MEDICINAL PLANT LEAVES USED BY LOCAL PRACTITIONERS OF COIMBATORE DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU, INDIA
HTML Full TextMEDICINAL PLANT LEAVES USED BY LOCAL PRACTITIONERS OF COIMBATORE DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU, INDIA
R. Karthiyayini
Department of Botany, Avinashilingam Deemed University for Women, Coimbatore -641043, Tamil Nadu, India
ABSTRACT
This present investigation was an attempt to an ethno botanical survey which was carried out by the local practitioners of Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu. During the survey 48 medicinal plant leaves are identified which were used as medicine for several diseases either in single or in combination with some other ingredients. In the first phase the Botanical Name, Family, Local Name and uses of leaves have been discussed and noted.
Keywords:
Ethno botany, Medicinal plants, Jaundice, |
Rheumatism
INTRODUCTION:Plants have been used in traditional medicine for several thousand years 1. Traditional healers provide considerable information about the use of many plants or plant parts as medicine. According to world health organization, 80% of people in developing countries still depend on local medicinal plants to fulfill their primary health needs 2.
In India alone three traditional systems of medicine include Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani are using over 7,500 plant species 3. During the past few decades there has been an increasing interest in the study of medicinal plants and their traditional use in different parts of the world 4-5. The importance of gathering information on medicinal plants is to initiate their proper scientific management and exploitation for the economic development of the area.
Ethno botany and ethno medical studies are today recognized as the most viable method of identifying new medicinal plants or refocusing on those earlier reported for bio active constituents. 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 6. 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 plant leaves used by the local peoples of Coimbatore district in Tamil Nadu for the treatment of various human ailments.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The field investigations were conducted in villages of the study area. Field trips were carried out in different seasons regularly between June 2008 – December 2010. The data’s are based on first hand information gathered from native health practitioners and other knowledgeable persons. Semi- structured questionnaire was prepared in local language and interviews were taken from them. The information for particular ailments was cross checked through the repeated queries during the interviews to get accurate and valid information. The information’s were compared with those available in different literature source 7, 8, 9, 10.
The plant specimens were collected during survey and were identified with help of “Flora of Presidency of Madras 11 and Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic 12 . They were later verified at botanical survey of India, Southern circle, Coimbatore, India.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION: Ethono botanical uses and the data about treatments of various ailments based on the information gathered from local practitioners by using questionnaires are given in table 1. The present investigation comprises 48 plants species distributed over 25 angiosperm families and their leaves which are commonly used by the local people of Coimbatore in traditional medicine for treatment of various ailments like jaundice, skin diseases, fever, diarrhea, asthma etc. Even though medicines in allopathic systems are available for the above diseases they cause so many side effects. The present study will help us in understanding, how ancient human health of wealth was safeguarded by traditional nutritional and medicinal systems. Further this can open new visions in medico- botanical systems to find a remedy to uproot incurable diseases.
TABLE 1: LIST OF PLANTS AND MEDICINAL USES OF THEIR LEAVES
Botanical names | Family | Local name | Mode of Uses |
Abutilon indicum L. | Malvaceae | Thuthi | Decoction of leaf juice is given for pile’s. Leaf paste are also applied for bleeding piles . |
Acalypha fruticosa Forssk. | Euphorbiaceae | Sinni | Leaf with salt taken orally for stomach pain. |
Acalypha indica L. | Euphorbiaceae | Kuppaimeni | Fresh Leaf juice is applied over cuts and wounds for faster healing . |
Achyranthus aspera L. | Amaranthaceae | Nayuruvi | Leaf paste is applied to treat cuts and wounds. |
Adhatoda vasica Nees. | Acanthaceae | Adathodai | Leaf is used to treat asthma. |
Alternanthira sessilis L. | Amaranthaceae | Ponnankanni | Leaves used for the treatment of jaundice. |
Andrographis paniculata L. | Acanthaceae | Nilavempu | Leaf paste is applied topically at the bitten site of scorpion, snake and bettle. |
Aristolochia bracteolate L. | Aristolochiaceae | Aduthinnapalai | Leaf paste used to treat dandruff |
Aristolochia indica L. | Aristolochiaceae | Eswara mulili | Leaf paste is used for eczema.
Leaf decoction relieves stomach pain during menses. |
Azadirachta indica A.Juss. | Meliaceae | Vembu | Leaf paste is used to treat small pox and skin diseases. |
Bacopa monnieri L. | Scorphulariaceae | Neerbrami | Leaf juice used to cure fever. |
Barleria prionitis L. | Acanthaceae | Sullimullu | Leaf juice mixed with honey is given to cure cough. |
Cadiospermum helicacabum L. | Sapindaceae | Mudakathan kodi | The leaves decoction is used to take orally to control rheumatic pain. |
Cassia auriculata L. | Caesalpiniaceae | Avarai | Leaves paste reduce obesity. |
Cassia occidentalis L. | Caesalpiniaceae | Peithagarai | Leaf paste is applied externally to heal bone fractures. |
Cassia tora L. | Caesalpiniaceae | Tagarai | Leaf paste used for curing skin diseases. |
Catharanthus roseus G.Don. | Apocynaceae | Nithyakalyani | Leaf Juice is used for headache and wound. |
Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. | Apiaceae | Vallarai | Fresh juice used for skin diseases, improve memory, control diabetics. |
Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. | Asteraceae | Sevventhi | Leaf paste is applied eternally on wounds. |
Cleome viscose L. | Capparidaceae | Naikaduku | Leaf Juice is used to treat earache. |
Clerodendrum bracteatum Wall. Ex Walp. | Verbenaceae | Salingi | Leaf Juice is used to treat fever. |
Coccinia grandis (L.) J. Voigt. | Cucurbitaceae | Kovai | Leaf juice is mixed with butter to treat skin diseases. |
Coleus aromaticus Benth. | Lamiaceae | Karpuravalli | Leaf juice is taken orally by children to treat cold and cough. |
Cynodon dactylon L. Pers. | Poaceae | Arugampullu | Leaves used for curing wound and blood clotting. |
Digera muricata
(L.) Mart. |
Amaranthaceae | Thoiya kerai, | Leaves are used as vegetable in constipation, dysuria and calculi. |
Datura metal L. | Solanaceae | Umattai | Leaf Paste is applied to relieve pains. |
Eclipta prostrate L. | Asteraceae | Karisalan Kanni | Leaf powder is mixed with coconut oil and used as hair oil. |
Gymnenma sylvestre R.Br. | Asclepidaceae | Sirukurinchan | Extract of leaves taken orally along with milk for diabetes |
Hibiscus rosa – sinensis L. | Malvaceae | semparuthi | Fresh leaves paste is applied on the hair for healthy black hair. |
Lawsonia inermis L. | Lythraceae | Maruthani | Leaf powder is mixed with coconut oil and used as hair oil. |
Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link. | Lamiaceae | Thumbai | Leaves are boiled and the vapor is inhaled to cure head ache. |
Lippia nodiflora Mich. | Verbenaceae | Poduthali | Leaf paste is used to treat swelling and wound. |
Mukia maderaspatana (L.) M. Roemer. | Cucurbitaceae | Musumusukai | Leaf powder is mixed with boiled rice or honey to cure cold and cough. |
Murraya koenigii(L.) Sprengel. | Rutaceae | Karuveppilai | Leaves used for indigestion. Leaves used for preparing hair oil. |
Ocimum santum Linn. | Lamiaceae | Tulsi | Leaf juice mixed with honey is taken orally to treat cough and cold. |
Oxalis corniculate L. | Oxalidaceae | Pulliyari | Juice is used for eye disease. |
Pavonia procumbens (Wight et Arn.) Walp. | Malvaceae | Saligi | Leaf grind with buttermilk and taken orally to cure ulcer. |
Phyllanthus amarus Schum. &Thnn. | Euphorbiaceae | Keezhanelli | Fresh leaves are ground and mixed with butter milk to take internally for jaundice. |
Piper betle Linn. | Piperaceae | Vetrilai | Juice used as eye drops in painful eyes. Leaf juice mixed with honey is given to cure cough for children. |
Ricinus communis L. | Euphorbiaceae | Amanakku | The leaf is used to tie the breast to increase secretion of milk in women. |
Sesbania aegytiaca Pers. | Fabaceae | Chithagathi | Leaf decoction used in diarrhea, itches and skin eruption. |
Sesbania grantiflora Pers. | Fabaceae | Agathi | Leaf decoction is used to eliminate the worms in stomach. |
Solanum nigrum L. | Solanaceae | Manathakkali | Fresh leaves are taken orally to cure mouth ulcer. |
Solanum torvum Sw. | Solanaceae | Sundaikkai | Leaf juice is taken orally to reduce body heat. |
Solanum trilobatum L. | Solanaceae | Thuthuvalai | Leaf juice is taken orally to treat cough and cold. |
Tribulus terrestris L. | Zygophyllaceae | Nerungi | Decoction of leaf is given in Kidney related diseases. |
Tridax procumbens L. | Asteraceae | Vettukkaya thalai | Juice applied on wounds, boils and used to stop bleeding. |
Vitax negundo L. | Verbenaceae | Nocchi | Leaves are boiled in water and the vapor inhaled to relief severe head ache and cold. |
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Article Information
48
1829-1831
505KB
4981
English
IJPSR
R. Karthiyayini
Department of Botany, Avinashilingam Deemed University for Women, Coimbatore -641043, Tamil Nadu, India
03 October, 2011
18 May, 2012
26 May, 2012
http://dx.doi.org/10.13040/IJPSR.0975-8232.3(6).1829-31
01 June, 2012