Novel Sacrificial Medicinal Repositories: Halfa grass, Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) and Cogon grass, Imperata cylindrica (L.)

ABSTRACT

Grasses are the most successful plants on earth as monocotyledonous plants. They have been a survivor on the planet despite of  various ecological changes. They deserve the medicinal value and therefore considered as novel repositories. The grass family is considered as sacred. It has great significance in ayurveda because of  medicinal as well as clinical properties. The Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) (commonly recognized as halfa grass, big cordgrass, and salt reed-grass) and Imperata cylindrica (L.) (commonly recognized as cogon grass, kunai grass, blady grass, alang-alang, lalang grass, cotton wool grass, kura-kura ) are the two grasses that constitute vital ingredient in various Vedic sacrifices (Yagnas) and rituals. These  two grasses are found along river beds and plains throughout India. Both of them are well known for their medicinal properties as supported by traditional Ayurvedic scriptures. They are  the vital component in traditional medicinal formulations such as Tripan chamool, Kusadya-ghrita and Kusablecha, that are used to treat many disorders such as dysentery, diuresis, jaundice, skin infections like disesses. The present attempt is current review enlightening the bioactive molecules such as flavonoids, glycosides isolated from these two grasses. The ecological monitoring is one of the essential strategy required for the conservation of biodiversity of the medicinal plants.