AN ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF ANTIFERTILITY AND ABORTIFACIENT MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY THE LOCAL BANCHHADA TRIBE OF MANDSAUR DISTRICT (M.P.INDIA).

Prerna Mitra*

ABSTRACT

The present study is aimed to explore about their beliefs, practices and the use of herbal abortifacients and contraceptives among the sex workers of Banchhada community on National highway (Mhow-Neemuch Road NH 79 SH 31,India) at Piplia Mandi area (24°12′10″N 75°0′27″E) to tackle unwanted pregnancies. Frequent and planned Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted during September 2021 to October 2021 in six different areas of Piploda village on NH 78 of Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh, India. A total 32 participants of 15-49 age group sex traders were selected for in-depth interviews and group discussions. Collected information was documented in a datasheet mentioning detailed information of the informants and vernacular names, useful plant parts, method of preparation and administration modes of drugs. The study revealed that there are about 17 medicinal plant species and their parts belonging to 11 families are being used in the study area as traditional medicines used by sex workers as contraceptives or abortifacients to tackle the unwanted pregnancies and other health problems. Non affordability and non accessibility of modern contraceptives was found to be an important factor for its non adherence of modern contraceptive pills. The study suggests that, a thorough investigation on these plants for their contraceptive action should be performed to validate the claims of these sex workers.

Keywords: Antifertility and Abortifacients, Banchhada community, Central India, Sex workers.