Exploration of various medicinal parasitic plants on diverse host in North Bihar region

Medicinal properties of parasitic plants were found out by means of ethno botanical study in Mithila region of Bihar. Parasitic plants have many activities and the most reported and pronounced effect are antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Many of the parasitic plants ar used as folk medicine in several regions in North Bihar. The study presents the ethnobotanical use of eight species of common parasitic plants belonging to four families. Cuscuta species is used in the treatment of baldness and applied on head for curing hairfall, Cassytha filiformis is used in prostate cancer, Castillegia angustifolia is used to treat excessive menstrual discharge and menstrual imbalance, Orobanchae aegytiaca is used to treat kidney stones and scabby ulcers, Striga asiatica is applied as a wound dresser, Dendropthae falcate is used to treat brochitic and respiratory troubles. Cuscuta species have generally wide host range to many different crops at the same time. Cuscuta reportedly uses weak chemical defense to select host range of high nuitritional values.