Ethnobotanical Euphorbian plants of North Maharashtra Region

Abstract

Euphorbiaceae is among the large flowering plant families consisting of a wide variety of vegetative forms. Some of which plants are of great importance, It is need to explore traditional medicinal knowledge of plant materials belonging to various genera of Euphorbiaceae available in North Maharashtra State. Plants have always been the source of food, medicine and other necessities of life since the origin of human being. Plant containing ethnomedicinal properties have been known and used in some forms or other tribal communities of Satpuda region. These tribal have their own system of Ethnomedicine for the treatment of different ailments. In the course of survey useful Euphorbian plants of Satpuda, 34 medicinal plants belonging to 18 genus is documented. This article reports their botanical identity, family name, local language name part used preparations and doses, if any. It is observed that tribes of this region uses various Euphorbian plant in the form of decoction, infusion, extract, paste, powder etc. Thus the knowledge area of this region with respect to ethnomedicine would be useful for botanist, pharmacologist and phytochemist for further explorations. It is concluded that the family is a good starting point for the search for plant-based medicines.