein deficiency, cough and cold, viral conjunctivitis of eyes and eye inflammation, improper bowel movements, bronchitis, hypertension, reoval of gall bladder and kidney stones, to treat boils, corns and calluses on the feet, burn wound healing, swelling and joint pain, hair line bone dislocation, appetite stimulant, mouth ulcers, liver related ailments, diuretic, anti pyretic, hypercholestremia, stregthening hair follicles, skin moisturiser and softening, rheumatism, gout, tranquiliser, depression, malnutrition, Vitamin C, B, K, mangenese and essential amino acid deficiency, abortions, induction of labor and contraceptive, insect repellant, chicken-pox, eczema, malaria and apopto-ReseaRch PaPeR sis". Most of the preparations are orally administered eitherasextract, juice, chutney, syrup powder orapplied in the form of paste, dust/powder,decoctionetc. The plant parts used includes root, trunk, leaves, flowers, ripened and unripenedfruit and seeds.There is enough scope of the amalgamation of these drug in the main stream of prenatal medicine suggested today after the tribal drug are subjected to the phytochemical and biological screening, together with clinical trials.The medicinal plants that are widely used by the local people have higher FL values than those are less popular, On the other hand, medicinal plants that can be utilized to treat single ailment have 100% fidelity level in comparison to those medicinal plants that are being used as a remedy for more than one ailment. In our study, we conclude that extract of Aloe vera, Curcuma longa, Catharanthus roseus and Piper nigrum if taken in combination reduces blood glucose levels and lipid profile to a significant level, and thus have 100% fidelity level. Otherwise, rest of the medicinal plants discussed in the present study are being utilized to treat multiple diseases.

Discussion
This study has documented the variety of plants and their uses by these people. Interviews conducted at numerous household in the regions of Nehtaur, Mandavar, Chandpur, Noorpur, Dhampur, Afzalgarh, Keeratpur and other adjoining villages in district Bijnor give us an idea on local dependence of villagers and healers to forest/agricultural land resources as a means of sustenance. During our numerous interviews and interactions with healers/village dwellers, we noticed a growing reluctance of future generations to learn and preserve ethnobotanical knowledge, especially in the regions like Noorpur, Dhampur and Nejeebabad which is slowly being exposed to modernization. Therefore, studies like ours are valuable in the documentation and preservation of local plant knowledge. Considering the current rate of deforestation, population exploitation with the concurrent loss of biodiversity, there is a need of accurate documentation of the knowledge and experience of the traditional herbalists in district Bijnor as well as in other districts of western UP.
The need of the hour is to do strong networking with potential collaborators at national and international level and these collaborators may include expert academicians, botanists, ethnobotanists, scientists and researchers in both private and government organizations as well as strong international funding agencieswith a sincere approach which can contribute in conserving the existing ethnobotanical resources, extinct plant species with traditional and medicinal significance and medicinal plants of western Uttar Pradesh (UP) which will help us in taking a step ahead in taking out the conserved ethnobotanical data out of Research and development labs and will further help in promoting the Indian ethnobotanical knowledge at national and international level.

Acknowledgements
The author is thankful to her supervisor Dr. Mukesh Kumar, Associate profeassor, Department of Botany, Sahu Jain college, Najibabad for his mentorship and guidance throughout the tenure of the study. Support provided by co-supervisor, Dr. Alka, Associate profeassor, Department of Botany, Hindu college is thankfully acknowledged. I also thank traditional healers, vaidyas and elderly people of district Bijnor for providing significant information documented in this study.