Ethnobotanical
Leaflets 12: 948-53. 2008.
A Survey of the Ethnomedicinal Flora of the
Sirumalai Hills,
Vikneshwaran D.,* Viji M.**
and Raja Lakshmi
K.*** *Periyar Institute of Distance Education, ** ***Department of
Botany, Issued ABSTRACT
The present study is mainly focused on the ethnomedico botany of the tribe Paliyars
a dominant ethnic group inhabiting the Western Ghats
(Off Shoots) of Sirumalai Hills, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu.
In the present study the focus is on survey, documentation and enumeration of
the medicinal plants practiced by the tribal Paliyars.
As an outcome of the present investigations 25 plants have been identified
and documented. INTRODUCTION
Ethnobotany deals with studies
among the tribals and rural people for recording
their unique knowledge about plant wealth and for search of new sources of
herbal drugs, edible plants and other aspects of plants (Jain and Mudgal, 1999). Plant medicines were regarded as highly
important in the lives of our ancestors. The science of ethnobotany is concerned with the relationships between man and vegetation involving man’s dependence upon vegetation as well as the tremendous influence man has had on vegetation (King, 1974). Among the Eighteen hot spots known for rich flora
in the world, two are located in The present study is an attempt made for the survey,
documentation and enumeration of wild medicinal plants in the study area. The
Paliyars are the dominant tribal group inhabiting
this locality. The present study focuses on the dependence of the Paliyars on herbal medicines and attempt to analyse the therapeutic values of such medicinal plants. MATERIALS
|
S. No. |
Botanical Name |
Family |
Venacular Name |
Plant Parts used |
1. |
Abrus precatorius L. |
Fabaceae |
Kundumani |
Leaf / Seeds |
2. |
Acalypha indica L. |
Euphorbiaceae |
Kuppaimeni |
Leaf |
3. |
Achyranthes
aspera L. var. aspera. |
Amaranthaceae |
Nayurivi |
Leaf |
4. |
Adhatoda vasica Nees. |
Acanthaceae |
Adathoda |
Leaf |
5. |
Aegle
marmelos (L.) Correa Roxb. |
Rutaceae |
Vilvam |
Leaf /fruit |
6. |
Alangium salvifolium (L.f) Wagerin |
Alangiaceae |
Alingi |
Fruit |
7. |
Aloe
vera (L.) Burm f. |
Liliaceae |
Sotrukatrali |
Leaf |
8. |
Alpinia calcaratta Roscoe. |
Zingiberaceae |
Chitrathai |
Rhizome |
9. |
Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br. |
Apocyanaceae |
Ezhilaai palai |
Leaf and Latex |
10. |
Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f) Wallich ex Nees |
Acanthaceae |
Siriyanangai |
Leaf |
11. |
Argemone mexicana L. |
Papavaraceae |
Premathandu |
Root |
12. |
Aristolochia indica L. |
Aristolochiaceae |
Karudakodi |
Leaf/Root |
13. |
Asparagus racemosus willd. |
Liliaceae |
Sathamulam |
Tuber |
14. |
Azardirachta indica A.Juss |
Meliaceae |
Vaembu |
Leaf/Stem |
15. |
Azima tetracantha Lam. |
Salvodoraceae |
Sangumul |
Leaf |
16. |
Bambusa vulgaris schrad willd |
Poaceae |
Mungil |
Leaf and Terminal bud. |
17. |
Bacopa monnierri (L) Wettstein |
Scrophulariaceae |
Neer brambi |
Whole plant |
18. |
Boerhaavia diffusa L. |
Nyctaginaceae |
Mukkarathai |
Root |
19. |
Calotropis
gigantea (L.) R.Br. |
Asclepiadaceae |
Erukku |
Latex |
20. |
Canthium
parviflorum Lam |
Rubiaceae |
Karai
chedi |
Leaf |
21. |
Cardiospermum
canescens L. |
Sapindaceae |
Periya
mutakkathan |
Leaf |
22. |
Cardiospermum
halicacabum L. |
Sapindaceae |
Siriya
mutakkathan |
Leaf |
23. |
Cassia
auriculata L. |
Caesalpiniaceae |
Avarai |
Leaf |
24. |
Catharanthus
roseus (G.) Bom. |
Apocyanaceae |
Nithyakalyani |
Leaf/Root |
25. |
Cassia
tora L. |
Caesalpiniaceae |
Thakarai |
Leaf |
The tribal’s knowledge of indigenous uses of native
medicinal plants before exodus into the urban areas to join the mainstream
life needs to be studied and documented. In the present study 25 medicinal
plants were collected and documented (Table 1). The study focuses the
extensive usage of as many as 25 medicinal plants by the Paliyars
tribe inhabiting the study area (South off shoots)
This study revealed that medicinal plants still play a vital role in the primary health care. This study offers a model for studying the relationship between plants and people, within context of traditional medicinal system. The value of using ethnomedicinal information is to initiate drug discovery efforts. The purpose of standardizing traditional remedies is obviously to ensure therapeutically efficacy. This study also generated a broad spectrum of information concerning medicinal plants used by tribals.
Traditional medicines also have the potential to form the basis of pharmaceutical drugs for the treatment of wide range of diseases. Thus, the present documentation of these potentially valuable genetic resources ultimately can serve as a baseline for further research that can lead to bioprospecting of these traditional medicines.
Abrus precatorius L.
(Fabaceae) “Kundumani”
Two or three grams of fresh roots of the above plant with seeds are made into paste and consumed along with cold water or cow’s milk two times a day for five to seven days to cure any poisonous bite.
Acalypha indica L. (Euphorbiaceae) “Kuppaimeni”
The juice prepared from ten to fifteen grams of fresh leaves with 50ml of water is taken orally two times a day for two days to get relief from indigestion.
Achyranthus aspera (Amaranthaceae) “Nayuruvi”
Five to ten grams of leaves are made into paste with little water. This paste is mixed with a small amount of lime and is applied externally on the spot once a day for three days for treating dog bite.
Adhatoda vasica Nees (Acanthaceae) “Adathoda”
Young leaves are ground and a half glass of the leaf juice is mixed with honey and taken orally as remedy for cough. It is also a digestive and good for bronchitis.
Aegle marmelos (L.)
Correa (Rutaceae) “Vilvam”
Five to ten gram of leaf is made into paste with few drops of water. This paste is applied externally on the affected skin twice a day for a period of two to three days to get relief from itches.
Alangium salvifolium (L.f) Wagerin (Alangiaceae)
Fresh fruit juice is taken for eye disease.
Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. (Liliaceae) “Sotrukatralai”
Leaves are used to check leucorrhoea and veneral diseases. Leaf juice applied externally soothes burns, wounds and cuts. Leaf paste also applied externally on the legs of a pregnant lady to promote coolness.
Alpinia calcaratta Roscoe (Zingiberaceae) “Chittarathai”
The infusion of rhizome is given in for fever, rheumatism, catarrhal affects. Rhizome of this plant, Inji (Zingiber officinale Rosc) and bark of Mulmurunkai (Erythrina veariegata Linn.) are boiled in water and the extract is given for cholera.
Alstonia scholaris (L.)
R. Br. (Apocyanaceae) “Ezhilaipalai”
One teaspoonful of the powder made from the shade dried leaves is orally administered with water or with a few drops of the stem latex of the same plant, once a day for a period of one month to get relief from asthma.
Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Wallich ex Nees. (Acanthaceae) “Sirianangai”
Leaf paste mixed with hot water when taken four time acts as antivenom for Cobra bite. It also arrests excess menstruation.
Argemone mexicana L. (Papaveraceae) “Premathandu”
Ten to twenty gram of root bark extract is taken along with cow’s ghee once in the morning, and continued for two weeks for spermatorrhoea. Usually, the older plants are prepared for the medicine.
Aristolochia indica L. (Aritolochiaceae) “Karuda kodi”
The leaf juice is an antinode to snake bite and scorpion sting powdered root is given with honey for leucoderma.
Azardirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae) “Vaembu”
The juice prepared from ten gram of fresh young leaves and stem bark with water is taken orally in empty stomach for a period of 2 days in a single close to get relief from indigestion and to destroy intestinal worms.
Azima tetracantha Lam (Salvodoraceae) “Sangumul”
The juice prepared from five to ten gram of leaf with 200ml of water is taken orally for one day in a single dose to arrest vomitting.
Bacopa monnierri (L.)
Wettstein (Scraphulariaceae)
“Neerbrahmi”
The plant powder mixed with milk it is used as a brain tonic.
Bambusa arundinacea Willd (Poaceae) “Mungil”
Leaves ground along with gingelly oil and mixed with chicken soup which cures chest pain.
Bacopa monnierri (L.)
Wettstein (Scraphulariaceae)
“Neerbrahmi”
The plant powder mixed with milk it is used as a brain tonic.
Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Nyctaginaceae) “Mukkarattai”
The water extracts of root powder is applied externally 2 times a day for a period of 3 days to get relief from rheumatic pain.
Calotrophis gigantea (L.) R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae) “Erukku”
Leaves in the form of paste are applied in boils and cancerous wounds. Three to five drops of leaf latex and 10 drops of honey are mixed and is given to expel worms. The leaf paste is given as an antinode for snake poisoning and insect bites.
Canthium parviflorum Lam. (Rubiaceae) “Karaichedi”
The leaves are used to reduce inflammation and swelling of the body. Leaves are also used to treat dysentery.
Cardiospermum canescens L. (Sapindaceae) “Periya mudakathan”
Leaf juice mixed with cumin is consumed to relieve
pain in the joint and at the time of delivery.
Cardiospermum halicacabum L. (Sapindaceae) “Mudakathan”
The leaf extracts reduces body pain. Leaves coated with castor oil are applied to rheumatic joints, and swellings.
Cassia auriculata L. (Caesalpiniaceae) “Avarai”
Leaves reduce obesity. Leaf powdered made into a paste is used as hair shampoo.
Catharanthus roseus (G) Bom. (Apocyanaceae) Nithyakalyani. Ten to twenty grams of fresh roots are ground and the extract is taken orally.
Cassia tora L. (Caesalpiniaceae) “Thagarai”Leaves are mixed with Allium sativum after grinding and are used as remedy for skin diseases.
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