TRADITIONAL USE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS BY MALAYALI TRIBES IN YERCAUD HILLS, EASTERN GHATS, SALEM DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU, INDIA
- Eastern Ghats, Yercaud hills, Malayali tribes, Ethnomedicinal plants.
Abstract
An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in 10 villages of Yercaud Hills, Salem district, Tamil Nadu among the Malayali tribals by personal interviews and field visits along with the informants during November 2012 – May 2014. Informants were selected based on their experience and knowledge on medicinal plants. From each village one person was selected. Present study focused on local inhabitants who used traditional resources for self-medication. A total number of 30 plant species belongs to 30 genera and 22 families have been reported for their use in treat ailments such as leprosy, snake bite, beetle bite, apoplexy, body pain, stomach, rashes, swelling, cataract, worm infection, trismus, mental disorders, menorrhea, dysentery, tumor and sprain. Botanical name, vernacular name, parts used, name of diseases against which the plants used, mode of preparation and administration for each recipes are discussed. The result of this study showed that local people in this study area still depend on medicinal plants and these plants play decisive role in primary health care system.