Economic importance of ceasalpiniaceae family.pptx
Bamboo
1. BAMBOO A MULTIPURPOSE GRASS
Kotasthane T.V1Ranade Sunil G2, Ranade Sudhir G2
1 Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad,500085 India
2 Daly College, Indore, 425201 India
Tanmay Vilol Kotasthane Researcher
Sunil Gopal Ranade Faculty
Sudhir Gopal Ranade Faculty
Abstract:
Bamboo is a multipurpose grass belong to family graminae (poeceae). There are few
endemic species of bamboo found in Western ghats, Nilgiri hills Assam and Meghalaya
which is of great importance. Little is known about medicinal importance of bamboo plant
and in few cases knowledge is limited to tribal communities in India. Bamboo as whole and
canes are used in home appliances bed, sofa, tables. The present study was carried out to
investigate uses of bamboo for various uses including medical ailments. Description of
bamboo species and their uses can be trace back to ancient literature.
Introduction:
The bamboo plant is best suited grass for structural material, making container,
utensils,fencing and medicinal purposes.Most of the bamboo plants are used in making
structural material and houses.The grass is a tropical reed, a food source and a medicinal
plant that has been used in Ayurveda, the world’s oldest system of healing, for thousands of
years. It is the fast growing grass, and is presumed to have originated in Asia. The grass
grows wild in most parts of India,few species are endemic some are abundantly found in the
forests of Kerala in southwest India. The bamboo is a perennial tree, and its stem is
green,smooth, round and hollow. It has swollen nodes, spines between the nodes, and leaves
that are shiny, thin, stiff, smooth and dark green. Florets are found in bunches and seeds
resemble the corn of wheat, in shape. Bamboo trees grows up to 13m in height and are
always found in clusters.
Material methods:
Information on bamboo were collected from different regions of India. Bihar, Assam,
Meghalaya,western ghats, nilgiri hills etc. Knowledge on different species of bamboo and
their uses were discussed with tribal communities. Species of bamboo has wide application in
medicine and knowledge is limited to triabal people. Plants photos literature collected and
described.Few of the quotes collected from old Indian literature.
Discussion:
More than 700 different species of bamboos present. In India 136 types of bamboos observed
few of them are following
2. 1Arundinaria wightiana-Height is upto 6-10 feet and found in Nilgiri hills
2 Arundinaria recemosa-Found in Nepal called as (local name malinga).Occured at higher
altitude upto 6000 to 10000 feet.
3 Arundinaria falcate 6-10 feet in height found at altitude of 4000 to 7000 feet.
4 Arundinaria spathflora-12to 20 feet occurrence is from Satluj to Nepal at the altitude of
7000 to 9000 feet.
5 Bambusa tuldat (In Hindi Peka) Bangla Tulda goes upto 70 feet tall.It is strong bamboo
used for paper making,handicraft and structural purposes.
6 Bambusa polymorpha 80 -90 feet tall 6 inches wide without branches located at Bengal and
Assam.
7 Bamboosa arundinaria found in Madhya Pradesh called as cutting 80 to 100 feet tall 6-7
inch wide. Distributed in other parts of India like Kumao, Mysore, Nilgiris, Bihar, Orissa.
8 Oxytenenthra nignociliata 30 to 50 feet tall and 4 inches wide.Green in color turn into
yellowish spot found in Garo and Andman.
9 Oxytenenthra monostigna 20 feet tall and 1 inch wide found in western ghats.
10 Dendrocalamus strictus –Bans It is solid 20-25 feet tall and 1-3 inch wide.In first two
years appears green in color.After third year convert into yellow.Found other than
(Assam,North Eastern Bengal) in every state of India.
11 Dendrocalamus homiltonii 80-90 feet tall and 6-7 inches wide yellow in color.Pickles are
made from tender shoots.
12 Dendrocalamus giganteus 80-100 feet tall and 8-10 inch wide.It is the biggest in Indian
bamboo.It is used for making vegetable products,decorative material,pulp and fencing.It is
strong and thickest.
13 Cephalostachyum pergracile 40-50 feet tall and 3 inch wide.Yellow orange or brick red
in color.Found in Nagaland.
14 Melocanna bambusoides 30-50 feet tall and 11/2 to 11/2 found in Gari, Khasi and Lusai
mountain.
4. The use of bamboo found in old literature Ramayana.The Ram used bamboo to make boat to
cross the river Yamuna in India (Shloka 1)
Bamboo were used to make musical instruments like flutes and drums for celebrations
(Shloka 2).
Bamboo in medicine
Bamboo species contains 88% moisture, 3.9% protein,6%fat, 11% minerals and 5.7%
carbohydrates per 100 grams of its edible portion. Calcium, iron, phosphorous thiamine,
riboflavin, vitamin C and niacin are amongst the vitamin and minerals found in bamboo.
Bamboo leaves are a rich source of hydrocyanic and benzoic acids. Bamboo leaves, obtained
from the common tall bamboos have recently been utilized as a source of flavonoids that are
used as antioxidants. The flavonoids may reduce inflammation, promote circulation, and
inhibit allergy reactions.
Plantlets of bamboo-shoots contain various enzymes such as nuclease, deamidase,
proteolytic enzyme, amylase, as well as amigdalin-splitting and silicon-splitting enzymes.
Besides, the juice of the pressed bamboo-shoots helps the digestion of proteins. The
exudation, or sap, collected from the knots in the stems, is called bamboo silica. It is a
stimulant, astringent, febrifuge, tonic, antispasmodic agent and aphrodisiac. The average
adult body contains about twenty grams of silica, and it is necessary for the body’s silica
stores to be maintained at this level to promote good health. As we age, less silica is
assimilated. Therefore, daily supplementation with bamboo will help maintain this necessary
equilibrium and minimize the effects of premature aging. In addition, it has been noted that
the bamboo plant has unusually high levels of acetylcholine, which is an excellent nerve
tonic.
Bamboo as biomass source:
Bamboo has been used for several purposes by humans for thousands of years. Apart from
bamboo shoots as source of food it is also used as biomass source for bioenergy. Bamboo as
biomass source is not studied well. Low ash content and alkali index are desirable
characteristics .Production of energy from bamboo biomass can be classified into two main
ways: thermochemical conversion and biochemical conversion. In the former methods, heat
is used to transform bio-matters in bamboo biomass (mostly cellulose) into various products.
Biochemical conversion involves the action of microorganism to transform biomass to biogas
or biofuel. Bamboo biomass dry biomass can combust directly so that it suitable for domestic
5. use such as cooking and warming in remote area and for poor people. Bamboo biomass is
renewable source. Bamboo as biomass source contribute less green house gases.
Uses in Ayurveda
The leaves of the bamboo grass are aromatic. They act as a stimulant and tonic, and are
useful in counteracting spasmodic disorders. They also avoid bleeding, and are useful in
killing intestinal worms, mostly thread worms. Stomach disorders can be effectively treated
with bamboo leaves as well. In many parts of India, the leaves of the tree are used in the form
of decoction to treat diarrhea. A decoction of the leaves promotes and regulates menstrual
periods. A decoction of the nodes of the bamboo stem is also useful for this purpose too. The
Sticky substance found in female bamboo plant which converted in to crystals by
adding water (In Hindi Vanshlochan) restore fertility in human male
tender shoot of bamboo is also used to treat stomach disorders. It is useful in the treatment of
respiratory diseases as well.
A poultice of the tender shoots is used for cleaning wounds and maggot-infested sores. A
decoction or juice of the fresh bamboo leaves is applied as a medicine in such ulcers.
Decoction of the tender bamboo-shoots, mixed with palm jaggery is given once or twice a
day for a week to cause abortion during the first month of pregnancy. The same preparation
can be used in the last month of pregnancy to induce labour. Its use after childbirth eases the
process of the expulsion of the placenta and prevents excessive loss of blood. In short,
bamboo has myriads of uses in Ayurveda.
An Ayurvedic remedy, Sitopaladi Churna, was used traditionally for tuberculosis and other
wasting diseases, constipation and has been adopted as a popular remedy for common cold,
sore throat, sinus congestion, and cough. It is a powder made with the sap of bamboo as the
main ingredient, plus small amounts of long pepper, cardamom and cinnamon in a base of
sugar. So the next time you are troubled by these ailments, let bamboo’s healing properties
work for you through Ayurveda’s herbal remedies.
6. Conclusion
Bamboo plant has various uses and most bamboo are tall and fast growing. Bamboo is used
in medicine from ancient times in India. Other uses of bamboo includes food, paper-pulp,
fencing and structural material.Some of the species of bamboo also used as biomass source
for biofuel.Bamboo has wide application in furniture,structural appliances.Different types of
bamboo occurred and few are endemic to north east and western ghats.Knowledge about
bamboo is limited to local tribal people and to be explored further.
References
1 Kamesh Salam, Zulu Pongen 2008. Hand book on Bamboo National Bamboo mission
Govt of India.
2 Upendra Maharathi 2000 Venu Shilp ,Director Handicraft Research,Patna.
3 Poppens, R.,van Dam, J., Elbersen, W., 2013.Bamboo:Analyzing the potential of bamboo
feedstock for the biobased economy.NL Agency
