Dr. Amrit Pal Singh

House No.2101, Phase-7

Mohali-160062

Email: amritpal2101@yahoo.com

Aim:

The aim of this study was to locate and document the medicinal herbs growing in Chandigarh and Mohali area.

Introduction:

Chandigarh and Mohali are beautiful cities with a wide range of medicinal herbs growing under varying conditions. These medicinal herbs have been traditionally used in number of diseases. Chandigarh is a type of city, which has been provided with rich green flora. Areas like Kansal forests, Sukhna Lake, and Rock garden have rich bio diversity as far as medicinal herbs are concerned.

Methods:

In addition to Chandigarh and Mohali, number of villages around Chandigarh and Mohali were visited for locating medicinal herbs. Following is the list of the areas, which were traveled extensively for collection of medicinal herbs. Herbal vendors, Hakims and Vaidyas were consulted for regional names of the medicinal herbs and there use in traditional medicine.

Results:

Sr. No.	Botanical Name	Common Name	Place of collection	Date of collection
1.	Ajuga bracetosa	Kakamuti	Bhagomajra	24.8.99
2.	Abutilon indicum	Kanghi booti	Maujpur	12.6.99
3.	Acalypha indica	Kuppi	Banur	1.4.01
4.	Achyranthes aspera	Poothkanda	Chandigarh	Collected number of times.
5.	Adhatoda vesica	Basuti	Sohana	11.3.98
6.	Anagallis arvensis	Jonkmari	Sohana	16.6.98
7.	Chenopodium ambrosoides		Ph 7 Mohali.	18.2.00
8.	Ranunculus scelertus	Bhandeer	Leisure valley Mohali.	18.12.99
9.	Clemone viscosa.	Hulhul	Khuda lahora.	17.7.00
10.	Fumaria officinalis	Parpat	Open fields of Dhanas.	3.1.99.
11.	Saponaria vaccaria.	Machar phadi.	Manak majra.	28.10.98.
12.	Stellaria media.		Sec-35, Chandigarh.	26.11.98.
13.	Sida cordifolia	Khernti.	Manak majra.	17.7.98.
14.	Cassia tora.	Chakmad.	Chandigarh.	28.8.98.
15.	Blumea lacera.	Kukurunda.	Leisure valley Mohali.	28.8.98.
16.	Vernonia cineria.	Sandori.	Zirakpur.	13.2.00.
17.	Grangea madersaptan.		Rice field Burial.	12.12. 98.
18.	Eclipta alba.	Bhangra.	Common.	30.4.98.
19.	Urnea rependa.		Ph- 9 Mohali.	26.10.99.
20.	Xanthium sturmarium.	Chota dhatura.	Kansal forest.	16.3 .00.
21.	Solanum nigrum.	Mako.	Manakpur.	17.3.98.
22.	Solanum xanthocarpum.	Kandyali.	Badali.	12.12.98.
23.	Withania somnifera.	Ashgandh.	Common.	Collected number of times.
24.	Boerhavia diffusa.	Poonarnav.	Mohali.	4.5.98.
25.	Polygonatum barbatum.		Mohali.	1.5.97.
26.	Rumex sp.	Chuk.	Badmajra.	3.1.99.
27.	Tridax procumbens.		Open grounds Mohali.	2.3.98.
28.	Bellis agyepita.		Rice fields Burial.	18.8.99.
29.	Sonchus sp.	Bakribooti.	Mohali.	12.2.99.
30.	Emilia sonchifolia.		Rock garden, Chandigarh.	4.6.97.
31.	Euphorbia hirta.	Vaddi shun.	Common.	19.8.98.
32.	Euphorbia thymlifolia.	Dudhi.	Open lands.	Usually collected.
33.	Chrozophora rottleri.	Okra.	Kansal forest.	23.4.01.
34.	Evolvulus alsinoides.	Chuhakanni.	Mohali.	14.3.99.
35.	Elephantopus scaber.	Gobhi.	Ropar canal.	12.3.01.
36.	Martynia diandra.		Waste places in Mohali.	12.6.98.
37.	Pluchea lanceolata.	Rasna.	Open grounds in Mohali.	11.11.99.
38.	Helitropium indicum.	Hathisund.	Ditches in Sohana.	30.2.01.
39.	Limnophila sp.	Brahami.	Stagnant water in Mohali.	2.2.99.
40.	Tinospora cordifolia.	Gilo.	Kansal forests.	12.4.97.
41.	Cissampelos pariera.	Patha.	Kansal forests.	15.5.98.
42.	Dhatura alba.	Dhatura.	Common in Chandigarh.	14.4.98.

These plants were located in areas around Mohali and Chandigarh. Their medicinal uses were recorded and documentation was based on account provided by herbal vendors and tribes practicing herbal medicine.

A brief account of medicinal importance is described below.

1] Ajuga bracteosa It is an aromatic plant growing in damp places and open fields in various regions in Mohali. Maximum presence was recorded from village Bhago majra. It grows in clusters and has red flowers born in terminal spikes. In native language it is known as cheyadan. Medicinally it is used as diaphoretic and in loss of appetite. Flowers from Sept to April.

2] Ranunculus sclertus: A plant growing abundantly in ponds in leisure valley of Mohali. Native people reported about dermatitis caused by touch with the herb. In Lambyia village poultice of the herb is used in skin diseases. It is found growing in Dec and flowers in April. Its root is deeply embedded in soil and after complete growth plant is decomposed and it regenerates from root next year.

3] Clemone viscosa: It grows along roadsides, damp places and open grounds in Chandigarh. It was collected in huge amount from Mohali bus stand road. It gives typical smell resembling mustard. Lajja