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Dr Pratik Mungekar honoured with The Royal Honorary Doctorate

The 6th International Conference of Medicinal Plant and Traditional Herbal Lotion of our country was held on 20 - 21 February 2022.


Dr Pratik Rajan Mungekar represented India as a Keynote Speaker and successfully delivered his presentation on THE ROLE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE HEALTH CARE AND RURAL ECONOMY IN THE TRIBALS OF SATPURA PLATEAU REGION OF CENTRAL INDIA.





On 10th Feb 2022 The 6th International conference closing ceremony was happened virtually and in that ceremony, Dr Pratik Rajan Mungekar has been Honoured & conferred upon with the Royal Honorary Doctorate by The Royal University of Human Nutrition and Food Safety Sciences, the Academy of the World of Food Security and Social Peace, the International Intelligence Academy, and the Kingdom of Knowledge for Training and Consultations, Tunisia in the esteemed presence of CEO and President Dr Wassef Youssef Elabed.



Let's read the scholarly article by Dr .Pratik Rajan Mungekar


THE ROLE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE HEALTH CARE AND RURAL ECONOMY IN THE TRIBALS OF SATPURA PLATEAU REGION OF CENTRAL INDIA

PROF.DR.PRATIK RAJAN MUNGEKAR



Madhya Pradesh is a veritable niche of growing healing herbs, which are being used, in the Indian system of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani. The plants, shrubs, roots of immense medicinal value are abundantly found in Satpura, Vindhyachal, Amarkantak, Pachmarhi and Patalkot areas. Madhya Pradesh has got 1,35,164 Sq. Km of forests which accounts for 30.48% of the total geographical area of the state. Medicinal and aromatic plants are important products found in forest areas throughout Madhya Pradesh from the plains to the hills. More than 80 per cent of the people in Madhya Pradesh, (India) rely on herbal remedies as a principal means of preventing and curing illnesses and following the traditional system of medicine. There are several advantages to such systems: the plants involved are readily available, are easy to transport, and do not spoil quickly. Remedies based on these plants often have minimal side effects, and the relatively high cost of synthetic medicines often makes traditional herbal medicines an affordable choice for the poor in these lands. India’s traditional medical systems are part of a time-honoured and time-tested culture that still intrigues people today. A culture that has successfully used nature to treat primary and complex ailments for over 3,000 years has contemporary relevance.





Satpura plateau is a remarkable place, not only because of the more tribal population and dense forest but also has a lot of rare and useful natural resources including some rare species of medicinal plants, which are used for curing different kinds of diseases. Tribals and forests are symbiotically related. The tribal communities in the Satpura plateau occupy forested regions. They have lived in isolation but harmony with nature. They draw their sustenance largely from the forests. Even in areas where forests do not exist, they visit distant forests periodically and try to get their traditional requirement. They have a very close linkage with the forest, which they regard as their mother deity. A perusal of literature revealed that some work has been done on ethnomedicinal plants of Madhya Pradesh (Rai and Pandey, 1997; Pandey, 2000; Rai et al. 2000).

The present study aims to identify and prepare an inventory of various medicinal plant species used by the tribals of the Satpura plateau of central India to cure their various ailments.





During the Study number of extensive and periodical surveys were conducted during 1999-2001 among the Gond, Bharia and Koru tribes, inhabiting the forest areas of Chhindwara, Senoi, Betul and Hosangabad districts of Madhya Pradesh. Information about ethnomedicinal uses of the plants was collected from the tribal physicians (vaidyas), tribal head man (Mukhia), aged tribals, and further confirmed with herbalists. The plants are enumerated alphabetically along with their botanical names, vernacular names, major uses, dosage and mode of administration for treating diseases.


Discussion and conclusion

Based on the present study, it has been found that the tribal community of central India is rich in ethnobiological knowledge, which has been transmitted from one generation to another. The present study also revealed that the tribal communities living in the same region have their traditional ethnobotanical knowledge. The methods used for curing diseases are different from one community to another. This is because of their socio-economic structure, ancient traditional knowledge and beliefs. Their livelihood is dependent on their ecological surroundings and they use simple technology to sustain their life, which seems conservative. The present study emphasized that there is a profound and growing knowledge gap between old and younger generations. People of more than 50-65 years of age know a lot about wild plant products as compared to the younger generation (Pandey and Bisaria, 1997).



Earlier the tribals of the region were harvesting the medicinal plants at a particular time and date and time only and have a belief that at this particular time it has more therapeutic value. It is evident from modern science that at a particular time the herb contains optimum active ingredients. These types of traditional harvesting practices will help provide quality raw material on a sustainable basis and tools for conservation. The efforts are being made to document such non-destructive traditional harvesting practices for conservation as well as regulated and sustainable harvest. Considering conservation priorities, medicinal plant species yielding bark, root, gum, rhizome, flowers and whole plant as useful products glamourn the manufacture of herbal drugs are more important. The destructive extraction of these resources disturb the habitat of the species e.g., Terminalia arjuna, Sterculia urens, Boswellia serrata, Gloriosa superba, Costus speciosus, Curcuma amada, Curcuma caesia, Curcuma angustifolia, Dioscoria sp. and Rauvolfia serpentina.



The medicinal plants provide numerous opportunities for the state to advance rural well being. Because medicinal plants are one of the few natural products that sell at premium prices. Thus, the global clamor for more herbal ingredients creates possibilities for the commercial cultivation of medicinal crops. Such endeavours could help raise rural employment in developing countries, boost commerce around the world, and perhaps contribute to the health of millions. The tribals of the region are still collecting, gums, leaves, bark, flowers, and fruits of various medicinal plants to supplement their income.


Medicinal plants and their various products can be viewed as important commodity items for the sustainable economic development of the region. There is also a need for organized marketing and trade of medicinal plants and their various products so that the collector should get a remunerative price for his collection. It is suggested that initiative should be taken at the government level for deciding minimum support price for medicinal plants like crops to avoid the involvement of middlemen.






The information as an outcome of the study will serve as a useful tool to botanists, pharmacologists, phytochemists, a practitioner of herbal medicine, foresters, planners and administrators in the preparation of action and development plans for the conservation as well as herbal drug industry in the tribal tracts for providing self-employment opportunities and improving and uplifting the life, economy and social status of the tribal and rural populations.


Article Courtesy:

Prof.Dr.Pratik Rajan Mungekar

(Scientist, Professor, Counsellor, Global Educator, Published Author & an International Speaker).



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