Ethno-medicinal survey on Folklore Practices for Jaundice in taluks of Belagavi

Abstract

Introduction: Ethno-medicinal survey has been helping both Folklore and Ayurvedic practitioner hand in hand for regularly updating knowledge. Belagavi that comes under the roof of Western ghats has abundant flora throughout its region. The ethnomedicinal practices for Kamala (jaundice) weren’t explored. The prevalence of kamala, or jaundice, in India is 2.76 per 1000. Over the past one to two decades, there has been an increase in the incidence of liver injury due to changes in lifestyle, food consumption, and other variables. Newer and more effective drugs from ethno-medicinal practices could help tackle the disease more effectively. Materials & Methods: Two taluks of Belagavi—Bailhongal and Saundatti—were chosen for an ethnomedical survey because of their close proximity to water sources, because they were more susceptible to water-borne diseases. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, data regarding the herb usage, preparations, and habits of 23 folklore practitioners was collected between June 2024 and November 2024.Use value, fidelity level, diagnosis method, Rasa panchaka, formulation, and preparation were the subjects of the data analysis. Result & Discussion: During this survey, 40 plant species from 28 distinct families were observed; all of the plants were gathered, and a herbarium was made. The Use Value (UV) of Tinospora cordifolia and Sacchrum officinarum were 0.47 and 0.39, respectively. A total of 52 formulations with various preparation methods and administration methods were observed. Both therapeutic treatment and pharmacopeial preparations that are helpful in the management of Kamala (jaundice) can benefit from an improvement through phytochemical analysis and additional clinical research on the formulations.