Prime Research on Medicine (PROM) th Vol. 2(2), pp. 81-512, March 20 , 2012 www.primejournal.org/PROM Full Length Research Pharmacognostical studies on medicinal plants of semi arid region 1 Santosh Sharma* and 2Ashwani Kumar 1 Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. 2 S.S. Jain Subodh Girls College Sanganer, Jaipur. Accepted 1st March, 2012 The Jaipur district is situated between 75-77°E longitudes and 26-28° latitudes in the North eastern part of Rajasthan. It is bisected lengthwise by 76°E and across its width by 27° latitude. Topographically, the area consists of hilly regions, plains, depressions, rivulets and reservoirs. The Aravallis lie in the North EastSouthwest direction in the state and traverse the district in the form of two parallel series, the Samod hillocks being the highest, and altitude 864m. There is no perennial river. However, the seasonal ‘nalas’ have some perennial water source at depressions or ‘bunds’. Ethnobotanical and biodiversity study of the medicinal plants of Jaipur were carried out and some of the results are presented here. Key words: Pharmacognostical studies, Medicinal plants, Semi-arid regions, Biodiversity. INTRODUCTION Presently, the Indian system of medicine uses over 1100 medicinal plants and most of them are collected from the wild regularly, of which, over five dozen species are in great demand. The tribal belt of India is rich in these plants and local tribes mainly depend, for their livelihood, on their collection and trade. Since these plants are collected from the wild in large quantities, adulterants are alleged to be widely used. Some of the medicinal plants growing in the wild are becoming extinct on account of destructive collection techniques, particularly when the whole plant is uprooted. It is necessary to undertake in situ preservation of these plants (Kumar, 1999; Kumar, 2000, Kotia and Kumar, 2000, Kumar, 2008; Kumar and Shekahwat, Kumar and Sopory, 2008, Kumar and Sopory 2010). It is necessary to make studies on the method of propagation, phamacognostical characters, growth and productivity of medicinal plants to enable their large scale cultivation. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has emphasized the need for better utilization of the indigenous system of medicine, based on the locally available medicinal plants in the developing countries. In USA and UK, plant-based drugs are being used in recent years on a considerable scale. The former USSR countries, East European countries and China have adopted an integrated system of allopathic, traditional and folk system of medicine. During the last two decades, there has been a tremendous transformation of medical systems in the world. Medicinal plants and their derivatives will continue to play a major role in medical therapy inspite of advances in chemical technology and the appearance of cheap, synthesized, complex molecules from simple ones through highly specific reaction mechanisms. Harvesting of medicinal plants is less costly than artificial drug synthesis. India is one of the few developing countries which has initiated institutions like the Centre for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), the Regional Research Laboratories (RRL) at Jammu, Bhubaneshwar and Jorhat, the All India Co-ordinated Project on the Improvement of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the ICAR, National Botanical Gardens, Forest Research Institutes, State Cinchona Directorates in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, and in addition, many Agricultural Universities have been working on the technological advancement of this group of crops. However, except for CIMAP and few other centres under ICAR who have taken over a few selected crops for improvement, the replenishment of renewable inputs like quality planting material of improved varieties, developing extension literature, organizing training and quality testing, are very limited. Sharma and Kumar 82 Table 1: Some Important Medicinal Plants used in Rajasthan in Traditional Medicines S/N 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Botanical Name Abrus precatorius Linn. Abutilon nilotica (L.) Sweet Achyranthes aspera Linn. Argemone mexicana Linn. Acacia nilotica (L.) Delile Azadirachta indica A. Juss. Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. Butea monosperma (Lamk.) Taub Cassia fistula Linn. Calotropis procera (Ait.) R.Br. Cassia occidentalis Linn. Cassia tora Linn. Catharanthus roseus (L.) Don Citrullus colocynthis Schrad. Cleome gynandra Linn. Croton roxburghii Balak. Cocculus pendulus (Forst.) Diels Convolvulus microphyllous Sieb. Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. The Jaipur district is situated between 75-77°E longitudes and 26-28° latitudes in the North eastern part of Rajasthan. It is bisected lengthwise by 76°E and across its width by 27° latitude. Topographically, the area consists of hilly regions, plains, depressions, rivulets and reservoirs. The Aravallis lie in the North East-Southwest direction in the state and traverse the district in the form of two parallel series, the Samod hillocks being the highest, altitude 864 m. There is no perennial river. However, the seasonal ‘nalas’ have some perennial water source at depressions or ‘bunds’ (Joshi, 1957 and Verma, 1967). Ethnobotanical and biodiversity study of the medicinal plants of Jaipur were carried out and some of the results are presented here. MATERIAL AND METHODS During the present investigations, information on ethanobotanical data was collected from old literature and consultation with tribal and traditional people. A number of literatures on ‘Traditional medicine’ both ‘folk medicine’ as well as on ‘Ayurvedic/Siddha/Yunani medicine’ was consulted. Local survey of medicinal plants Local survey and identification of plants of medicinal value growing in our locality in Jaipur was done. The plants were collected, identified and preserved. Plants were identified using floras of Herbarium of Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. Crude herbal drugs (dried specimens of plant parts – roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds) were also collected from the crude drug dealers (Pansarias, Attars and so on.) of Jaipur located in the Johri Bazar market and deposited in herbarium. Comparative details were recorded. Local Name Chirmi Tara-Kanchi Latjeera/Aandhyara Pili Kaleli/Satayanasi Babul Neem Hingota Punarnava Palash/Dhak Amaltas Akra Kasondi Chakra mard Sadhabahar Tumba Hulhul Croton Pilwan Sankhpushpi Dhubghas Family Fabaceae Malvaceae Amaranthaceae Papaveraceae Fabaceae Meliaceae Simaroubaceae Nyctaginaceae Fabaceae Fabaceae Asclepiadaceae Fabaceae Fabaceae Apocynaceae Cucurbitaceae Capparaceae Euphorbiaceae Menispermaceae Convolvulaceae Poaceae Meeting the Vaidyas and Hakim, folk people taking medicine for healthcare In order to verify the efficacy of the traditional herbal medicine, the small information was collected from folk or tribal people. Besides this, many Vaidyas and Hakims practising traditional system of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha and Yunani were consulted. RESULTS In the rural areas of Jaipur people have greater faith in traditional herbal medicine and often visit a village elder or other folk healer for any kind of health problems, cough and cold; wounds and injuries; pains and sprains; indigestion and constipation; vomiting; jaundice and liver complaints. It was observed that people, whether in the cities or villages often turn to traditional medicine, for some old and chronic problems like old cough, old wounds and old pains. Rajasthan ecosystem possesses some more highly reputed and valuable medicinal plants which are currently involved in million dollar trade and others show potential of high economic gains if properly and sustainably exploited, both from the wild and through cultivation. Ethnobotanical and biodiversity study of the medicinal plants of Jaipur used in traditional medicine made some interesting revelations. List of some medicinal plants commonly used in Rajasthan are given in table 1. Some imported medicinal plants which are found especially in Rajasthan including Jaipur are as follows: 1. Abrus precatorius Linn. Local Name - Chirmi Family - Fabaceae 83 Prime Research on Medicine Table 1 continues: Some Important Medicinal Plants used in Rajasthan in Traditional Medicines S/N 21 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 Botanical Name Datura inoxia Mill. Digera muricata (L.) Mart. Echinops echinatus Roxb. Euphorbia hirta Linn. Ficus bengalensis Linn. Ficus religiosa L. Ipomoea pestigridis Linn. Launea procumbens (Roxb.) Ramayya & Rajgopa. Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Forsk.) Decne. Leucas aspera (Willd.) Spreng. Mortynia annua Linn. Maytenus emarginata (Willd.) Ding. Ocimum canum Sime. Pedalium murex Linn. Pergularia daemia (Forsk.) Chiov. Polycarpaea corymbosa (L.) Lamk. Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce Ricinus communis Linn. Sida cordifolia Linn. Solanum nigrum Linn. Solanum xanthocarpum Linn. Tephrosia hamiltonii Drumm. Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers Tribulus terrestris Linn. Trichodesma indicum R.Br. Tridax procumbens Linn. Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. Xanthium strumarium Linn. Ziziphus nummularia (Brum f.) Wt. Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. Asparagus racemosus Willd. Asparagus adscendens Roxb. Bombax ceiba Linn. Eulophia ochreata Lindl. Helicteres isora Linn. Embelia ribes Burn. Sphaeranthus indicus Linn. Messua ferra Linn. Mimosa pudica Linn. Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. Terminalia chebula Retz. Parts used - Whole plant Traditional uses - It is used to cure skin diseases like leprosy and leucoderma and as pain killer. 2. Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet Local Name - Tara-Kanchi Family - Malvaceae Parts used - Leaf and seeds Traditional uses - It is used as cardiac stimulant, for one sided headache and in scabies. 3. Acacia nilotica (Linn.) Delile Local Name - Babul Local Name Dhatura Lonaru Unt Katali Dudhi Burgad Pipal Wagpadi Jangli Khimp Paniharin Bagh-ankhi Kankero Ramtulsi Bada Gokhru Utarni Zunio Khejari Arandi Bala Mokoi Nilikateli Sarphanko Neemgiloy Choota Gokhru Undhaful Rukhari Jaiglidhania Ashwgandha Aadha-shishi Jhari Bor Shayam Musli Satavaria Safed musli Semal musli Salab panja Marorphali Vidanga Gorakhmundi Nagakesar Lajwanti Kiwanch Chotiflar Family Solanaceae Amaranthaceae Asteraceae Euphorbiaceae Moraceae Moraceae Convolvulaceae Asteraceae Asclepiadaceae Lamiaceae Martyniaceae Celastraceae Lamiaceae Pedaliaceae Asclepiadaceae Caryophyllaceae Fabaceae Euphorbiaceae Malvaceae Solanaceae Solanaceae Fabaceae Menispermaceae Zygophyllaceae Boraginaceae Asteraceae Asteraceae Solanaceae Asteraceae Rhamnaceae Hypoxidaceae Liliaceae Liliaceae Bombaceae Orchidaceae Sterculiaceae Myrinaceae Asteraceae Guttiferae Mimosaceae Fabaceae Combretaceae Family - Fabaceae Parts used - Stem bark and gum Traditional uses - It cures dysentery, diarrhoea, tongue sores and leucoderma. Tribal people use the spines for designing tatoo marks on body. 4. Achyranthes aspera Linn. Local Name - Latjeera/Andhijara Family - Amaranthaceae Parts used - Dried plant Traditional uses - The herb is useful in heart diseases, digestive problems and some mental problems. The use of seeds can lead to reduction in appetite. It is also Sharma and Kumar 84 Table 1 continues: Some Important Medicinal Plants used in Rajasthan in Traditional Medicines S/N 62 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 96 97 98 99 100 101 Botanical Name Centella asiatica Linn. Evolvulus alsinoides Linn. Cocculus villosus (Lamk) DC. Desmodium gangeticum DC. Cuscuta chinensis Roxb. Terminalia bellerica (Gaertn.) Roxb. Holarrhena antidysenterica (Roth.) A. DC. Cucumis trigonus Roxb. Blepharis edulis Pers. Lepidium sativum Linn. Bambusa bambos Druce. Plantago ovata Forsk. Emblica officinalis Gaertn. f. Psoralea corylifolia Linn. Albizzia lebbeck (L.) Benth. Cinnamomum tamala Nees S. Eberm. Ocimum sanctum Linn. Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. Rauwolfia serpentina (L.) Bentham ex. Kurz. Phyllanthus niruri Webster. Aloe vera (L.) Burm. Acorus calamus Linn. Justicia adhatoda Nees Plumbago zeylanica Linn. Papvar somniferum Linn. Urginea indica (Roxb.) Kunth. Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wall ex. Nees Calotropis procera (Ait) R. Br. Capparis decidua (Forsk) Edgew Vitex negundo Linn. Sida rhombifolia Linn. Tecomella undulata Seem Salvadora persica Linn. Nyctanthes arbortristis Linn. Barleria prionitis Linn. Euphorbia neriifolia Linn. Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa. diuretic and protective to kidneys. Tribal people wear 3 pieces of root about 0.5 cm long in white threads, on right arm of men and left arm of women as magical cure for intermittent fever. 5. Argemone mexicana Linn. Local Name - Pili Kateli/Satayanasi Family - Papaveraceae Parts used - Leaf and seeds Traditional uses - Seed decoction is used for cure of palpitation of heart. It is also useful in skin diseases. 6. Azardirachta indica A. Juss Local Name - Neem Family - Meliaceae Parts used - Root bark, stem bark and dried flower Local Name Brahmi Buti Shankpushpi Jal Jamni Masparani Aftimoon/Amarbel Bahera Kutaja Balam Cira Uttangan Todri Banshlochan Isabgol Amla Babchi Siris Tejpatra Tulsi Guggal Brahmi Sarpgandha Bhuiamla Ghritkumari Bach Vasaka Chitrak Opium Wild onion/Indian squill Kalmegh Aak Ker Ningand Atibala Rohida Jaal/Pilu Harsinghar Brajdanti Tohar Bel Family Apiaceae Convolvulaceae Menispermaceae Fabaceae Convolvulaceae Combretaceae Apocynaceae Cucurbitaceae Acanthaceae Cruciferae Gramineae Plantaginaceae Euphorbiaceae Paplionaceae Mimosaceae Lauraceae Lamiaceae Burseraceae Scrophulariaceae Apocynaceae Euphorbiaceae Liliaceae Araceae Acanthaceae Plumbaginaceae Papaveraceae Liliaceae Acanthaceae Asclepiadaceae Capparaceae Verbenaceae Malvaceae Bignoniaceae Salvadoraceae Oleaceae Acanthaceae Euphorbiaceae Rutaceae Traditional uses - It has been traditionally used for treating piles and as a barrier contraceptive by people in rural areas of Rajasthan. It has antifertility activity. Unripe fruits and seeds have deworming properties, ripe fruits are useful in cough, eye diseases and as blood purifier. Neem oil is also highly beneficial for skin diseases and has antileprotic properties. Tribal believe is that eating of young fried leaves of Neem act as antidote to pox. 7. Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. Local Name - Punarnava/Pathar Chatta Family - Nyctaginaceae Parts used - Whole plant including seeds and leaves Traditional uses - It is traditionally used as a strong diuretic to promote urination in dropsy and also in jaundice and gonorrhoea. It helps and protects the liver. It 85 Prime Research on Medicine is also used for patients suffering from kidney troubles. Tribes wear a piece of root (2-3 cm long) in white thread on waist, as magical cure of asthma 8. Butea monosperma (Lamk.) Taub. Local Name - Palash/Dhak Family - Fabaceae Parts used - Stem, flower and seeds Traditional uses - It cures diarrhoea, dysentery, asthma and inflammation of testicles. Tribes prescribe paste of the cotyledons with country liquor (3:1) to women for three days at the end of menstruation period to check pregnancy. 9. Calotropis procera (Ait) R. Br. Local Name - Akra Family - Asclepiadaceae Parts used - All parts are useful including latex. Traditional uses - The leaves of aak are warmed and tied around any body organ in pain. It is particularly useful in backache and in joint pains. Warm leaves also relieve from stomach pain if tied around and inhalation of burnt leaves cure headache. Leaf latex if applied on fresh cuts, stops bleeding immediately. Tribes use the latex for fish poisoning. 10. Cassia tora Linn. Local Name - Chakra mard Family - Fabaceae Parts used - Whole plant Traditional uses - It is useful in stomach troubles and reduce body fat. It also cures skin diseases like leucoderma and leprosy. Some ethnic communities apply fresh leaf juice like tincture of iodine. 11. Catharanthus roseus (Linn.) G. Don. Local Name - Sadhabahar Family - Apocynaceae Parts used - Whole plant including latex. Traditional uses - The plant leaves have been traditionally used for long time for the treatment of diabetes. It also cures leukemia and useful for the treatment of blood pressure, piles and epilepsy. 12. Croton roxburghii Balak. Local Name - Croton Family - Euphorbiaceae Parts used - Root and root bark Traditional uses - It is used for the treatment of rheumatic swellings, scabies and as antidote to snake venom. Root bark paste applied for the treatment of hydrocele and cholera. Tribes use fresh root bark as an indicator for detecting poisoning effects. 13. Euphorbia hirta Linn. Local Name - Dudhi Family - Euphorbiaceae Parts used - Milky latex Traditional uses - It has beneficial effects on the heart, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. It also cures stomach disorders including diarrhoea, dysentery and urino-genital disorders. 14. Ficus bengalensis Linn. Local Name - Bargad/Banyan tree Family - Moraceae Parts used - Milky latex, leaves and roots Traditional uses - The plant is useful in cough, arthritis, pain and sprain, tooth problems, leprosy, skin problems and venereal diseases. Some tribes believe that the tree is a abode of Bonga. If anybody fells the tree, he either will die or will suffer from incurable diseases. 15. Ficus religiosa Linn. Local Name - Pipal Family - Moraceae Parts used - Stem bark and latex Traditional uses - It is useful in haematuria or bleeding piles. It is given to women after delivery as contraceptive. 16. Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce. Local Name - Khejari Family - Fabaceae Parts used - Fruits, stem and bark Traditional uses - The fruits have anabolic properties and its regular use can increase memory power and intelligence in children. It is also useful in cough, piles, arthritis, asthma, respiratory and mental disorders. 17. Ricinus communis Linn. Local Name - Arandi Family - Euphorbiaceae Parts used - Leaves and seeds Traditional uses - A gel prepared from the oil is useful in skin diseases particularly dermatitis and eczema. The castor oil is also used to make contraceptive jellies and creams. 18. Sida cordifolia Linn. Local Name - Bala Family - Malvaceae Parts used - Whole plant including seeds. Traditional uses - The seeds are highly aphrodisiac and used to treat sexual impotency. Root powder is used in female diseases and in some nervous disorders. 19. Solanum surattense Burm. f. Local Name - Kateri/Nilikateli Family - Solanaceae Parts used - Dried roots Traditional uses - It cures cough, bronchitis, asthma, chest pain, muscular pain and as a diuretic especially to remove bladder stones. 20. Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers Local Name - Neem giloy Sharma and Kumar 86 Family - Menispermaceae Parts used - Dried stem with intact bark Traditional uses - It cures all kinds of fever and for urinary diseases specially to promote urination and for the treatment of dyspepsia and flatulence. It is also used for the treatment of syphilis, gonorrhoea, jaundice, piles and intestinal worms. 21. Tribulus terrestris Linn. Local Name - Chota gokshuru Family - Zygophyllaceae Parts used - Fruits Traditional uses - It cures urinary diseases and nervous disorders. It is used for the treatment of asthma and bronchitis. 22. Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. Local Name - Ashvagandha Family - Solanaceae Parts used - Dried roots and fresh leaves Traditional uses - It is used for the treatment of general debility, male sterility, respiratory and urino-genital disorders, leucorrhoea, rheumatoid arthritis and as an aphrodisiac. 23. Ziziphus nummularia (Burm. f) Wt. Arn. Local Name - Ber Family - Rhamnaceae Parts used - Dried stem, flower and bark. Traditional uses - The bark and root is nutritive and gives vigor. The leaves are useful in asthma and stomach complaints, while the flowers are beneficial in eye diseases. The stem is powdered and given with water for healing bone fractures. Besides this, some plants have highly potential importance in different medical systems (A) Bauhinia variegata Linn. Local name – Kachnar Common name – Buddhist bauhinia Family – Fabaceae Distribution – (i) Tropical and sub tropical regions of the world, (ii) Throughout India including sub-Himalayan tract and outer Himalayas of the Punjab, Rajasthan ascending to 1300 m from the Indus, eastwards and Kumaon, (iii) Occurs in forest but not very common. Description – It is a middle sized deciduous tree. The bark is dark brown, nearly smooth, young shoots brown pubescent. Leaves are 10-15 cm long, as broad as or rather broader than long. Petiole 2.5-3.8 cm long. Flowers appeared when the tree is leafless. They are large, fragrant, white or purplish, in axillary or terminal racemes. Pedicels short or absent and bracteoles minute. All white or 4 petals pale purple and the fifth darker with dark purple vein. Stamen 5 fertile, staminodes absent. Ovary pubescent along the sutures, long stalked, style long and stigma capitate. Pod 15-30 by 1.8-2.5 cm hard, flat dehiscent, on a glabrous stipe 2.5 cm long seeds 10-15 in per pod (Plate-3-III). Phenology – Flowering and fruiting – April to July. Chemical composition – The seeds consist of 20% endocarp, and 80% kernels. They yield 16.5% a pale brown fatty oil on extraction with petroleum ether, but only about 6.1% when expressed in a hydraulic press. The wood is greyish brown and moderately hard and is used for agricultural implements. The calorific value of moisture free sapwood (ash, 3.02%) is 4, 791 cals. Parts used – Root and bark Properties and Uses – The roots and bark are astringent, acrid, cooling, constipating, depurative, anthelmintic, vulnery, anti-inflammatory and styptic. They are useful in vitiated conditions of pitta and kapha, diarrhoea, dysentery, skin diseases, leprosy, intestinal worms, tomours, wounds, ulcers, inflammations, scrofula, proctoptosis, haemorrhoids, haemoptysis, cough, menorrhagia and diabetes. Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari Local Name – Guggal Common Name – Indian Bedellium tree Family – Burseraceae Distribution – (i) It is widely distributed in the tropical regions of Africa, Madagascar, Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, (ii) In India, this species is distributed in the states of Raja(ii) In India, this species is distributed in the states of Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Description – A small tree or shrub upto 3-4 m high, the branches are crooked, knotty, aromatic and end in sharp spines. The bark is papery and peels in strips from the older parts of the stem. The leaves are sessile, alternate or fascicled, 1-3 foliate, the leaflets are glabrous. The terminal is sessile or subsessile, obvate, serrate, 1-5 cm long, 0.5 to 2.5 cm. broad, lateral, when present, sessile, serrate or entire. The plants are dimorphic, one having bisexual and male flowers and the other having female flowers. Flowers are sessile, 3.5 mm long, usually red and rarely pinkish white. The flowers appear in groups of 2 or 3. The calyx is fused with the disc basally, it is popular tubular, 1-2 mm long. The petals are refluxed, acute, 3-5 mm long and 1 mm broad. There are 8 stamens very rarely 10; 3-5 mm long. The disc is conspicuously toothed. The ovary is 2-loculed with a sessile 2- lobed stigma. The fruit is ovoid, up to 1cm long drupe, red when ripe and the mesocarp is yellow. When it is ripe, it splits into two (Farooqi and Sreeramu, 2001) (Plate-3-II). Chemical composition – The oleo-gum-resins are mixtures of resin (about 61%), gum (about 29.3%), volatile oil (about 1.45%) and occasionally combined with other substances, mainly myrecene, dimyrecene and polymyrecene. It has three sterols-gygglusterols I, II and III, two sterones and two diterpenes have been isolated from the drug. Gugglusterone is the major pregnane-type 87 Prime Research on Medicine compound and exhibits high degree of anticholesterolemic activity (Bhakuni, 1990). Parts used – Gum resin and bark. Properties and uses – The oleo-resin is used as an astringent, antiseptic, stomachic, carminative and digestive. The oleo-resin cause an increase of leucocytes in the blood and stimulates phagocytosis. It is highly effective in the treatment of obesity, arthritis, indolent ulcers, weak and spongy gums, pyorrhoea, chronic tonsilitis and pharangytis, ulcerated throat and chronic dyspepsia. Inhalation of the fumes of burnt guggul is recommended in hay fever. Euphorbia neriifolia Linn. Syn. E. ligularia Roxb. Lcoal Name – Snuhi Common Name – Common milk hedge Family – Euphorbiaceae Distribution – It is distributed in (i) Warmer parts of the world including Peninsula, Ceylon and Baluchistan, (ii) Greater parts of India, (iii) Frequent found in semi-arid regions. Description – A large succulent shrub or a small tree, upto 20 ft. high, with jointed, cylindrical or obscurely 5 angled branches bearing short and stipular thorns. Leaves fleshy, deciduous , obovate-oblong, 6-12 inch long, terminal on the branches. The trunk is covered with reticulate fleshy peduncle about 3.8 mm long. Anthers sagittate, apiculate. Fruits tricoccus, compressed, seeds greenish brown (Plate-3-I). Phenology - Flowering and fruiting throughout the year. Chemical composition - Root has alnus, terpenes, 24methylene cyclaartenol, bark-euphol, euphorbol hexacosanoate, n-hexacosanol and latex has euphol and nerifoliol. Parts used - Latex, root, bark and leaf. Properties and uses - The latex is acrid, rubefacient, purgative and expectorant. It is liable to cause dermatitis. It is used to remove warts and cutaneous eruptions. The juice is employed in earache, mixed with soot, it is applied in ophthalmia. The leaves are carminative; improve the appetite; good for tumours, pains, inflammations, abdominal swellings. Root is useful in piles, asthma, bronchitis, dropsy and dyspepsia, flatulence, fever, gastric disorders, jaundice, rheumatism and ulcers. Some tribal people use the stem juice to kill or blind fish. It is a sacred plant for Hindus (Bakshi et al., 2001). Asparagus adscendens Roxb. Local name - Musli Common name - Satavar Family - Liliaceae Distribution : It is distributed in Afghanistan, the Punjab and in the Himalayas upto an altitude of 5,300 ft. It is also cultivated in Rajasthan including Udaipur and Dungarpur. Description - A sub erect prickly shrub, with white tuberous roots. Stem is tall, stout, sub erect terete, smooth white and multiple branching. Branchlets ascending, ashy white, grooved and angled. Spines 1.3-2 cm long, stout and straight. Inflorescence is raceme 2.5-5 cm long. Flowers appear in groups and pedicels jointed above or below the middle part of flower, bracts are minute. Flowers are 2.5 cm in diameter, ovules many in each cell. Berry 6-8 mm in diameter, 1-seeded (Gillet, 1985). Chemical Composition - Chopra et al. (1958) reported the biologically active chemicals. They areoligospirostanoside (Asparanin C and Asparanin D) and oligofurostanoside (Asparoside C and Asparoside D); BSitosterol, Diosgenin and Sarasapogenin. Parts used - Dried tuberous roots Phenology - Flowering and fruiting (May to December) Properties and uses - It is used in several combinations for the treatment of sexual impotency, general debility and promotion of urination. It is very nutritive health tonic with cooling and soothing effects on body. Some of them useful for the treatment of venereal and skin diseases. It has been found that the plant is ‘galactagogue’ that is, it increase breast milk in mothers both in humans as well as in cattles. It cures dysentery and diarrhoea when boiled with milk and sugar. Some tribal women after delivery wear a twig in ears and hair for magical guard against evil eyes. Thus, a large number of plants from Rajasthan have medicinal value. Figure 3 shows some of the medicinal plants of Rajasthan which are Euphorbia neriifolia growing in forest arboretum (Figure 3I), Commiphora wightii growing in forest arboretum (Figure 3II), and Bauhinia variegata growing in forest arboretum (Figure 3III). REFERENCES Joshi MC (1957). A comparative study of the vegetation of some areas in Jaipur division. J. Indian Bot. Soc. 35: 495-511. Kumar A (1999). Conservation and sustainable utilization of herbal drugs to protect them from extinction - An urgent need. In : Proc. International forum on tradition medicine. Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama. Japan. 281-284. Kotia A, Kumar A (2001a). Biodiversity of the Indian Desert and its value. In : From soil to cell a broad approach to plant life (L. Bender and A. Kumar, eds). Gie Ben Electronic Library (GEB). WWW. Bidd. Uni.giessen de. pp. 1-13. Kumar A (2000). Traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicines : Some potential plants for bioenergy, medicine from India. Institute of Natural Medicine Toyama Medical and Pharamceutical University, Japan. 27 : 3-15. Kumar A, Sopory S (2008). Recent Advances in Plant Biotechnology and its Applications. New Delhi. I.K. International , 718 pp. Kumar A, Shekhawat NS (2009). Plant Tissue Culture and Molecular Markers: Their Role in Sharma and Kumar 88 Figure 3: Some of the medicinal plants of Rajasthan Improving Crop Productivity. New Delhi. I.K. International, 688 pp. Kumar A, Sopory S (2010). Applications of Plant Biotechnology: In vitro Propagation, Plant Transformation and Secondary Metabolite Production. New Delhi. I.K. International. p. 606. Verma SKb (1967). Vegetation type of Jaipur. Indian Forestry. 93: 9-17.