Ethnobotanical Records of Drug Plants Described in Valmiki Ramayana and their Uses in the Ayurvedic System of Medicine

Abstract

Medicinal plants described in Valmiki-Ramayana are enumerated. Lord Rama (Vishnu) traversed different parts of India, formerly named as Uttar Kand (Northern), Sundhara (the foot hills of Himalayas), Bala kand (Eastern), Ayodhya (Central India), Aranya Kand (forests of East, West, and South India), during his sojourn of fourteen years. Medicinal herbs which are mentioned during his travels are recorded. In those times, such plants were valued as life-savers, mitigating the ills of human beings. Fifty such drug plants have been listed with their uses as described in the Avurvedic (or native Indian) system of medicine.