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Ethnobotanical
Leaflets 14: 774- 80, 2010. Ethno-Medicinal Plants in Five Sacred
Groves in Cuddalore District, Munisamy Anbarashan* and Anbarashan
Padmavathy *Corresponding author. E-mail: anbupu@gmail.com Issued: July
01, 2010 Abstract An
ethno-medicinal plant survey was carried out in five sacred groves in Cuddalore district, Tamilnadu,
for the express purpose of discovering the kinds of herbal remedies used by
the local populations. It resulted in
about 33 medicinal plants for the treatment of several diseases either in
single or in combination with some other ingredients. The information on
correct botanical identities with family, local name and traditional practice
of 33 plant species belonging to 22 families are discussed here for the
treatment of various illnesses. Key words: Ethno-medical
plants, Sacred groves, Indigenous knowledge, Cuddalore. Introduction The Indian sub-continent has a
very rich diversity of plant species in a wide range of ecosystems. There are
about 17, 000 species of higher plants, of which approximately 8,000 species
are considered medicinal and used by village communities, particularly tribal
communities, or in traditional medicinal systems, such as the Ayurveda (Pei, 2001). Many of the wild plants are endemic
and are found only in specific ecological niches. Due to the 250 per cent
increase in human and livestock populations in the 20th century and the
subsequent pressure on available land, which has lead to deforestation and
land degradation, many species or populations of species are now threatened
with extinction, because their natural habitats are being destroyed. Almost
all medicinal plant raw materials in During the past decade, traditional
systems of medicine have become a topic of global importance. Current
estimates suggest that, in many developing countries, a large proportion of
the population relies heavily on traditional practitioners and medicinal
plants to meet primary health care needs (Abu-Rabia.,
2005). Although modern medicine may be available in these countries, Drugs
obtained from plant are believed to be much safer (Katewa
et al., 2004) and exhibit a remarkable efficacy in the treatment of various aliments (Siddique et.al.,
1995). The folk medicinal traditions play a reflecting and prominent role in
human and environment interaction (Chopra et.al., 1956). Concurrently, many
people in developed countries have begun to turn to alternative or
complementary therapies, including medicinal herbs. Few plant species that
provide medicinal herbs have been scientifically evaluated for their possible
medical application. Safety and efficacy data are available for even fewer
plants, their extracts and active ingredients, and the preparations
containing them, nearly 80% of world’s population depends on traditional
medicine for their primary health care needs (Azaizeh
et al., 2003). Furthermore, in most countries the herbal medicines market is
poorly regulated, and herbal products are often neither registered nor
controlled. Assurance of the safety, quality,
and efficacy of medicinal plants and herbal products has now become a key
issue in industrialized and in developing countries. Both the general
consumer and health-care professionals need up-to-date, authoritative
information on the safety and efficacy of medicinal plants but today, many
indigenous herbal remedies remain largely undocumented or recognized as
potential forms of treatment and consequently continue to be used by only
small groups of indigenous populations. The present work was carried out to
explore the medical remedies of some medicinal plants used by the rural
people of Cuddalore district in Tamilnadu
for the treatment of human aliments. Study area and Methods Cuddalore
districts is located (11º43′ N and 79º49′
E) in the East Coast about 23 kms south of Puducherry region. Various types of soil found in
the Cuddalore region include red loamy, coastal
alluvium, delta alluvium, red laterite, deep black
and red sandy. The mean annual rain fall is 1,079mm
and the dry season lasts for six monhs (January to
June), and receives less than 60mm rainfall on monthly average. The mean
annual maximum and minimum temperature is 22.75°C and 33.64°C. Periodic field surveys were
carried out in five sacred groves - Kothattai, Chinna Komati, Chinna Results and Discussion A total of 24 medicinal plant species
distributed in 22 families were collected from the study area with the help
of traditional healers. Medicinal plants used by them are given below with
Latin name, family, local name, parts used, mode of preparation and medicinal
uses.
To cure various diseases
local traditional healers were using leaves (17) most commonly followed by
seed (7), bark (3), root tubers (2) and latex (1). This observation concurs with
findings of the earlier investigators (Udayakumar et al., 2009; Pattanaik
et al., 2008; Ghorbani,
2005; Katewa et
al., 2004). The plants were used for eczema, wound
healing, throat infection, diarrhea, itches, wounds and skin diseases; one
plant each to cure head ache, stomach ulcer, tumor, ear ache, , eye pain,
diabetes, cold and cough These are taken internally with
additives such as oil (sesame, castor and coconut), milk and milk products
(butter milk and ghee), common salt, jaggery and
honey or applied externally in the form of infusion, decoction, paste or
powder. Most of the plants used in medicines are either mixed with other
ingredients or single. Conclusion Important medicinal plants need
immediate conservation in order to avoid degradation and the deforestation of
sacred groves. Their cultivation and establishment should be encouraged to
prevent the extinction of potentially valuable species. Additionally, local
village people may benefit from having easily accessible low-cost herbal
species close at hand. References Abu- Rabia,
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