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A Check list of medicinal plants used in making Rice beer (Handia) in Jharkhand

Sudhanshu Kumara & Bandana Kumarib
aDepartment of Botany, P.P.K.College, Bundu,  Ranchi University, Ranchi
bDepartment of Zoology, P.P.K.College, Bundu,  Ranchi University, Ranchi
Received 7th May, 2011; Revised 19th August, 2011

Abstract : The Rice Beer (Handia) of today which is commonly used is having high intoxicating properties instead of traditional nutritive ones. Reason are evident as most of the medicinal herbs which were used in preparation of Rice Beer earlier have been given way to toxicating substances like Urea, Raw Mahua Liquor, Spirit etc all most all the area surveyed . The emphasis of makers has been shifted from a healthy and nutritive drink to more and more intoxicating one. Originally Rice beer acted as an antidote to fatigueness and also as prophylactic against sun stroke, snake bite, gastric problems and other stomach problems which they usually faced during their work in fields. The medicinal herbal mix which impart such prophylactic properties to Rice beer are not widely known to the present users due to their lesser availability now. A checklist of more than 53 such plants used by local people in Jharkhand has been documented.

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