A REVIEW ON TRADITIONAL PRACTICES OF HAVERI DISTRICT, KARNATAKA, INDIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO PRANAVAHA SROTAS (RESPIRATORY DISORDERS)

Haveri district is exactly in the centre of Karnataka and an under explored area having mixed vegetation being blessed with rich diversity of herbal medicinal plants and well known for the various traditional practices. Nearly 28% of the plants are estimated to be used in ethno medicine. During ethno-botanical exploration of Haveri district traditional practitioners were documented for the identification of the plants, local name, parts used, method of preparation of the medicine, mode of administration, duration, and their parameters for the diagnosis of different diseases. During this study it was found that 52 folklore practitioners are using 23 different plants in treating disorders related with respiratory system. Among them drugs like Pippali,Vasa, Maricha, Lashuna, Ajamoda, Haridra, Twak, Kantakari etc used in Kasa( Cough), Shwasa(Asthma) and Pratishyaya(Rhinitis) have classical references in Ayurveda and uses like flower of Spilanthus acmella Linn in cough, latex of Pergularia daemia Linn in nasal congestion etc are anubhuta prayogas. Use of flower of hibiscus in whoophing cough, compound drug preparations including Swarna and Abhraka bhasma with other herbs like Croton sparsiflorus Linn is also found to be effective in treating respiratory disorders. The relative popularity level (RPL) and informant consensus factor (ICF) were assessed. Research is needed to develop some selected species and find more information from the indigenous communities to preserve the knowledge of rare medicinal plants.