Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge

Vol. 9 (1), January 2010, pp 173-174

Traditional treatment of leucoderma by Kol tribes of Vindhyan region

of Uttar Pradesh
Usha Singh & Satya Narain
Duthie Herbarium, Ethnobotany Cell, Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211 002, Uttar Pradesh
E- mail: Singh_usha22@yahoo.co.in

Received 8ctober 2007; revised 25 April 2008

The communication provides a brief account of a time-tested remedy by tribes from latex of Telosma pallida (Roxb.)
Craib. and plant paste of Launaea asplenifolia (Willd.) Hook. f. against leucoderma. The practice is quite popular among the
tribes of Vindhyan region of Uttar Pradesh. The text deals with method of treatment and results of tribal practices.

Keywords: Ethnomedicine, Leucoderma, Kol tribes, Uttar Pradesh

IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A61P1/02, A61P29/00

The Vindhyan region of Uttar-Pradesh lies between Results and discussion

82° and 83° 23′ E longitude and 22° 45′ N and 24°
34′ N latitude which includes the districts namely
Mirzapur and Sonbhadra. The forest is of tropical dry
deciduous type1-4. The region is surveyed with the
purpose of collection of folklore records on medicines
and treatments of the tribals (Kol, Musahar, Baiga,
Sahariya). No doubt, tribal people and socio-
economically backward communities are the major
sources of traditional knowledge about the uses of
various plants. They treat their ailments with local
medicinal plants. Several folklore claims and
practices on various diseases were recorded.
Interestingly, the treatment of leucoderma appeared
to be most promising. Interestingly, some Kols and
Musahar often claimed to cure disease like
leucoderma by their own method of indigenous
treatment. A floristic account and brief information
regarding plant/plant parts and the method of their
uses to cure this disease are being described. In case
of leucoderma, white patches appear on the skin and
there is a localized loss of pigmentation of the skin.
The white patches on the skin are painless. A
leucoderma patient is more embarrassed than the
victim of any pain or discomfort. In addition to being a
medical problem, the patient also bears a social stigma.
Persons suffering from the chronic dysentery and other
digestive disorders are more prone to leucoderma than
others. Symptoms, origin, causes and successful
treatment of leucoderma have also been reported5-8.
——————
*Corresponding author
The study was undertaken with the co-operation of
kol tribes and patients. There are experts in the kol
community who practice such treatments and thus an
effective local health tradition exists. The prior
consent of the knowledge providers was taken. The
patient was observed initially, during follow up and at
the end of the study, good response was considered
for complete normalcy of clinical features. Two cases
were taken up for the study.
Telosma pallida (Roxb.) Craib., (Asclepiadaceae), Kusiyari
Uses: The latex of fruit and fruit paste is applied
externally on the localized white patches during initial
stage of disease. After application, patient is asked to
sit in sunlight for 20-30 minutes. At night, it is also
applied externally and left for whole night, and
washed with water in the morning. The patient is
asked to continue the practice till some improvement
is achieved (Fig.1).
Launaea asplenifolia (Willd.) Hook. f., (Asteraceae), Vangobhi
Uses: Plant paste is applied externally on the pink
patches of the diseased part of the patient and is left
for 4-5 hrs daily. It is continued till its recovery.
During observation, it was found that the clinical
features (white patches on the skin) of patient was
cured (90%) after 6 months. In 1st case, the patient
was treated by Telosma pallida fruit latex. In 2ed case
the patient was cured by whole plant paste of Launaea
asplenifolia. In this case too, the patient was cured
(95%) after 6 months. The patients, who were treated
and got relief satisfactorily, mentioned that the
174 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 9, NO 1, JANUARY 2010
Fig. 1 —Improvement of diseased part using Telosma pallida
patches developed due to side effect of some
medicines. The crude traditional method of treatment
was tried by tribes in its original form and found to be
most effective against leucoderma. The remedial
property of the fruit latex and leaf extract is attributed
to the active principles present. However, there is a
need for scientific validation of these practices
and their efficiency, credibility and applicability
need to be established through the phytochemical,
pharmacological and clinical screenings.
Acknowledgement
Author expresses grateful thanks to the Head
of Botany Department, University of Allahabad,
Allahabad for the facilities. Thanks are also due to
tribes, who shared their information and trial of
treatment on patients against leucoderma.
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