Chirchita (Achyranthes aspera) as medicinal weed in Chhattisgarh, India : Natural Occurrence, Traditional medicinal knowledge and Trade

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

I have used the term "Medicinal Weed" for this useful herb because most of Agriculture researchers particularly the weed scientists are not ready to consider this herb as useful herb. The reference literatures on weed sciences, are full of information and recommendations on use of lethal weedicides to eradicate this weed. They are projecting this useful herb as enemy to crops and shelter place for harmful insects and diseases. Few years back, I got an opportunity to attend weed science conference at Varanasi, India. From this forum, when I presented my research paper on medicinal weeds and its role in providing an additional income to Chhattisgarh farmers, the researchers were surprised to know about unique medicinal properties and uses of Chirchita herb. Many of them questioned the chairman that on what basis, the useful herb is declared as weed, the unwanted plant. But unfortunately in India, the researchers influenced by the weedicides (and the multinational companies manufacturing it) are not happy with this management through utilization concept of weed management. And this is the reason, this concept is not reaching to the poor Indian farmers having less investment capacity for chemical weed control. The traditional healers and natives of Chhattisgarh have rich traditional medicinal knowledge about this so called weed. They are shocked by the recommendations of weed researchers for use of lethal and disastrous agrochemicals to root out this useful herb. The reference literatures related to different systems of medicine in India, are full valuable information and uses of Chirchita herb. This is really shocking and surprising for me that in the same world, some researchers are eradicating this herb and others are engaged in conservation, cultivation and promotion of same herb. Unfortunately, I belong to both the groups. From my education, I was taught to eradicate it as it is problematic weed but as herb lover and ethnobotanist, it is hard to believe that this natures gift is a problematic weed.

The Indian names of Chirchita (Achyranthes aspera)
Languages/Regions/Countries	Names
1) Bengal	Apang
2) Gujarati	Aghedo
3) Hindi	Onga, Apamarg, Chirchita, Latkana, Latjira
4) Kanarese	Uttarane
5) Malyalam	Katalati
6) Marathi	Agadha
7) Sanskrit	Apamarga
8) Tamil	Nayrivi
9) Telugu	Uttarane
10) Persian	Khare vazhum

Since 1994. I am focusing my research and survey works on this important herb. This is one of my favourite herbs and I have written a lot on various aspects of Chirchita herb. The uses of its twigs as Dataun (Herbal Tooth Brush) by the natives particularly the women and roots in form of Herbal Mala and Tabiz in order to treat fever, to hasten the process of delivery etc. have been mentioned in my previous articles. During my ethnobotanical surveys in different parts of Chhattisgarh, I have noted that the natives and traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, use this herb in treatment of over 90 common and complicated diseases both internally and externally. It is one of the major ingredients in many popular herbal combinations in Chhattisgarh. This is good sign that the natives have also rich knowledge about these herbs and they are using it in their day to day life. It is common belief among the natives, that the presence of this herb in home gardens repel away the venomous creatures particularly the scorpions. The traditional healers use different parts of Chirchita as medicine against bites of venomous creatures. The natives plant this herb in their home gardens. The Ayurveda experts of Chhattisgarh informed me that this herb is potential potassium absorber and after burning, ash is collected and used by Dhobis (Washermen) to wash the clothes. According to them, the reason responsible for its Sanskrit name Apamarg is its use to wash the clothes. In many parts of Chhattisgarh, it is still in use. In Chhattisgarh, Chirchita occur as wasteland herb. I have seen it in almost every corner of Chhattisgarh. Although for the weed scientists it is a weed but you will be surprised to know that it is one of the major non-wood forest produces having routine high demand as medicinal herb in national and international drug markets. As non-wood forest produce, it is one of the sources of income for the natives engaged in collection and trading of this herb. All parts of Chirchita are having good demand. As herb expert, I am not in favour of eradicating this income generating nature’s gift with the help of lethal agrochemicals, a potential threat to our environment. I am writing all these, to motivate the readers to think and act to stop the use of agrochemicals. Ignoring the recommendations of weed scientists, many innovative farmers are uprooting this herb from crop fields and after drying, selling it to local traders at fairly high rates.

This process is beneficial in many ways. It is avoiding the use of lethal chemicals and saving the cost of chemical. The hand weeding operations are generating employment opportunities and motivating the youths to stay at villages and not to travel long distances daily in search of employment. The farmers are recovering the cost of hand weeding, by selling Chirchita herb parts to traders at fairly good prices. Although it is limited to very limited pockets at present, but the principle of "Seeing is believing" is working and among farmers, this innovative approach is becoming popular. To support them, I am trying to list out the villages having dense and heavy population of specific species. My planning is to identify the "hot spots’ for different species and after this, with the help of village level co-operative societies, to market these weed species directly to the national and international traders, in bulk. Through my ethnobotanical surveys, I have demarcated " Chirchita rich villages". In my allelopathy studies, at Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, I have found different parts of Chirchita, having negative (stimulatory) allelopathic effects on common agricultural crops like rice., wheat, chickpea, linseed, arhar etc. Last year, I studied the allelopathic effects of different parts, on selected medicinal and aromatic crops of Chhattisgarh. I have got surprising results on Safed Musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum) crop. The studies for confirmation are in progress . With the help of innovative herb growers, we are evaluating its allelopathic uses in crop fields. We are also using it as insect repellent and as potassium source. We have found that application of Chirchita ash reduces the incidence of certain crop diseases in these medicinal and aromatic crops. We are also adding the dried Chirchita herb in our mosquito repellent formulations. Chirchita (Achyranthes aspera) is also a commonly used Homoeopathic drug. There is a fair demand of this herb in Homoeopathic drug industries. In my experiments related to Agro homoeopathy, I have used this Homoeopathic drug in order to increase the production of specific species of Mushroom, with the help of eminent mushroom expert Dr. M.P. Thakur.

In present article, I am describing the results of my ethnobotanical survey focused on Chirchita herb, but at first I am giving the details regarding its botany and reported medicinal uses. According to reference literatures, Chirchita is perennial herb with 1-3ft. height, often woody below; Root - taproot, branched; stem-erect or sub-scandent, little or much branched; Leaf 1-5 inch long, elliptic, ovate or sub-orbicular, rounded at the apex or shortly suddenly acuminate, young tomentose on both the surfaces, mature usually glabrate on the upper surface and with close appressed hairs on the under surface, petiole one fourth to three fourth inches long; In florescence- spikeate, spikes rigid, lengthening during fruiting for as much as two feet; Flower greenish white, numerous, sharply deflexed against the stout pubescent inflorescence axis, bracts and bracteoles shorter than the flowers, ovate, acuminate, spinescent, persistent; perianth 4-5, almost or nearly free, perianth lobe ovate-oblong, acuminate, glaucous, margin scarious; Androecium - stamens 5, antiphyllous, filament connate at the base with as many fimbricate staminodes, anthers two -celled; Gynoecium - bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovary superior, one celled, one ovule, pendulous from a long basal funicle, style filiform , stigma capitellate; Fruit achene, fruit oblong or ovoid enclosed in the hartened perianth. Seeds oblong and brown. Flowers almost throughout the year but more abundantly after the rains and during the first winter months.

The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh plains use the inflorescence of Chirchita in treatment of dental troubles. The use of young twigs as Dataun is already described. They collect the inflorescence and dry it in shade. After converting it into powder, the healers give it to the patients with instruction to use it as tooth powder atleast once in a day. The traditional healers of Durg region use the different parts of Chirchita in treatment of Dama (Asthma). The roots, leaves and inflorescence are collected and boiled in water. The decoction is collected and given to the patients internally. The healers also add other herbs mainly Adusa (Adhatoda vasica) in this decoction, in order to make the decoction more useful. Few years back during interaction with the Dean, Govt. Ayurvedic College, Raipur, India, I got an information on use of Chirchita seeds by the defence organisations. According to him, the use of seeds as food make the body capable of tolerating long time without food. These seeds reduce the appetite and give enough stamina to tolerate the hunger. Later the traditional healers confirmed this fact. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh use the seeds with medicinal rice in treatment of bleeding piles (Khooni Bavasir). It is given internally. According to the healers it is one of the promising uses. In the diseases related to stomach, the traditional healers use the seeds alone or in combination with other herbs. In general, they simply boil the seeds in cow milk and give it to the patients. It is considered as good stomach tonic. Recently, the traditional healer of Mudpar village informed me that these seeds can be used successfully as dietary supplement during sliming course. He also told me that this herb is having the capacity to reduce extra fat. In reference literatures, this use is not mentioned. I personally feel that there is a need for scientific evaluation in this regard. The natives use the leaves in case of vaginal pain. The patients are advised by them to keep the leaves inside the vagina during pain as treatment.

The natives also use the aqueous solution prepared by using roots in treatment of diarrhoea but as other promising and cheap alternatives are available, the natives use the preparation less frequently. In scorpion and snake rich areas, during field work, the farmers always keep the fresh roots in their shoes or tie it around the toes. It is common belief that this use repel away these venomous creatures. In case of emergency, they use the same fresh root in treatment. With the help of water, an aqueous paste is prepared and applied externally on affected parts in order to treat scorpion bite. According to the natives, the application of aqueous paste stops the burning pain immediately. In case of poisonous snake bite, it is used as first aid measure. It is not effective to cure the patients completely. Like the leaves of Doobi (Cynodon dactylon), EK Dandi (Tridax procumbens), Kukronda (Blumea lacera), the leaves of Chirchita are also used as first aid remedy. In case of bleeding, the leaves are rubbed in affected parts. The natives are aware of its styptic properties. The traditional healers of Nagri- Sihawa region, prepare a special herbal oil using the roots of Chirchita. The freshly harvested roots are mixed in base oil and allowed to boil. When all watery contents evaporate, oil is collected and stored for future use. In case of severe accident and deep cuts due to agricultural instruments, the healers apply this oil externally and repeat the use till complete cure. According to them, it stops the bleeding immediately, reduces the pain and heal the wounds in less time. The traditional healers of Narharpur region, use the leaves in place of roots to prepare the oil. The preparation method is same. They are aware of the use of roots also, but according to them leaves are more useful and effective.

I personally feel that there is a need for scientific evaluation. Although the healers do not mix the roots and leaves in different proportions but I would like to suggest the researchers to try this combination also during the studies. The traditional healers of Bastar region informed me that they use Lal Chirchita most frequently as medicine as compared to Safed Chirchita. On the basis of colour of stem, one can divide the Chirchita herb into two types. The herb having reddish stem and small red spots on leaves is known as Lal (Red) Chirchita whereas the herb with whitish stem is considered as Safed (White ) Chirchita. According to modern literatures related to different systems of medicine in India, both types possess similar properties. In Chhattisgarh the natural occurrence of red Chirchita is less as compared to white Chirchita. There are difference in opinions among the traditional healers that which one is more useful. As written earlier, the traditional healers of Bastar region consider red Chirchita more superior whereas the traditional healers of Chhattisgarh plains and northern parts, prefer white Chirchita in their daily practice. The natives consider both species equally important. The natives use the herb Chirchita in Tantra. The traditional healers specialised in use of Chirchita told me that on the basis of diseases, they collect the roots accordingly on different days. In most of the cases, they collect it on Tuesdays. The natives always keep the roots in their shops as a sign of good luck. In many parts of Chhattisgarh, the natives offer the flowers to different goddess in specific occasions. I have already mentioned the use of Chirchita roots in combination with other herbs mainly Shami, in treatment of Jaundice, in my previous articles. The natives of Chhattisgarh, use the seeds as hair tonic and in treatment of Adhasisi (Migraine). The seed are collected and boiled in base oil. This special oil is used as hair tonic and for Migraine. According to the healers, it is also a good oil for insomnia. I have successfully use the roots of Chirchita in treatment of Pathri (Renal Calculi). I got the information on its use from the traditional healers of Basna region. The method is very simple. The roots are soaked in water overnight and next morning the leachate is used. I have tested it successfully on my family friends having same problem. The regular use flushes out the stones through urinal tract. The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, use different parts of Chirchita in treatment of gynaecological disorders. In case of menorrhagia, the healers use the fresh leaves of Chirchita in combination with fresh leaves of Doobi (Cynodon dactylon). The juice is extracted and given with cow milk. This is given upto seven days. The healers also use whole herb for treatment. Chirchita is also used in order to avoid the abortion.

The above mentioned traditional uses clearly indicate that the natives and traditional healers have rich traditional medicinal knowledge about this important medicinal herb. These uses also indicate that why the natives and traditional healers are not ready to accept this herb as harmful weed. I am also of opinion that the weed scientists must change their views and way to support multinational companies engaged in promotion of their markets of lethal agrochemicals in India. I personally feel that there is a need for conservation and promotion of this traditional knowledge. After documenting the traditional medicinal knowledge about common herbs and insects in Chhattisgarh, through detailed articles, I am feeling fortunate that the almighty has given me a chance to live one life with the great natives and traditional healers of Chhattisgarh, as native. Thank you very much for reading the article.