Phcog Rev. Vol, 3, Issue 5, 104-107, 2009 Available Online : www.phcogrev.com © Phcog.Net 2009 | www.phcog.net 104 PHCOG REV. : Review Article Plants of Haryana useful in dermatological disorders: An Ethnobotanical Survey Sanjay Yadav, Vedpriya Arya, Sandeep Kumar and J. P. Yadav* Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, M. D. University, Rohtak- 124001 (Haryana) *Author for correspondence: E-mail: yadav1964@rediffmail.com ABSTRACT Haryana is a state of northern India has a great history and diversity of medicinal plants. The importance of medicinal plants in traditional healthcare practices provides clues to new areas of research. In the present study, we have enlisted the traditional medicinal plants knowledge of people of rural communities of Haryana in curing several skin diseases. The information was collected by questionnaires and interviews of old experienced people and local healers of villages. Local people are using the crude formulations to cure their skin problems. It was found that 35 different plant species are commonly used to cure skin problems, out of these 40% herbs, 32% shrubs, 25% are trees and 3 % climbers. In most of cases aerial parts of plants were used. Some of these plants are well tested on scientific basis but others are less known in scientific world. This study will provide a complete documentation of traditional knowledge to researchers for skin diseases treatment. The hidden aspects of these formulations can be tested scientifically in future. KEYWORDS: Herbal plants, Medicines, Skin diseases, Traditional knowledge. INTRODUCTION Haryana is a landlocked state in northern India. It is located between 27°37' to 30°35' N latitude and between 74°28' and 77°36' E longitude. The altitude varies between 700 to 3600 ft (200 metres to 1200 metres) above sea level. The climate is hot in summer and cold in winters. Rainfall varies like the Shivalik Hills region being the wettest and the Aravali Hills region being the driest. About 80% of the rainfall occurs in the monsoon season. An area of 1,553 km 2 is covered by forest and dry, deciduous thorny shrubs can be found all over the state. In Haryana, there is a great biodiversity of medicinal plants (1-2). Major population resides in villages where life supporting facilities are lacking. The people are mostly dependent on plant resources for their livehood including the native therapy for health care (1). Traditional medicines based on herbal remedies have always played a key role in the health system of many countries. Skin diseases are common in all age groups and cause harm in a number of ways (3-5). Dermatological problems are most frequent due to climate conditions and illiteracy prevailing in the study area (6). In Haryana region, there is a long tradition of using herbal products for skin and other problems by healers and old peoples (7). They are using these herbal remedies because they are cheap and fast healing. Healers and few old people acquire such knowledge which is verbalized and is limited only to there knowledge, it may get lost in near future (8). Considering these facts, it has been aimed to document folklore medicine used for the treatment of skin diseases. This study may prove to be effective for herbal drug development by further research. MATERIAL AND METHODS In order to document the medicinal plant, we have conducted a survey during October 2008 to January 2009 covering four different districts of Haryana (Mohindergarh, Bhiwani, Rohtak and Hissar). The climate is subtropical with an average annual rainfall of 450mm. The area surveyed has a lot of farmers and home gardeners who are self employed. The village people complained that during the course of their work in the field, dermatitis is the main problem. The information was collected during field trips on the basis of interviews, a total of 24 resource persons, comprising of 19 males and 5 females were identified. These are old village peoples, traditional practitioners, local vaids, old women and herbal healers. They have sound knowledge on medicinal plants and are highly related to society. Occasionally, the help of some trained people were also taken for collection of specimens. The information about the ethnomedicinal use, local name and mode of treatment was recorded by the conversations and discussion with local old people and healers. The collected plant was identified with the help of available taxonomic literatures and floras. We have also recorded some polyherbal formulations that they usually use in skin problems. RESULTS From our study, we have identified 35 plant species from 20 families as enlisted in Table – I. These plants included 40% herbs, 32% shrubs, 25% are trees and 3% climbers (Figure 2). A total of 25-30 prescriptions for skin diseases were noted. Mixture of plants was used in some cases. Several medicinal plant parts were used in herbal preparations such as leaves, stem, fruit, seeds, bark and roots. Out of these, the leaves are used in 30% of the cases. The leaves are observed to be top priority followed by stem bark, seeds, roots, and fruits. The detailed description of these plants along with ethnomedicinal use is enlisted in Table – I. These plants include some wild and some cultivated ones. Some polyherbal formulations which those villagers are incorporating in their regular practices are- • Raw Haldi mixed with fresh leaves of pudina and Tulsi and then crushed with cow milk and applied