NOPR Collection:

A Visionary—Aryavaidya Mayaram Sundarji (1856-1928): Initiatives for Ayurvidya

2017-05-29T12:02:42Z

Title: A Visionary—Aryavaidya Mayaram Sundarji (1856-1928): Initiatives for Ayurvidya Authors: Vaidya, Ashok DB Abstract: Aryavaidya Mayaram Sundarji (1856-1928) was a visionary who took early initiatives for Ayurvidya- integrative approaches to incorporate modern scientific advances in Ayurveda. He shared his profound scholarship, astute clinical experience and leads for research through books, reviews, articles and letters in Ayurvedic journals like Vaidya Kalpataru, a century back. His experiential data on antimalarial, anti-rabies and hepatoprotective remedies offer a vast potential for discovery of new natural drugs through the paths of Ayurvedic Pharmacoepidemiology, Observational Therapeutics and Reverse Pharmacology. Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L. for malaria, Calatropis procera Alton for rabies-prevention and Picrorhiza kurroa Royale ex Benth. for hepatitis have been followed up as leads by research. But organized new drug development with state-of-the art transdisciplinary research is awaited.His vision and views for scientific research and documentation in Ayurveda was much before his time. The recommendations he published in Ayurvedic journals for the advancement of Ayurveda are relevant even now. The emphasis he laid, in early twentieth century, on clinical studies of safety and efficacy and statistical considerations vis-à-vis the natural history of a disease were prophetic for evidence-based Ayurveda. There is a need to study and review the documented experience of eminent vaidyas of the past to identify innovative trails left unattended. Page(s): 363-369

Ethnobotanical evaluation of selected medicinal plants used in treatment of diseases around Venda region: A literature review

2017-05-29T11:55:46Z

Title: Ethnobotanical evaluation of selected medicinal plants used in treatment of diseases around Venda region: A literature review Authors: Sigidi, Muendi; Traore, Afsatou-Ndama; Tshisikhawe, Milingoni Peter; Potgieter, Natasha Abstract: The importance of traditional medicine has been recorded throughout the world. It has also been practiced throughout Africa by more than 80 % of rural communities. Traditional medicine has since been imbedded in the culture of many rural communities. People of the world continues to use traditional medicine because of their accessibility and affordability. The use of medicinal plants around the Venda region is vast, yet the published data on the various plants is scanty. The review aims to bring forth the knowledge of the most widely used plants among the Vhavenda population. The data was compiled from peer reviewed and non-peer reviewed journals, textbooks, thesis and also by interviews conducted with the traditional healers. The review revealed that there are a number of traditional medicines that are being preferred by traditional healers in their practice, the use of the selected plants in literature has never reported to be used in curing HIV/AIDS and its related illnesses. Most of the plants recorded were found to have active compounds in most of their organs. Plants are great sources for the discovery of new medicines. Natural products and their synthetics can be utilized in the development of highly useful drugs through chemical procedures and isolation followed by analog synthesis through modern medicinal mechanisms. The knowledge and understanding of each utilized medicinal plant is of great importance for it is through the discovery of newer potential drugs that the emerging life threatening infections can be effectively combated. With the increasing rate of people migrating from either rural – urban or vice versa, the natural habitats for such herbal plants is in the process of being completely destroyed without preservation of the naturally important plant species. The fear is of losing such important plant from the local communities thus losing valuable and future vital drugs. Page(s): 370-377

Survey of wild food plants for human consumption in Bingöl (Turkey)

2017-05-29T10:57:31Z

Title: Survey of wild food plants for human consumption in Bingöl (Turkey) Authors: Polat, Rıdvan; Güner, Bülent; Babacan, Ebru Yüce; Çakılcıoğlu, Uğur Abstract: This study focused on the wild plants traditionally used for human consumption in Bingöl and its aim is to present data about the folk botanical knowledge and to give about their development in relation to plant resources and traditionally food culture. The information about the use of wild edible plants was collected from 6 different open-air-markets and 13 villages in the city during two-year period (2012-2013), through unstructured interviews. In this study, a total of 61 wild food plant taxa belonging to 25 families were established and also plant parts used, ethnographic data related to vernacular names, traditional use were recorded. Family Rosaceae is represented by the highest number of taxa (9), followed by Lamiaceae (8), Astaraceae (7), Apiaceae (6), Fabaceae (4) and Polygonaceae (3). The study showed that the plants used are either eaten raw, cooked by boiling in water, frying in oil or baked to be served as dishes such as stew, salad as hot drink. During this ethnobotanical research, it was verified that wild edible plants play an important role in diet in Bingöl. Furthermore, during our study Heracleum pastinacifolium C. Koch, Origanum acutidens (Hand.-Mazz.). Letsw, Prunus kurdica Fenzl ex Fritsch, Quercus petraea subsp. pinnatiloba (K. Koch) Menitsky has been recorded as endemic wild food plant taxa from Bingöl. Page(s): 378-384

Traditional knowledge of wild edible fruits in southern Africa: A comparative use patterns in Namibia and Zimbabwe

2017-05-29T10:52:18Z

Title: Traditional knowledge of wild edible fruits in southern Africa: A comparative use patterns in Namibia and Zimbabwe Authors: Maroyi, A; Cheikhyoussef, A Abstract: A large proportion of resource poor rural households in southern African communal areas are dependent on wild edible fruits to meet part of their daily nutritional needs. For many people and ethnic groups, the use of wild edible fruits is a source of cultural identity, reflecting a deep and important body of knowledge about the environment, survival, harvesting, preservation and other forms of management. This study was aimed at documenting the role of wild edible fruits in the livelihoods of people in Namibia and Zimbabwe. Sixty five and 83 randomly selected participants were interviewed in Namibia and Zimbabwe respectively, between October 2011 and January 2013. Sixty fruit plants were recorded in both countries. Higher species numbers (50) were recorded in Zimbabwe compared to 19 species in Namibia. Apart from fruit production, five other major use categories were identified in this study, which included herbal medicines, timber, firewood, fruit juice and plant products sold to generate income. It is vital that more research is conducted on potentially important wild edible fruit plants as millions of people throughout the world make extensive use of this category of plant resources to fulfill their livelihood needs. Page(s): 385-392