Phytomedicine

Millenary civilizations rely on plants for medicinal purposes in simple forms like decoctions, powders, and ointment and continue even nowadays. Plant based products have always been exploited to promote human health and served as a valuable source for the discovery of new drugs. The knowledge of traditional healthcare system differs from place to place and should have to be documented. My study aims to explore the utilization of plants in cardiovascular disease by the people of Bhadrak District, Odisha, India. In the present study, information on use of plants for cardiovascular diseases was collected from 89 informants using semi-structured interviews, key informant discussions and direct observations. A total of 41 plant species under 28 families have been used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases of which Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Zingiberaceae are the most frequent. The frequently cited species used to treat such ailments are Allium sativum L., Curcuma longa L., Linum usitatissimum L., Ocimum sanctum L., Phyllanthus emblica L., Rauvolfia serpentina (L.) Benth.ex Kurz., Terminalia arjuna (Roxb.ex DC.) Wight & Arn., Tamarindus indica L. and Zingiber officinale Rosc. The leaves are the most commonly used plant part and decoction was the main method of preparation. Herbs (41.5%) and trees (39%) are equally dominant. The present information suggests that the reported medicinal plants can be rich sources for developing new and effective pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. However, clinical studies of the all the medicinal plants are required for the benefit of posterity.