Traditional Medicinal Knowledge about common herbs used in treatment of stomatitis in Chhattisgarh, India

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

Stomatitis is known as Chhale or Muh Aa Jana in local language. The natives and traditional healers have rich traditional medicinal knowledge about common herbs useful in treatment of stomatitis. They use many common herbs both internally and externally in treatment. In most of the cases, the patients get relief through home remedies. In complicated cases, the natives consult the healers for specific treatment. Although there are more than 2000 common home remedies in form of herbal combinations in use but it is bitter fact that systematic documentation of this traditional medicinal knowledge has yet not been done. All these combinations are not available at one place. In case of complications, the healers use specific herbs. This valuable knowledge has also not been documented so far. As the old natives are passing away, the knowledge is also ending with them. The young generation believe less in these herbal combinations and use costly mouth wash liquids in order to treat stomatitis. In modern system of medicine, many antibiotics are prescribed for this little trouble. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, try to find the reason responsible for stomatitis at first and after this diagnose, they try to cure the root disease. On the basis of colour of ulcers, they diagnose the patients. According to them, they have gained this knowledge from their forefathers.

They consider the yellow coloured ulcers, as most dangerous because in most of the cases the patients die in very short period. For natives, it is hard to believe that anyone can die due to stomatitis. According to the healers, the stomatitis (of any kind ) should not last more than a week. If it exists over a week, one must pay special attention and should contact them for cure. In majority of cases, they advise the patients to root out the problem of constipation. The traditional healers of different parts of Chhattisgarh use different plant parts of Shahtoot. Matured sweet fruits are used most frequently. The herbal drink is prepared with these fruits and given to the patients. It is used for long time. The healers also advise the patients to gargle with this drink. The natives of this region are also aware of this use. The patients are also advised to chew the young leaves of Shahtoot. The healers of Pendra region, prepare decoction from roots and give to the patients for gargling. As the ethnobotanical uses of Shahtoot are coming for the first time in my articles, I am describing its botany and reported medicinal uses. The scientific name of Shahtoot is Morus indica (family : Moraceace). The medicinal properties of different parts of Shahtoot are well described in reference literatures. According to Ayurveda, the fruit of Shahtoot is acrid, sweetish, sour, cooling, tonic, aphrodisiac, diuretic, fattening, appetiser, anthelmintic, and laxative. It is useful in treatment of small-pox, lumbago, diarrhoea, ulcerated intestines, biliousness, burning sensation etc whereas leaves are useful in treatment of sore-throat and scabies. The use of root decoction for the treatment of stomatitis is not mentioned in reference literatures. I am proud to write unique traditional medicinal knowledge of natives and traditional healers of my state and this is good sign that they are still practising this knowledge.

Shahtoot is a middle sized tree. Leaves cordate, dentate, teeth small; monoecious male and female flowers on the same plant; Male flowers in catkin-like spikes; Female flowers are in short avoid spikes; Fruit ovoid, white or red and ultimately black, when ripe sweet. The use of common weed Makoi in case of stomatitis is also not reported in reference literatures. Its use is very common among farming communities of Chhattisgarh. The natives use different parts of Makoi. Its use as decoction (of whole herb) is popular among them. The herbs before flowering are preferred for the preparation of decoction. It is also used in combination with other herbs. The fresh leaf juice is extracted and mixed with rose leaf juice. The patients are advised to gargle with this combination. In many parts of Chhattisgarh, the natives use the leaf juice of Munga (Moringa sp.) in place of rose leaf juice. The scientific name of Makoi is Solanum indicum (family Solanaceae). Botanically it is much branched undershrub with large, sharp and recurved prickles; stem stout, covered with stellate hairs; Leaves ovate, sub entire or triangular ovate, lobed, sparsely prickly and hairy on both sides, base unequal sided, petiole prickly; Flowers in racemose extra - axillary cymes; Corolla pale - purple, clothed outside with purple hairs; Fruits berry, dark yellow when ripe; seeds minutely pitted. As mentioned in previous articles, Babool is a common tree in Chhattisgarh particularly in rice belts. The natives use different parts of Babool (Acacia nilotica) in treatment of stomatitis. Its new leaves are used most frequently. The juice is extracted and applied on ulcers. The decoction of its bark is also in use. It is mostly used in case of dental troubles. The natives add the barks of other herbs in this decoction also. The bark of Guava (Psidium guajava) is one of these barks. Like Babool, Arhar (Pigeon pea) is also common in Chhattisgarh. It is under cultivation as Kharif (rainy season) crop in the state. The natives use indigenous varieties of Arhar in treatment of stomatitis. Two uses are most common. The leaves are collected before flowering and patients are advised to gargle with the fresh leaf juice. In second use, the matured seeds are collected and kept in water over night. Next morning leachate is used for gargling. Like Arhar seeds, Aonla fruits (wild varieties) are also used in same manner. In southern parts of Chhattisgarh, the natives use leaves of many common herbs for stomatitis. The patients are advised to chew the leaves and spit out the juice. The use of Amaltas and Mehndi leaves are very common in this region. The scientific name of Amaltas is Cassia fistula (family Leguminoseae) and Mehndi is Lawsonia alba (family Lythraceae).

I have written a lot on various aspects of Dhanbaher (Amaltas) in my previous articles, here I am describing the botany and reported medicinal uses of Mehndi. Botanically it is a shrub having height upto three meters with branchlets spinous at tip; Leaves opposite, lanceolate or oblanceolate, 2-3cm long, apex acute, sub sessile, petioles short; Flowers cream-coloured, fragrant, in terminal panicled cymes; Sepals persistent; Petals four, yellowish, orbicular or obovate, crumpled; Fruits depressed globose, red, tipped with persistent styles. According to Ayurveda, leaves are emetic, expectorant, bitter, vulnerary and diuretic and useful in treatment of headache, lumbago, bronchitis, boils, ulcers, stomatitis, ophthalmia, syphilitic sores, scabies, diseases of spleen, amenorrhoea etc. The use of pure honey and fresh curd (Separately) is also very common in Chhattisgarh. I am using the both since my childhood. In case of stomatitis, patients are advised to eat more curd and gargle with honey mixed water. It is also applied on ulcers. Like the leaves of Amaltas and Mehndi,the natives of Chhattisgarh plains, chew the leaves of Chameli and Tulsi. Both herbs are common in home gardens. The use of Kela (banana) with milk is also very common among natives. Indigenous varieties and organically grown Dhania herb is used in eastern regions of Chhattisgarh. The juice of green herb is extracted and used in many ways. It is applied in ulcers. It is also used for gargling. The decoction of whole herb is prepared and used for gargling. Powdered fruits are also used to prepare a special decoction The natives use different preparations according to their ease. They are unable to answer that which one is more effective as systematic studies have not been done so far. I am sure that researchers can answer this question after their trials. The scientific name of Dhania is Coriandrum sativum (family Umbellifereae). In reference literatures, related to different systems of medicine in India many valuable medicinal uses and properties of Dhania have been described in detail. According to Ayurveda, the plant and fruit are acrid, cooling, diuretic, antipyretic, stomachic, aphrodisiac, stimulant, laxative and anthelmintic. Dhania is under cultivation in Chhattisgarh. The use of Haldi powder (Curcuma longa) is also popular in the state. The decoction is prepared and used for gargling.