Pak J. Weed Sci. Res. 12(3):191-197, 2006.

 

STUDY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS AMONG WEEDS OF WHEAT

AND MAIZE IN PESHAWAR REGION

 

Syed Rehmat Ullah Shah[1], Muhammad Qasim[2], Ijaz Ahmad Khan[3] and

Syed Azmat Ullah Shah[4]

 

ABSTRACT

Wheat and maize are two major crops of Pakistan facing problems by a lot of weeds infestation. A study was conducted to know the medicinal value of these weeds. A total of 19 weeds of different families were found in maize and wheat fields of Peshawar Region. Most of the weeds were found highly effective against many of the diseases like catchweed bedstraw (Galium aparine) is used against skin diseases such as seborrhea, flavonoids and tannins. Puncture vine (Tribulus terresetris) is used as sex stmulant. Cichorium intybus is excellent tonic for liver and digestive tract. Convolvulus arvensis is useful against joints pain. Besides the medicinal importance most of the weeds are used as pot herbs and green fodders.

 

Key words: Medicinal plants, wheat, maize, pot herbs, weeds, ethnobotany.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

In developing countries like Pakistan, agriculture and forests plays an important role for its economy. Majority of the population of Pakistan is living in the rural areas and their dependence is mainly on agricultural products. The concept of weeds as unwanted plants was born when man started to deliberately grow plants for food. Agricultural researchers have found that weeds cause 17-25% losses in wheat annually (Shad, 1987). In maize and rice the losses on annual basis were amounted to more than 6.3 and 4.9 billions at national and 3.2 and 1.2 billions at provincial  (NWFP) level, respectively (Hassan and Marwat, 2001)

 

On one place where weeds cause so many losses, they also have many beneficial uses in our daily life. The most important positive aspect of the weeds is that nearly all of them are known to possess therapeutic properties and are used by the native people for cure of a variety of human and cattle diseases. (Ibrar et al, 2003)

 

The following species were commonly found in selected areas

 

1.                   Achyranthus aspera Linn.

Family              :

Amaranthaceae                                          

Vern. Names     :

Puthkanda (Urdu), Gishkay, Spaoboty (Pushto), Prickly caff-flower (English), charchuta (Punjabi)

Locality             :

Maize field

Part Used          :

Whole herb, leaves, seeds and root

Medicinal value :           

Plant is purgative, diuretic, used in dropsy, piles, boils, colic and skin eruption. Root infusion is astringent. Seed is emetic and used in hydrophobia (Khan, 2004).

Local Uses        :

Decoction of plant is used for skin diseases.

 

2.                   Amaranthus hybridus  L.

Syn                  :

Amaranthus chlorostachys Willd.

Family              :

Amaranthaceae

Vern. Names     :

Karund (Urdu), Mariro (Sindhi), Chalwaiy (Pushto), Trailing Amaranth (English).

Locality             :

Maize field

Part Used          :

Leaves.

Medicinal value :           

Leaves used as vegetable. The leaves are emollient. Used as antidote for snake and scorpion bite (Chopra, 1958; Shinwari et al., 2003).

Local Uses        :

Used as Vegetable

 

3.                   Amaranthus viridis Tim.

                    

Family              :

Amaranthaceae

Vern. Names     :

Karund (Urdu), Mariro (Sindhi), Chalwaiy (Pushto), Trailing Amaranth (English).

Locality             :

Maize field

Medicinal Value :            

Leaves are emollient and used in scorpion sting and snake bites. Laves are also used as pot herb (Khan, 2004).

Local Uses        :

Used as vegetable.

 

4.                   Convolvulus arvensis L.

Family              :

Convolvulaceae

Vern. Names     :

Hiran Khari (Urdu), Prawatai (Pushto), Field bind weed (English)

Locality             :

Maize and Wheat

Part used          :

Vegetative parts

Medicinal value  : 

Roots are purgative and possess blood coagulating properties due to presence of vitamin K like substances (Khan, 2004).

Local Uses        :

Used as animal feed.

 

5.                   Carthamus oxycantha M.B.

Family              :

Asteraceae

Vern. Names     :

Pohli or Kandiari (Urdu), Kunzalay (Pushto), wooly distaff thistle (English.)                 

Locality             :

Wheat field

Part Used         :

Flowers and seeds

Medicinal value  :            

Flowers laxative, diaphoretic, useful in fevers, measles, eruptive skin diseases, Seeds eaten by children (Ibrar et al., 2003).

Local Uses        :

Used for fever, skin and abdominal diseases.

 

6.                   Cynodon  dactylon (L.) Pers.

Syn                  :

Panicum dactylon L., Digitaria dactylon (L.) Scop.

Family              :

Poaceae

Vern. Names     :

Kabal (Pushto.), Khabal or Talla (Urdu), Bermuda grass (English)

Locality             :

Wheat and Maize

Part Used          :

Whole plant

Medicinal value :            

Plant juice is astringent, diuretic, used in dropsy, hysteria, epilepsy, insanity, diarrhea and dysentery. Crushed roots with cured in chronic gleets. Root decoction is: diuretic useful in syphilis. Root infusion used for stopping bleeding of piles (Khan, 2004).

Local Uses        :

Used as animal feed.

 

7.                   Cyperus rotundus L.

Family              :

Cyperaceae

Vern. Names     :

Deela or motha (Urdu), Purple nutsedge (English)

Locality             :

Maize

Part Used          :

Whole plant, root

Medicinal value :              

Ant dysenteric (Chopra, 1958), anathematic, appetizer, treatment of thirst, fever, ulcers, sores, vomiting, eye inflammation, itching (Memon and Shahani, 1988).

Local uses        :

Used against fever and stomach diseases.

 

8.                   Datura alba Nees.

Syn                  :

Datura fastuosa L.

Family              :

Solanaceae

Vern. Names     :

Dhatura, Mangaz (Pushto), Dhatura (Urdu)

Locality             :

Maize fields

Part used          :

Leaves, seeds, root

Medicinal value :            

Poisonous, but also a very useful medicinal plant. Leaves are smoked to relive asthma, applied externally on swollen limbs. Extract of leaf is helpful in toothache, headache, epilepsy, Parkinsonism, hemorrhoids, boils and sores. Juice of flower if used for ear-ache. The fruit juice is applied for curing dandruff and falling hairs (Ibrar et al., 2003)

Local Uses        :

 

Leaves are smoked for asthma. Flowers with sugar are used for fever.

 

9.                   Euphorbia helioscopia L.

Family              :

Euphorbiaceae

Vern. Names     :

 

Mandaroo (Pushto), Zahar booti (Punjabi), Sun spurge, Cat's milk (English.)      

Locality             :

Wheat field

Part used          :

Shoot, leaf, root, latex       

Medicinal value :            

Plant is cathartic; root is anathematic and seeds with roasted pepper given in cholera. Oil from seeds is purgative. Milky juice applied to eruptions (Khan, 2004).

Local Uses        :

Used against skin diseases.

 

10.               Fumaria indica (Hausskn.) H.N. Pugsley in J.L.S.

Syn                  :

Fumaria officinalis Linn., Fumaria parviflora W.& A.

Family              :

Fumariaceae

Vern. Names     :

Papra (Pushto), Shahtra (Urdu), Fumitory (English)

Locality             :

Wheat field

Part used          :

Whole plant

Medicinal value  :

Plant is used as aperients, diaphoretic and diuretic (Khan, 2004).

Local Uses        :

No local uses found.

 

11.               Melilotus indica (Linn) Au.

Syn                  :

Trifolium indicum, Melilotus parviflora

Family              :

Fabaceae

Vern. Names     :

Senji (Urdu), Levanai (Pushto), India clover (English)

Locality             :

Wheat Fields

Part used          :

Whole plant, Seeds

Medicinal value :           

Plant is emollient, externally applied as poultice or plaster for swellings. Seeds are used in bowel complaints and infantile diarrhea (Khan, 2004).

Local Uses        :

Used against skin diseases.

 

12.               Silybum marianum Gaertn.

Family              :

Asteraceae

English name    :

Milk thistle, holy thistle

Locality             :

Wheat field, Orchards

Part Used          :

Whole herb root, leaves, seeds and hull

Medicinal value :

Seeds are lactagogue, used in jaundice. Root is useful against all melancholy diseases (Ibrar et al., 2003).

Local Uses        :

No local uses found.

 

13.               Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.

Syn                  :

Holcus halepensis L.

Family              :

Poaceae

Vern. Names     :

Jangli jawar (Urdu), Gua (Sindhi.), Johonsongrass (English)    

Locality             :

Maize field, orchards

Part used          :

Grain        

Medicinal value  :

Feeding cattle, horse and poultry. Diuretic and demulcent if taken as a decoction. Leaves poisonous to cattle due to presence of hydrocyanic acid (Ibrar et al 2003).

Local uses        :

Used as animal feed.

 

14.               Trianthema portulacastrum L.

Syn                  :

Trianthema obcordata Roxb., Trianthema monogyna L.

Family              :

Aizoaceae

Vern. Names     :

Narma (Urdu), Bishkapra. Lunak (Punjabi), carpet weed, common purslane (English)

Locality             :

Maize and vegetable fields

Part Used          :

Whole plant

Medicinal value  :

Analgesic, purgative, stomachic, used for the treatment of anemia, bronchitis, piles, inflammation, liver troubles, asthma, itch, chronic ulcer, night-blindness, diseases of blood and skin (Memon and Shahani, 1988).

Local Uses        :

Used against asthma and skin diseases.

 

15.               Tribulus terrestris Linn.

Family              :

Zygophyllaceae

Vern. Names     :

Sarang (Pashto), Bakhra (Saraiki), Gokhru (Urdu), Small caltrops; puncture vine; devil's thorn (English)

Locality             :

Maize

Part Used          :

Whole plant

Medicinal value :           

Fruits are aphrodisiac, tonic, diuretic, cooling, used in painful micturition, calculus affections, urinary discharges and impotence. In form of infusion used as diuretic in gout. Used in kidney disease and gravel (Khan, 2004).

Local Uses        :

Used for urinary and sex diseases.

 

16.        Galium aparine L.

Family              :

Rubiaceae

Names              :

Indian blanket, grip grass, catch weed bed straw (English)

Locality             :

Wheat field

Part Used          :

Whole plant except root

Uses                 :

Diuretic, tonic, alterative, aparient, also used in skin diseases and general eruptions.

 

Table-1.  Weeds infesting maize and wheat fields having Medicinal value.

S.No

 Name of Weed

      Family

Name of Crop/Locality

1

Achyranthus aspera Linn.

Amaranthaceae

Maize Field

2

Amaranthus hybridus  L.

Amaranthaceae

Maize Field

3

A. viridis Tim

Amaranthaceae

Maize Field

4

Convolvulus arvensis L.

Convolvulaceae

Maize and Wheat Fields

5

Carthamus oxycantha M.B.

Asteraceae

Wheat Field

6

Cynodon  dactylon (L.) Pers.

Poaceae

Wheat and Maize Fields

7

Cyperus rotundus L

Cyperaceae

Maize Field

8

Datura alba Nees.

Solanaceae

Maize Field

9

Euphorbia helioscopia L.

Euphorbiaceae

Wheat Field

10

Fumaria indica (Hausskn)

Fumariaceae

Wheat Field

11

Melilotus indicus (Linn) Au

Fabaceae

Wheat Field

12

Silybum marianum Gaertn.

Asteraceae

Wheat Field

13

Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.

Poaceae

Maize Field

14

Trianthema portulacastrum L.

Aizoaceae

Maize Field

15

Tribulus terrestris Linn

Zygophyllaceae

Maize Field

 

 

Amaranthus hybridus  L.

Cynodon  dactylon (L.) Pers.

Amaranthus viridis Tim

Achyranthus aspera Linn.

Melilotus indicus (Linn.)

Fumaria indica (Hausskn.

Trianthema portulacastrum L.

Euphorbia helioscopia L.

 

Convolvulus arvensis L.

Silybum marianum Gaertn.

Tribulus terrestris L.

Cyperus rotundus L.

 

REFERENCE CITED

Chopra, I.C. 1958. Chopra's Indigenous Drugs of India 2nd Ed. U.N. Dhur &Sons Pvt. Calcutta-12.

Hassan, G. and K.B. Marwat. 2001. Integrated weed management in agricultural crops.  National workshop technologies for Sustainable Agriculture, Sep, 24-26, 2001, NIAB, Faisalabad.

Ibrar, M., S. Hashim and K.B. Marwat. 2003. Ethnobotanic study of the weeds of five crops in District Abbottabad, N-W. Pak. J. Weed Sci. Res. 9 (3&4):229-240.

Khan, M.S. 2004. Plants and Drugs of Balochistan. Wheat Research Institute Sakrand. Sindh Pakistan. Addition 4. pp. 4-182.Memon, M.I.A, and N.M. Shahani. 1988. Survey and Domestication of Wild Medicinal Plants Distributed in Sind Province of Pakistan. Dept. Plant Breeding & Genetics, Sind Agric. Univ., Tandojam, Pakistan.

Shad, R.A. 1987. Major Rabi And Kharif Weeds Of Agronomic Crops Of District Bannu. Status of Weed Science activities in Pakistan. Progressive Farming. 7(1):10-16. Pak. J. Weed Sci. Res. 10(1-2):79-86, 2004.

Shah, S.R.U., G. Hassan, A. Rehman and I. Ahmed. 2005. Ethnobotanical study of wild flora of District Musakhel and Barkhan in Balochistan. 6th National Conference. Weed Science Society of Pakistan. March 28-30, 2005, N.W.F.P. Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan.

Shinwari, Z.K., A.A.Khan, and T. Nakaike. 2003. Medicinal and other useful plants of District Swat, P

 

[1] National Agricultural Research System in Balochistan, Arid Zone Research Center, Quetta, Pakistan

   E-mail: srusg@yahoo.com

[2] Department of Plant Protection, NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar-Pakistan.

[3] Department of Weed Science, NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar-Pakistan

[3] Balochistan University of Information Technology and Management Sciences, Quetta, Pakistan.

 

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Department of Weed Science
NWFP Agricultural University Peshawar, 25130 Pakistan