Abstract
Ayurveda, the 'Science of Life' is a system of treatment for promoting health, prevention and curing of illnesses. In Sri Lanka, Ayurvedic and traditional physicians treat patients success-fully using herbs and other natural resources. Some of the herbs used to prepare medicines are considered as weeds by agriculturists. They generally advise farmers to destroy these weeds in order to obtain a better cash-crop harvest, with out realizing the medicinal value and uses of these plants. Though many of the farmers have quite a good knowledge on medicinal value of these herbs, in order to get a good harvest from their cultivation, they generaly destroy these plants. Some of the farmers do not have any knowledge on medicinal value of weeds. Aim of this study is to make the society aware of medicinal values of many weeds which grow natu-rally, without any effort or outlay of money from the farmers, and to protect and propagate planned cultivation of such weeds. This would make many highly useful medicinal plants freely available to the public while providing a source of an additional income to the farmers. In the long run, with proper planning and support, the growing and marketing of medicinal herbs which are currently categorized as weeds could become a very good source of income to the country, while providing an additional, easily available source of natural medicines to the populace. More over such herbs could be made use to serve as live ground covers in cultivated fields. Possible hazards of herbicides could also be minimized with exploitation of such weeds. Keywords: weeds; medicinal uses DOI: 10.4038/tare.v10i0.1865 Tropical Agricultural Research & Extension Vol.10 2007 11-16
Highlights
A weed in a general sense is a plant, usually wild or feral, that is commonly considered to be a nuisance in a garden, lawn, or other agricultural development
Almost sixty five plants which are considered as weeds, are used as medicines by Ayurvedic and Traditional physicians in Sri Lanka
The focus of an agriculturist would be on the main cash crop that is being grown in an agricultural land
Summary
A weed in a general sense is a plant, usually wild or feral, that is commonly considered to be a nuisance in a garden, lawn, or other agricultural development. The Ayurveda system of medicine was first taught and practiced by the ancient Sages of India over 4000 years ago It is a highly effective and advanced method of treatment with a deep insight to the root causes of ailments and its value or the effectiveness has not diminished with the time. Sri Lankan Traditional Medicinal and Treatment Methods are quite similar to the Ayurvedic methods; but have many Indigenous herbs, compounds and even techniques integrated as well We believe that these have been developed, practiced and even improvements added on from time to time, since the country was inhabited. Some of the valuable medicinal plants used therein are considered as weeds by agriculturists, from their focal point of view Exploitation of such herbs is beneficial as they conserve soil by serving as a live ground cover in crop lands. ERHSS EDIRIWEERA: MEDICINAL USES OF WEEDS sible hazards of herbicides on humans, animals and environments
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