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Ethnobotanical Leaflets 12: 934-37. 2008. Taxonomic Validation
of Crude Drugs used for Poisonous Bites by Adivasis
of Rayalaseema Region, Andhra Pradesh Johnson, Saturas
N.A.1, K.Venkata Ratnam2, G. Tirupathi Reddy3 and R.R. Venkata Raju3* 1Department of Botany, 2Department of Botany, 3Department of Botany, *Corresponding author: Prof. R.R. Venkata� Raju E mail : rrvenkataraju@yahoo.com Issued ABSTRACT
����������� The present
report deals with the phytotherapeutic properties
of certain potential anti-poisonous crude drugs used by the Adivasis, inhabited in the forests of Rayalaseema
region of Andhra Pradesh. The critical taxonomic
analysis yielded twenty species belonging to 17 families of angiosperms used
for poisonous bites.� The majority of
drug formulations (14 spp.) were administered as
antidotes for snake bites. Key words:
Crude drugs, Poisonous bites, Rayalaseema region. INTRODUCTION Since time immorial plants play an important role in the spiritual
as well as physical well being of the mankind. The indigenous people depend
either directly or indirectly on the forests for their daily needs and
preserve the knowledge about the traditional and cultural uses of plants as
family secrets. It is necessary that unwritten folklore uses of plant
products must be documented and preserved. In this connection an attempt was
made to collect folklore information about poisonous bites from Rayalaseema forests. The critical review of literature
(Jain, 1991; Kirtikar and Basu,
1935; Rama Rao and Henry,
1996) revealed that very few and sporadic attempts were made on crude drugs
used for poisonous bites (Reddy et al., 1996 and Imam et al., 2003). Hence,
the present investigation gains importance. Study
area ����������� Rayalaseema is
the southern part of Andhra Pradesh, comprises of Anantapur,
Kadapa, Chittoor and METHODOLOGY
Ethnobotanical exploration
trips were made to collect first hand information about therapeutic
properties of plants from tribal and rural people, inhabited in and around
the forests. The information about therapeutic properties of plants used in
folk medicine was obtained through direct observations and discussions with
tribal men. Data was recorded on the plant parts used, local name, place of
collection, process of preparation, mode of administration and dosage.� The voucher specimens were prapared for authentication of information and for future
references. The specimens were identified with the help of local/regional
floras (Gamble, 1935; Venkata Raju
and Pullaiah, 1995) and deposited at ENUMERATION
The collected drug yielding
species were systematically analyzed and enumerated in alphabetical order.
The enumeration of taxa includes botanical name
with voucher number, common name, family, habit, part used, purpose and mode
of administration (Table 1).� The new
and hither to not reported crude drugs were indicated with asterisk. DISCUSSION
����������� The present study
mainly deals with less known crude drugs used against poisonous bites used by
Adivasis of Rayalaseema
region of Andhra Pradesh. The critical analysis of the data in the light of
literature resulted twenty species belonging to 17
families of Angiosperms. Among them five species i.e. Coccinia indica, Habenaria roxburghii, Tribulus terrestris, Pavetta breviflora and Viscum articulatum were hitherto not reported
by earlier workers. The results indicate that, snake bite is very common in
the tribal habitations than other poisonous bites and about eleven drug
formulations have been administered in raw form and three species with
ingredients. The formulations need to be screened for their chemical and
clinical tests to prove their efficacy, which is being attempted in the
laboratory. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The first author is thankful
to the University Grants Commission REFERENCES Gamble, J.S., 1915-1935. Flora of Presidency of Imam,S.,
V.C. Gupta, and S.J. Husain. 2003. Some important
folk-herbal medicines used as antidotes for snake bites from tribal pockets
of Atmakur forest division of Andhra Pradesh.
National Symposium on emerging trends in Indian Medicinal Plants, Jain, S.K. 1991. Dictionary of Folk medicine and
Ethnobotany. Deep Publications, Kirtikar,
K.R. and B.D. Basu. 1935. Indian Medicinal Plants.
Vol. I-IV. International book distributors. Rama Rao, N. and A.N. Henry. 1996. The Ethnobotany of Reddy, M.H., K. Vijayalakshmi, �and R.R.Venkata �Raju 1996. Native phytotherapy
for snake bite in Nallamalais of Eastern Ghats, India. J.Econ.
Tax. Bot. Addl. ser. 12: 214-217. Venkata Raju, R.R. and T. Pullaiah. 1995.
Flora of Table
1. �Medico-botanical
enumeration of crude drugs used against poisonous bites.
Ap: Aerial Parts; L:
Leaf; Inf: Inflorescence; Rt:
Root tuber; R: Root; S: Stem; Sb: Stem bark; Wp: whole plant. |