Traditional practitioners of Aligarh (1), Budaun (2), Bulandshahar (3), Farrukhabad (4), Hathras (5) districts of Western Uttar Pradesh, India [9] Reported uses in the various districts are shown in the right column in parentheses
Acidity. Plant decoction is administered thrice daily with cow milk before each meal for 15 days (1–5). Alopecia. Leaf extract is given orally twice a day for 3 months (1–5). Asthma. Whole plant ash is given orally thrice daily for 3 months (1–5). Body pain. Fresh leaf extract is given orally thrice daily for 5 days or till cure (1–5). Bronchitis and pneumonia. Whole plant decoction is given orally with honey twice a day for 7 days or till cure (1–5). Burns. Whole plant extract is given orally twice a day for 7 days. Leaf paste is applied externally. This is continued till cure (1–5). Constipation. Root powder is given orally once a day for 3 days (1–5). Diarrhea and dysentery. Whole plant decoction is given orally thrice daily for 7 days or till cure (1–5). Edema. Plant extract is given twice a day for 7 days or till cure. Fever. Whole plant extract is given orally twice or thrice daily for 7 days or till cure (1–5). General weakness. Whole plant extract mixed with 3 g fruit powder of Phyllanthus emblica is given orally twice a day for 6 weeks or till the person recovers from weakness (1–5). Gingivitis. Leaf extract is given orally twice a day for 3 weeks or till cure (1–5). Hemorrhoids. Root extract is administered orally thrice daily (1, 2). Hair fall. Leaf extract is given orally twice daily with cow milk for 3 months (1–5). High blood pressure. Plant decoction is given orally twice or thrice a day for 3 months or till the patient recovers fully (1–5). Jaundice. Fresh plant extract is given orally twice or thrice daily for 3 weeks or till cure. Leaf extract along with honey is given orally twice or thrice daily for 15 days or till cure. Plant extract mixed with plant extract of Boerhavia diffusa is given orally twice a day for 15 days or till cure (1, 2). Liver enlargement. Plant extract is given orally twice or thrice daily for 1 month or till cure. This therapy is administered to adult patients only (1–5). Loss of appetite. Leaf decoction is given orally before each meal twice daily for 15 days. Leaf powder is given orally after each meal for 15 days (1, 2, 6). Palpitation of heart. Leaf extract mixed with honey is given orally twice a day for 7 days or till cure (1–5). Paronychia or whitlo. Whole plant paste is applied externally (1–5). Pimples. Fresh leaf extract is given orally twice daily with cow milk for 2 months (1–5). Premature graying of hair. Fresh leaf extract is gently applied to hair (1–5). Skin diseases. Plant paste is applied externally for 15 days in eczema. Leaf paste is applied externally to boils and extract is given orally twice daily for 15 days (1, 2, 5). Spleen enlargement. Leaf extract mixed with honey is given orally twice or thrice daily for 15 days or till cure. Urinary tract infections. Plant extract is given orally twice a day for 15 days. The extract is also used to wash genitalia externally till cure (1–5). Weakness of vision. Leaf extract is given orally twice a day with cow milk for 3 months (1–3). Wounds. Leaf extract is used to wash open wounds (1, 3, 5). Wrinkles. Leaf extract with Withania somnifera root powder is given orally with cow milk twice daily for 3 months (1–5).
Local practitioners of Mount Abu in Rajasthan, India [10]
Leaves and flowers used for treatment of urinary problems, jaundice, asthma, and coughs.
Local community of Jalalpur Jattan, Gujrat district, Punjab, Pakistan [11]
Leaf paste applied to treat allergy, athelete’s foot and ringworm.
Santal tribe residing in Thakurgaon district, Bangladesh [12]
Diabetes. Leaves of white-flowered plant are mixed with leaves of Scoparia dulcis, leaves of Cynodon dactylon and water and then boiled in an earthen vessel. The water is then strained through cloth and given to diabetic patients to be taken orally in the morning and evening on an empty stomach.
Two teaspoons of leaf juice is administered daily against hepatic disorders.
Local people and tribal communities of Hanumangarh District, Rajasthan, India [15]
Plant is used as hair tonic. Extracted oil is used as tonic. Leaf juice is taken orally with honey in jaundice and dysentery. The plant is considered to stimulate the digestive system, augment appetite, and improve digestion. Leaf extract is given orally with water for diarrhea. The root is considered purgative and used in conditions of liver, spleen, and dropsy.
Whole plant is considered deobstruent, antihepatotoxic, anticatarrhal, and febrifuge. Used in hepatitis, spleen enlargements, and skin diseases. Leaf is used to promote hair growth. Leaf extract in oil is applied to scalp before bedtime for insomnia.
Local communities and ethnic groups of Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh, India [17]
Decoction of plant used to treat scorpion sting.
Local herbalists of Samba District of Jammu and Kashmir State, India [18]
Whole plant is used in asthma, bronchitis, fever, gastric and hepatic disorders, jaundice, ulcers, wounds, sores, and leucoderma.
Folk medicinal practitioners of Rampal, Bagerhat District, Bangladesh [19]
Whole plant used to treat indigestion.
Tribals of Buldhana District, Maharashtra, India [20]
Whole plants and leaves used to treat wounds.
Malayali tribals of Kolli Hills, Eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India [21]
Whole plant juice is given orally to treat snake bite.
Local people of Javadhu Hills, Tamil Nadu, India [22]
Plant is used for treatment of hepatitis.
Malayaraya tribes of Vannapuram village, Idukki, Kerala, India [23]
Whole plant is used for rejuvenating hair, kidneys, and liver.
Whole plant used as tonic and for treatment of spleen enlargement.
Women of Azamgarh District, Uttar Pradesh, India [28]
Whole plant juice with sugar is given to persons suffering from severe whitish dysentery.
Villagers of Nizamabad District, Andhra Pradesh, India [29]
Dry plant powder is given to elderly people to provide energy. Plant paste is applied to head to blacken gray hair.
Traditional herbal medical practitioners of Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu, India [30]
Leaf extract is applied on swellings.
Local people of Birbhum District in West Bengal, India [31]
Fresh leaves are applied with sesame oil to cure baldness, elephantiasis, and headache. Juice of whole plant is applied in skin disorders on affected areas of skin.
Saperas community of Khetawas, Jhajjar District, Haryana, India [32]
Treatment of snake bite.
Local traditional healers of Western Uttar Pradesh, India [33]
Decoction of whole plant is given for scorpion sting.
Bhil, Pawara and Pardhi tribes in Satpuda Mountain of Nandurbar, Dhule and Jalgaon district of Maharashtra, India [34]
4-5 powdered leaves are administered with a cup of water in a single dose for 2 days for menorrhagia.
Uraly tribes of Idukki District, Kerala, India [35]
Crushed leaves are applied on cuts and wounds.
Local inhabitants of rural and remote areas of Kalyanpur block of Kanpur District, Uttar Pradesh, India [36]
2–5 g leaf paste is applied on fresh cuts and wounds.
Gujjar tribes in the Shivalik Hills of Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India [37]
Jaundice, premature graying and falling of hair.
Tribes of Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India [38]
Leaf paste is applied to hair to promote growth.
Local people and traditional healers of Ambala District, Haryana, India [39]
Leaf decoction is put on head to cure headache. Leaf extract is given to cure asthma, cold and for hair cleaning and lice.
Traditional healers and local people of Arghakhanchi District, Nepal [40]
Plant juice is applied externally in cuts and wounds.
Ethnic communities of Moradabad District, Western Uttar Pradesh, India [41]
Leaf extract is applied to head to get rid of dandruff and to blacken gray hair.
Whole plant is grounded with black pepper and made into small pills. Two pills are administered twice a day to infants for treatment of jaundice and fever.
