E-ISSN:2456-3110

Review Article

Hydrophytes

Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences

2023 Volume 8 Number 11 November
Publisherwww.maharshicharaka.in

Folklore use of Common Hydrophytes Found in and around ‘The Jagannath Temple’, Puri, Odisha

Mohanthy S1*, Rautaray K2, Jain R3
DOI:10.21760/jaims.8.11.15

1* Shiva Prasad Mohanthy, Associate Professor, Department Of Dravyaguna Vigyana, Monark Ayurveda Medical College And Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

2 Kshirabdhi Tanaya Rautaray, Professor, Dept of Samhita Siddhanta Sanskrit, Monark Ayurveda Medical College and Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

3 Raka Jain, Professor, Dept of Samhita Siddhanta Sanskrit, Sri Krishna Government Ayurvedic College, Krurkshetra, Haryana, India.

Background: Wetlands are rich in aquatic resource which maintains biodiversity and offers support to various aquatic lives. This atmosphere is generally supports hydrophytic plants or hydrophytes.[1] In India wetlands occupy 59.2 million hectres.[2] Puri is a coastal district of Eastern Odisha famous for “The Jagannath Temple” and associated ponds, wells and host of other ancient monuments along with long sea beaches and many rivers. Much survey has been done previously for hydrophytes in India and other districts of Odisha, but not much for Puri district. This work is important as many folklore practicing peoples are using various aquatic herbs for treatment purpose.
Methodology: The study was conducted during 2022-2023, involving field visit, meeting with folklore practicing people and taking the photographs of plants for identification. The plants were identified based on The Flora of Odisha[3] and Botany of Bihar & Odisha[4] and contemporary monographs and reviews.[5,6] Results & Discussion: A total number of 36 species belonging to 22 families were documented and their supposed folklore medicinal uses have been recorded.

Keywords: Hydrophytes, Folklore practitioners

Corresponding Author How to Cite this Article To Browse
Shiva Prasad Mohanthy, Associate Professor, Department Of Dravyaguna Vigyana, Monark Ayurveda Medical College And Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
Email: 		Mohanthy S, Rautaray K, Jain R, Folklore use of Common Hydrophytes Found in and around ‘The Jagannath Temple’, Puri, Odisha. J Ayu Int Med Sci. 2023;8(11):104-107.
Available From
https://jaims.in/jaims/article/view/2883

Manuscript Received Review Round 1 Review Round 2 Review Round 3 Accepted
2023-09-11 2023-09-16 2023-09-19 2023-09-21 2023-10-19
Conflict of Interest Funding Ethical Approval Plagiarism X-checker Note
None declared Nil Yes 20.90%

© 2023by Mohanthy S, Rautaray K, Jain Rand Published by Maharshi Charaka Ayurveda Organization. This is an Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ unported [CC BY 4.0].

J Ayu Int Med Sci 2023;8(11)104
Shiva Prasad Mohanty et al. Folklore use of Common Hydrophytes

Introduction

The 2/3rd surface of earth is covered with water. For further survival and expansion of human habitat, water plays an important role. The plants found in water or near water bodies are called hydrophytes and in India approximately 59.2 million hectares of land is said to be in wetland category3(1) which means terrestrial areas with shallow water.

Puri occupies an important place in heart of Odisha and India due to Presence of Jagannath Temple and ever beautiful seashore over the Bay of Bengal. It’s a fact that Lord Jagannath, is administered with A Ayurvedic poly herbal medicine in special days as per his century old established holy rituals. In this aspect Puri holds a special place for Ayurveda and plant loving people.

Various well documented studies were done in the past to assess the constitution of hydrophytes in India and Odisha. Many Surveys were carried out for documentation of hydrophytes of Eastern Ghats regions of Odisha. It will be a new kind of study to assess the type of common hydrophytes in Puri, Odisha w.s.r to its proposed folklore uses.

Methodology

This survey was undertaken during 2020-2021 which comprises field visit, taking picture of sample plants, identification and meeting folklore practitioners for its purported use. Plant specimen field were visited multiple times to see its flowering and fruiting which weeds out identification issues if any. The plants were identified based on “The Botany of Bihar and Odisha”, “The Flora of Odisha” and other contemporary monographs available. To make the survey easy and logical and the total area is divided into various zones and field tour was planned accordingly. Plants were categorized as Pharmacopeial (P) and Extrapharmacopeial (EP)

Results

A total number of 36 species belonging to genera and 22 families were recorded… plants were used for external burn,…plants species were used for food, 02 plants were used for scalp diseases and 02 plants were used in veterinary medicinal purpose. Species were used as leafy vegetable (Saag) by local peoples.


Table 1

SNBotanical NamePart usedFamilyLocal NameFolklore Use
1.Azolla pinnata R.Br.Whole plantSalviniaceae[1]Chuni dalaAntidandruff[1]
2.Trapa natans L.var bispinosaFruitTrapaceae[2]Pani singadaMale virility[2]
3.Alteranenthera philoxeroides.(Mart) LeavesAmaranthaceae[3]MachakhiFood[3]
4.Alteranenthera sessile(L.)R.Br.ex DCLeavesAmaranthaceae[3]MadarangaFood[3]
5.Centella asciatica (L).UrbanLeavesUmbellifera[4]ThalukudiBrain Tonic[4]
6.Aponogeton natans(L.) Engl & KrauseWhole plantAponogetonaceae[5]GhanchuBurn[5]
7.Colocasia esculenta(L.) Schott.LeavesAraceae[6]PanisaruHaemmoroids[6]
8.Pistia stratiotes L.Whole plantAraceae[6]Bora JhangiBurn[5]
9.Eclipta prostrate(L.) Leaf &StemAsteraceae[7]KeasrajaHair colouring[7]
10.Emilia sonchifolia(L.) DC.Whole plantAsteraceae[7]SarkaraFever[8]
11Enydra fluctuans Lour.LeavesAsteraceae[7]HidimichikaConstipation[9]
12Synedrella nodiflora(L.) Gaertn Whole plantAsteraceae[7]HemapuspiOtalgia[10]
13Azolla microphylla Kaulf.Whole plantSalviniaceaea[7]Kuni dalaAntidandruff[1]
14Ceratophyllum demersum L.Whole plantCeratophyllaceae[8]ShivaraBurn[5]
15Commelina benghalensis L.LeavesCommelinaceae[9]KanisiriFood[3]
16Commelina erecta L.LeavesCommelinaceae[9]KanisiriniFood[3]
17Ipomea aquatica.Leaf and stemConvolvulaceae[10]KalamaFood[3]
18Ipomea carnea jacq.LeafConvolvulaceae[10]AmariConstipation[9]
19Scripus articulates L.RootCyperaceae[11]KanriGenito-Urinary[11]
20Aeschynomene aspera L.Whole plantFabaceae[12]SolaVeternary use[12]
21Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.)Royle.Whole plantHydrocharitaceae[13]ChingudidalaDiabetes[13]
22Ottelia alismoides (L.)Pers.Whole plantHydrocharitaceae[13]Pani-KunduriBurn[5]
23Hydrolea zeylanica(L.) Vahl. Whole plantHydroleaceae[14]Nayana taraFood[3]
24Vallisneria natans(Lour.)HaraWhole plantHydrocharitaceae[13]SialaGynaecological[14]
25Marsilia minuta L.LeafMarsileaceae[15]SunusuniaAnaemia[15]
26Eurale ferox Salisb.Leaf and flowerNymphaceae[16]Kanta PadmBurn[5]
27Nymphaea nauchali Burm.f.Leaf and flowerNymphaceae[16]Neela KainBurn[5]
28Nymphea pubescens Willd.Stem and flowerNymphaceae[16]Dhala kainBurn[5]
29Ludwigia octovalvis(Jacq) Raven.Stem and flowerOnagraceae[17]Jal-lavangaGI disorders[16]
30Eragrostis uniloides(Retz.) Nees ex SFlowerPoaceae[18]Phur-phuriUTI[17]
31Oryza rufipogon Griff.Whole plantPoaceaea[18]BalungaDiabetes[13]
32Polygonum barbatum L.Whole plantPolygonaceae[19]Pani SagaFood[3]
33Eichhornia crassipes (Mart)Whole plantPontederiaceae[20]Bilati dalaVeterinary use[12]
34Phyla nodiflora(L.)Whole plantVerbenaceae[21]Jala Pippali.Wound healing[18]
35Glinus oppositifolius(L.)Aug.DCWhole plantMolluginaceae[22]Pita sagaHepato-billiary[19]
36Cyprus rotundusRoot.Cyperaceae[11]MuthaLoose stool[20]

J Ayu Int Med Sci 2023;8(11)105
Shiva Prasad Mohanty et al. Folklore use of Common Hydrophytes

Discussion

Total 36 species of hydrophytes from 22 families were found in and around “The Jagannath Temple” with maximum from Asteraceae - followed by Hydrocharitaceae, Poaceae, Nymphaceaea, Cyperaceae, Convulvulaceae, Salviniaceae, Polygonaceae, Molluginaceae, Verbenaceae, Pontederiaceae, Onagraceae, Marsileaceae, Ceratophyllaceae, Hydroliaceae, Aponogetonaceae, Umbelliferae, Salviniaceae, Trapaceae, Amaranthaceae, Commilinaceae, and Araceae. With reference to folklore use it is found that 20 health aliments were covered with maximum used as food and in external burn cases as Paste applied over the wound by the folklore practitioners, few were used in veterinary disease and rest are mentioned for different aliments.89% hydrophytes are extrapharmacopeial (Anukta Dravya) with no classical reference.

Conclusion

This study revealed the wide range of hydrophytes with economic and medicinal importance found as weed in and around the Jagnnath Temple. Historically precious gems, metals and medicines are stored in temples and “The Jagannath Temple”, in Puri (Odisha) is no exception to this. A systematic applied research should be made in near future to utilize the vast aquatic plant resource found in Odisha specifically for medicinal use.

References

1. Hazarika S, Borthakur SK. Hydrophytic flora of Assam-1: Five new records. Pleione. 2012;6(2).

2. Sukumaran S, Jeeva S. Angiosperm flora from wetland of Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. J Species List Distrib. 2011;7(4).

3. Saxsena HO, Brahmam M. The Flora of Odisha, Vol 1-5. Regional Research Laboratory (CSIR), Bhubanswar and Odisha Forest Development Corporation Ltd, Bhubanswar. 1996.

4. Haines HH. The Botany of Bihar and Odisha, Vol 1-5. London. 1925.

5. Panda PC, Panda S. Floral diversity of The Nandankanan wildlife sanctuary, Bhubaneswar. 2012.

6. Pattanaik H, Pattanaik NK. The Hydrophytes of Cuttack. J Indian Bot Soc. 1956;35:167-170.


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