Indigenous Knowledge of Medicinal Plants for Respiratory Problems

Pollution is the contaminant into a natural environment, usually by humans. The specific types of pollution are land pollution, air pollution, space ozone layer and many more. In India, the increasing economic development and a rapidly growing population that has taken the country from 300 million people in 1947 to more than a billion people today is putting a strain on the environment, infrastructure and the country's natural resources. Environmental pollution is one of the most serious problems facing humanity and other life forms on our planet today. It affects the health of more than 100 million people worldwide. Local plant resource material is used to prevent health related problems. Respiratory problems namely cold, cough, asthma, sore throat, tonsillitis and nose infection are the most common problems. In this context the present study was planned to study the use of selected medicinal plants for respiratory problems by women and their reasons for using or not using the plants. Data revealed that some plants were used more than others. Overall mean percentage users were 30.8 percent. Yellow-berried night shade, Indian senna and Kachnar were not at all used. Indian lilac was used for prevention and cure for respiratory problems by nearly one third of the women. Less than 10.0 per cent women used Gigantic swallow wort and Prickly chaff flower plant.