Traditional Medicinal Plants used by the Tribes and Rural People of Bilaspur District, Chhattisgarh (India)

Herbs are still an important part of traditional healing systems. Drugs of herbal origin are being used for many degenerative diseases like liver damage, arthritis, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, cancer etc. Herbal preparations are natural, intrinsically harmless and produce desired pharmacological effects. There are many tribal communities live in Chhattisgarh state having great deal of knowledge about the utility of the uses of medicinal plants. The Literature reveals that about 6,000 Traditional Healers are still practicing the knowledge of herbal medicines in the state. They adopt traditional diagnostic methods and prescribe drugs in treatment of internal as well as external common as well as complicated diseases.

This paper reports about the use of thirty five plant species for the treatment of various ailments by the rural people of Bilaspur District. The study emphasizes the need for ethno botanical exploration in order to revive the traditional knowledge for the healthcare systems in India.