AN ETHNOMEDICINAL SURVEY OF WILD VEGETABLES FROM NANDED DISTRICT (MS), INDIA

Abstract

The use of wild vegetables as a source of food is well documented all over the world. Wild food plants are commonly used in the traditional diets of indigenous people in many parts of the world, including India. Studies on the role of wild leafy and fruit vegetables in food security could provide important information for the development of policies on careful exploitation of natural resources for human sustenance. This study aimed to assess the medicinal uses/values of selected wild edible vegetables consumed as a source of food by local communities from the Nanded District. In the present study total of thirty-nine different wild vegetables were reported to be consumed by local tribal peoples which have a reported ethnomedicinal value in the literature. The reported 39 wild vegetables were found to be distributed within 23 different families. Among them, members of Cucurbitaceae (06) have been dominated the overall count, followed by Malvaceae (04) and Amaranthaceae (04). Leaves and Fruits are the common part to be used in the preparation of vegetable dishes. The study suggests consumption of wild vegetables with medicinal values should be encouraged since it may assist in the well-being of communities in/of lower economic strata. The results of the study also indicate that the health of tribal people is sturdy may be because of their diversified dietary contents. The wild vegetables are nutritionally rich, organic, and high in phytoconstituents, especially secondary metabolites, minerals, and vitamins.