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Ethnobotanical Leaflets 13: 1302-11, 2009. Ethnobotanical Study of Medicinal Plants used by the Local
People in Vellore District, Tamilnadu, India T.Thirumalai1, E. Kelumalai1, B.Senthilkumar2,
E David1* 1P.G. and Research Department of Zoology,Voorhees
College, Vellore - 632001(T.N.) India 2P.G. and Research Department of Zoology, C.Abdul Hakeem College, Melvisharam,Vellore
- 632 509 (T.N.) India *Corresponding author:
E mail: ernestdavid2002@yahoo.com Issued October
01, 2009 Abstract An ethnobotanical
survey was conducted in and around Vellore district to study the various
medicinal plants used by the people for the treatment of their ailments such
as fever, cold, cough, diabetes, jaundice, diarrhoea,
rheumatism, snake bite, and headache. The study also covered the methods used
in plant extraction, and the dose, duration and mode of application. Introduction Plants have always
played a major role in the treatment of human traumas and diseases worldwide (Principe
et al., 1991).They have been used as sources of modern drugs, either by
providing pure compounds, starting materials for partial synthesis of useful
compounds or models for synthesis of new drugs (Hansel and Swian, 1972).According to the World Health Organization
(WHO) as much as 80% of world’s population depends on traditional medicine
for their primary health care needs (Azaizeh et
al., 2003). The knowledge of medicinal plants has been accumulated in the
course of many centuries based on different medicinal systems such as Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha. In India it is reported that traditional healers
use 2500 plant species and 100 species of plants serve as regular sources of
medicine (Pei, 2001). Ethnopharmacological
information is an important tool in drug discovery (Balandrin
et al., 1993).The ethnobotanical survey can bring
out many different clues for the development of drugs to treat human
diseases. Safe, effective, and inexpensive indigenous remedies are gaining
popularity equally among the people of both the urban and rural areas,
especially in India and China (Katewa et al.,
2004). Ethnobotany and ethnomedical
studies are today recognized as the most viable method of identifying new
medicinal plants or refocusing on those earlier reported for bioactive
constituents. It is interesting to note that most of the drugs derived or
originally isolated from higher plants were discovered in an ethnobotanical or ethnomedicinal
context. Several studies have revealed that tribal population, not only depend
on plant based resources for medicines, food, forage and fuel, but also play
a vital role in natural resource management that forms the core aspect of
conservation biology (Ignacimuthu et al., 2006).
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 Vellore district in Tamilnadu
for the treatment of human aliments. Materials and Methods The entire area of
Vellore District lies between 12°15’
to13°15’ north latitudes and 78° 20’ to79° 50’ East latitudes in tamilnadu state.The district is
spread over an area of about 6077 km2 and is bounded on the North and
Northeast by Tiruvaluvar District, on the South and Southeast by Kanchipuram District,on the
south by Thiruvannamalai district, on the Southwest
by Krishnagiri District and on the northwest and
north by Andhra Pradesh state. The
district receives an annual rainfall is about 448.8 – 1544.6 mm. The minimum
and maximum temperature varies between 26.3º and 38.2º. Ethno botanical data were collected
according to the methodology suggested by Jain (2001).The ethno botanical
data were collected using questionnaire, interviews and discussions in their
local tribal people. A totally more than 200 respondents were interviewed,
these included males and females that depended on plant as sources of medicines
either for self- medication or for treating others. The Flora of Presidency
of Madras (Gamble, 1935 and an excursion flora of central Tamilnadu
(Matthew, 1991) were used to as certain the
nomenclature of the plant species used for identification and authentication
of the plants. Folklore medicinal plant are arranged in alphabetical order in
Table1 which represents their botanically names followed by the family,
vernacular name. Results and
Discussion In this paper, we
focused mainly on plant species reported by the local people in and around
the study area for their medicinal uses. Presented data are the general
results of the ethnoboanical survey conducted from
March 2008 to January 2009. In the present investigation 75 medicinal plants
are used for the treatment of various diseases like asthma, piles, diabetes,
snake bite, skin disease, ulcer, stomach pain, cough, headache, blood
pressure anemia, tumor, rheumatism, eczema, wounds, dysentery, jaundice, antifertility, leprosy, laxative, astringent, urinary
disorders, paralysis, diarrhoea and diuretic etc. Some of them are used as anthelmintic, fever and antiseptic also. Seventy-five
plant species belonging to 37 families are reported. The utility lies through
their roots, bark, latex, leaves, fruits and seeds. These are taken
internally 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. Medicinal plants studied are enumerated arranged
alphabetically with their botanical name followed by families’ name, local
name, parts used and ethnomedicinal uses. Some
important medicinal plants needs immediate conservation and their cultivation
should be encouraged through which their extinction can be prevented and
local village people may also get low-cost cure their disease. Table 1:
Medicinal plants used by local people from Vellore district of Tamilnadu.
Enumeration of species with their
uses: Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth A
leaf paste is applied to cure eczema. Aegle marmelos Corr.ex .Roxb A
Leaf paste is applied topically to heal wounds. The dried and powdered leaves
are used for
diabetes. Alstonia venenata (R.Br). The
milky latex is used to heal wounds and cuts. Ammannia baccifera L. A
leaf paste is applied to relieve swelling Anisomeles malabarica (L.) R. Br. ex Sims. A
paste of the leaves is applied to cure eczema. Annona squamosa L The
young fruits are dried and made into a powder. A spoonful of this powder,
mixed with
water, is taken internally to cure dysentery. Argemone mexicana L. The
yellow latex is used to cure ulcers of the lips and pimples and for wound
healing. Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wallich ex Nees A
handful of leaves is taken and an extract is made, which, mixed with milk, is
taken internally
to cure snakebites. Abrus precatorius L. A
paste of the seeds is used to cure eczema. Aloe
vera, (Linn.)Burm. Fresh
juice is used as cathartic and for cooling. It is also used in treating fever
eye infections
and ulcer. Achyranthes aspera L. The
boiled leaves are consumed to relieve internal piles and the roots are used
as a brush to
relieve pain and clean the teeth. Acalypha indica L A
leaf paste, mixed with common salt, is used to cure eczema and chest pain. Alternanthera sessilis L. It
is used as a treatment for headaches. It is also used to treat hepatitis and
asthma. Azadirachta indica (A.Juss). Seed
oil is used in skin diseases and in lice. Bark is useful in malarial fever.
Tender twigs are
used as tooth brush. Leaf paste applied for mumps. Acacia
catechu (Linnf.)Willd (Khair) The
bark of the tree is used in chronic diarrhoea Bambusa arundinacea, (Willd). Young
leaves and terminal bud of bamboo along with turmeric and the leaves. Aloe
Vera is
ground and the paste is applied to the fractured bones for two weeks to join
quickly. Cassia
auriculata L. Dried
and powdered flowers are used for cleaning the hair, reducing body heat and
cures diabetes. Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. The
juice of the whole plant is used to reduce body heat and to lower the blood
pressure. Catharanthus roseus G. Don. Whole
plant is powdered and mixed with cow's milk and taken orally to treat
diabetes. Cissus quadrangularis L. A paste of the whole plant is taken for
improving the digestion and inducing appetite. Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) S. W.
A
seed paste is applied to inflamed teeth to cure toothache. Cardiospermum halicacabum L. A
leaf paste is applied for joint pain or leaves are prepared in the form of a
soup and consumed
to cure rheumatic pains. Centella asiatica L. The
dried plant is powdered and this powder, mixed with hot water, is taken for
gas troubles;
the fried plants are used in the diet of children for improving their memory. Cataranthus pusillus (Murr). A
leaf paste is applied externally for tumors
Caesalpinia bonducella, (Flem). A
decoction of the leaf is used as nutritional tonic. Calotropisgigantea, (L.) R. Br. Milky
latex is applied on the wounds on legs of livestock. Clitoria ternatea L.
Root
powder is mixed with water and taken orally to treat indigestion, eye diseases
and headache. Carica papaya L. The
milky latex of the plant is applied to teeth in order to relieve inflammatory
pain. Coccinia grandis (L.) J. Voigt The
leaf extract, mixed with milk, is used in cases of jaundice. Datura metel L.
Few
drops of leaf juice is poured into ear to treat earache. Dioscorea oppostifolia L Boiled
root tubers are taken orally to reduce body heat. Euphorbia
hirta, L. Leaf
paste mixed with goat’s milk is consumed to stop diarrhea and dysentery. Eclipta prostrata L. A
leaf extract is applied to the head to relieve dandruff and to blacken gray
hair. Eclipta alba L. Plant
is used for the treatment of hepatitis. Eucalyptus
tereticornis (Smith) The
vapours of boiled leaves are inhaled for coughs and
a cold. The oil from the plant, mixed
with coconut oil, is applied to the chest to relieve a dry cough and chest
pain. Erythrina indica, (Lam). The
leaves and flowers, are used to cure epidemic skin diseases. Ficus benghalensis L.
Stem
latex is applied topically on heel cracks. Ficus religiosa L.
Dried
leaf powder is mixed with water and
takes normally to get relief from body pain.
Gymnema sylvestre (Retz). Leaves dried in shade and powdered is taken
for Diabetes to reduces Blood sugar. Gloriosa superba L. The
pasted tubers are used as an abortifacient. Leaves
are used to destroy head lice. Hemidesmus indicus, (R. Br). The leaf, root extract is used for blood
purification. Hibiscus
rosa-sinensis L. Shade
dried and powdered flowers are used for cleaning the hair and to prevent hair
loss. Ixora coccinea L. Hundred
grams of the dried flowers are boiled in coconut oil and the oil extract is
applied externally
twice a day to treat eczema. Jasminum angustifolium.(L). Wild Leaves and flowers made into a paste and
applied externally to remove the clot of Breast Milk. Lawsonia inermis L. A leaf paste is applied to cracks of the
feet .it also has a cooling effect on the body. Leonotis nepetaefolia (L.) R. Br. A
leaf paste is used for eczema. Leucas aspera (Willd). The
vapours from the boiled leaves are inhaled to
relieve coughing and colds. Marsilea minuta L. The
dried and powdered leaves, mixed with hot water, are taken in cases of
diabetes. Mimosa
pudica L . Pinch
of leaves paste is applied topically to cuts and wounds. Mukia maderaspatana (L.) M. Roemer. The
leaf extract is taken internally to cure piles; it is applied to the hair of
the head to blacken
gray hair. Morinda tinctoria Roxb. The leaf extract is used to cure dysentery. Moringa oleifera .Lam. The
boiled leaves and flowers are eaten to increase fertility in men. A handful
of bark juice
of the plant is used to cure stomach pain. Musa
paradisiaca L . A
plant extract is given for snake bite and also for burns. Mangifera indica L . Mixture
of ¼ of the seed ground with cow’s milk is taken to arrest excess bleeding
during mensus. Murraya koenigii L . Sprengel Juice
of tender leaves is taken orally to arrest vomiting. Juice taken tender
leaves, is taken orally
to arrest vomiting. Momordica charantia L . Local
peoples uses for the fruit, seeds, vines and leaves include gastroenteritis,
diabetes, tumors
and some viral infections. Melia azedarach L . The
juice of the bark is taken internally in the early morning for three days in
order to relieve
stomach pain; it is also employed as an anthelmintic. Nerium oleander
(Sol). Juice
prepared from the stem bark Is boiled with gingelly
oil and two drops are poured into
ear to treat ear pain. Opuntia dillenii (Haw). Fruits
edible used in whooping cough. Pulp also applied in ophthalmic and
control spasmodic
cough and expectoration Ocimum americanum, L . Leaf
juice is taken for stomach upset. Prosopis cinearia L . The
plant flower is pounded, mixed with sugar and used during pregnancy as
safeguard against
miscarriage. The bark is used as a remedy for rheumatism,
in cough colds, asthma.
The bark is prescribed for scorpion sting. Pongamia pinnata L . The
seed oil is used to cure rheumatic pains and swellings. Phyllanthus amarus, Schum. & Thonn. Leaf
juice is administered to cure fever and jaundice. Polycarpaea corymbosa L . Roots leaves paste is applied externally. Sesbania grandiflora (L.) Poiret The
leaves prepared in the form of a soup are taken as a vermifuge
and also to cure peptic ulcer. Solanum trilobatum,L . The
leaf juice is used to treat cough and cold. Solanum nigrum, L. The
leaf and fruit extract is used for deworming and
treating fever. Syzygium cumini L. The
dried and powdered seeds, mixed with hot water, are taken for reducing the
Blood sugar
level. Sida cordata, (Burmn. f.) Borssum The
leaf juice is effective in treating diarrhoea
during pregnancy. The pounded leaves are
applied
locally to relieve cuts and bruises. Tamarindus indica L . A
paste of the seed coat is applied to a scorpion bite to relieve pain or the
scratched seed is
placed in a warm condition on the area of a scorpion bite to relieve pain. Thespesia populnea (L.) Tender
fruit mixed with castor oil and made in to a paste applied externally for skin
disease. Vitex negundo L. Inhale
boiled leaves vapour to relieve headache. Zingiber roseum( Rosc). The
juice of the rhizome, mixed with honey, is taken internally to improve digestion
and to
relieve giddiness. Acknowledgements The
authors are cordially grateful to the people inhabiting in different
localities of Vellore District because
of their kind support and co-operation during the field surveys. References Azaizeh,
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