2024 Vol. 30 No.1 PP 37-43
https://doi.org/10.33451/florafauna.v30i1pp37-43
An inventory of potential medicinal plants common in Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts of West Bengal, India to Treat leprosy
Achintya Kumar Samanta1 and *Susanta Kumar Maity
1Department of Botany,
Ramnagar College (Under Vidyasagar University),
DEPAL-721 453, PURBA MEDINIPUR (WB), INDIA
Department of Botany,
Govt. General Degree College, Keshiary (under Vidyasagar University),
KESHIARY-721105, PASCHIMMEDINIPUR (WB), INDIA
*Corresponding Author :
E-mail:smaity.bot@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Present survey reported 66 species (dicots 56, monocots 9 and pteridophyte 01) of medicinal plants under 63 genera
(dicots 55, monocots 7 and pteridophyte 01), 38 families (dicots 30, monocots 7 and pteridophyte 01) from different parts of
Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts. In ancient times traditionally drugs were extracted from different parts of the plants like
roots, stems, barks, bulbs, seeds, fruits, tubers, wood and as a whole from the all parts of a plant. Besides the above mentioned
parts, some drugs are also collected from excretory plant products like gums, seed oil, latex, juice/ plant sap etc. as a novel
source of active principles for the preparation of medicine as an antidote for their daily life health care management. Mycobacterium
leprae, is a bacteria that causes a chronic disease called Leprosy and consequently damages peripheral nervous system and
skin. Present investigation recorded 66 plants bearing medicinally active compounds in their different parts ultimately that can be
administered for the treatments of leprosy. The botanical name, Bengali name (s), habit, parts used and mode of applications of
these compounds under references are also discussed in this paper.
KEY WORDS : Leprosy, Medicinal Plants, Mycobacterium leprae, Purba and Paschim Medinipur