Investigation of ethnomedicinal claims of some plants used by tribals of Satpuda Hills in India

The tribals residing in Satpuda hills are illiterate, socio-economically backward and still depend on medicinal plants for healthcare and for treatment of various diseases. The objective of the present study was to investigate ethnomedicinal claims of some distinctive medicinal plants utilized by Pawara tribal in the Satpuda hills. Methodology used to investigate ethnomedicinal claims include seasonwise field visits, collection of information from tribal medicine men (Badwa), patients and elderly person in and around study area. Similar use of plants told by minimum three Badwas were taken into consideration and cross-checked with eight elderly persons having traditional knowledge of plants and two to five patients who received treatment from Badwa. Present investigation revealed that tribals are regularly using 52 species of plants belonging to 36 families to cure diseases like skin disorders, burn, diarrhea, jaundice, mouth ulcer, fever, joint pain, abdominal pain, migraine, menstrual problems, urinary problems, wounds, dog bite, as anthelmintic and abortifacient. The study revealed 14 new ethnomedicinal uses of plants not reported previously in the literature and could help to find out new lead compounds for welfare of mankind under present day patent regime. Medicinal plant knowledge gained from tribals would be very useful for pharmacognosists and pharmacologists.