Medicinal plants used by traditional

healers in Kancheepuram District of

Tamil Nadu, India
Chellaiah Muthu
1
, Muniappan Ayyanar
1
, Nagappan Raja
2

and a!arimuthu Ignacimuthu
1

1
Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai 600 034, India
2
Deartment o! "lied #iology, $ni%ersity o! &ondar, &ondar, Ethioia
author email corresonding author email
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2006, "#43doi'10(11)6*1+46,
426-,2,43
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Recei%ed' 6 1une 2006
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3u/lished'+ 2cto/er 2006
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Abstract
"n ethno/otanical sur%ey 0as underta9en to collect in!ormation !rom
traditional healers on the use o! medicinal lants in :ancheeuram district o!
.amil ;adu during 2cto/er 2003 to "ril 2004( .he indigenous 9no0ledge o!
local traditional healers and the nati%e lants used !or medicinal uroses 0ere
collected through <uestionnaire and ersonal inter%ie0s during !ield tris(
.he in%estigation re%ealed that, the traditional healers used )= secies o! lants
distri/uted in +6 genera /elonging to 41 !amilies to treat %arious diseases( .he
documented medicinal lants 0ere mostly used to cure s9in diseases, oison
/ites, stomachache and ner%ous disorders( In this study the most dominant
!amily 0as Euhor/iaceae and lea%es 0ere most !re<uently used !or the
treatment o! diseases(
.his study sho0ed that many eole in the studied arts o! :ancheeuram
district still continue to deend on medicinal lants at least !or the treatment o!
rimary healthcare( .he traditional healers are d0indling in num/er and there is
a gra%e danger o! traditional 9no0ledge disaearing soon since the younger
generation is not interested to carry on this tradition(
$ac%ground
3lants ha%e /een used in traditional medicine !or se%eral thousand years >1?(
.he 9no0ledge o! medicinal lants has /een accumulated in the course o!
many centuries /ased on di!!erent medicinal systems such as "yur%eda, $nani
and @iddha( In India, it is reorted that traditional healers use 2=00 lant
secies and 100 secies o! lants ser%e as regular sources o! medicine >2?(
During the last !e0 decades there has /een an increasing interest in the study o!
medicinal lants and their traditional use in di!!erent arts o! the 0orld >3,+?(
Documenting the indigenous 9no0ledge through ethno/otanical studies is
imortant !or the conser%ation and utiliAation o! /iological resources(
.oday according to the Borld Cealth 2rganiAation 7BC28, as many as )0D o!
the 0orldEs eole deend on traditional medicine !or their rimary healthcare
needs( .here are considera/le economic /ene!its in the de%eloment o!
indigenous medicines and in the use o! medicinal lants !or the treatment o!
%arious diseases >)?( Due to less communication means, o%erty, ignorance and
una%aila/ility o! modern health !acilities, most eole esecially rural eole
are still !orced to ractice traditional medicines !or their common day ailments(
5ost o! these eole !orm the oorest lin9 in the trade o! medicinal lants >-?(
" %ast 9no0ledge o! ho0 to use the lants against di!!erent illnesses may /e
eFected to ha%e accumulated in areas 0here the use o! lants is still o! great
imortance >10?(
In the de%eloed countries, 2= er cent o! the medical drugs are /ased on lants
and their deri%ati%es >11?( " grou o! Borld Cealth 2rganiAation 7BC28
eFerts, 0ho met in Congo #raAAa%ille in 1-+6, sought to de!ine traditional
"!rican medicine as Ethe sum total o! ractices, measures, ingredients and
rocedures o! all 9inds 0hether material or not, 0hich !rom time immemorial
has ena/led the "!rican to guard against diseases, to alle%iate his*her su!!ering
and to cure him*hersel!E >12?( .raditional medical 9no0ledge o! medicinal
lants and their use /y indigenous cultures are not only use!ul !or conser%ation
o! cultural traditions and /iodi%ersity /ut also !or community healthcare and
drug de%eloment in the resent and !uture >2?(
Ethno/otany is not ne0 to India /ecause o! its rich ethnic di%ersity( 1ain >13?
rinted out that there are o%er 400 di!!erent tri/al and other ethnic grous in
India( .he tri/als constitute a/out +(= ercent o! IndiaEs oulation( During the
last !e0 decades there has /een an increasing interest in the study o! medicinal
lants and their traditional use in di!!erent arts o! India and there are many
reorts on the use o! lants in traditional healing /y either tri/al eole or
indigenous communities o! India >14,21?( "art !rom the tri/al grous, many
other !orest d0ellers and rural eole also ossesE uni<ue 9no0ledge a/out
lants >13?(
.he o/Gecti%e o! this study 0as to interact 0ith local traditional healers and
document their 9no0ledge on medicinal lants, their usage and the tyes o!
diseases treated etc( :ancheeuram is one o! the 30 districts in .amil ;adu and
the traditional healing systems are still oular here( .he resent,day traditional
healers are %ery old( Due to lac9 o! interest among the younger generation as
0ell as their tendency to migrate to cities !or lucrati%e Go/s, 0ealth o!
9no0ledge in this the area is declining( @o !ar no systematic ethno/otanical
sur%ey has /een made in this area and this is the !irst reort on the medicinal
lants used /y the local traditional healers( " erusal o! the literature re%eals
that, some o! the ethnomedicinal 0or9s has /een done in the !orests o! nearest
districts in .amil ;adu in the last t0o decades >22,2=?( During the course o!
eFloration o! ethnomedicinal lants o! the district, the in!ormations ha%e /een
gathered !rom the healers o! rural %illages !ound near !orest areas 0here the
eole deend mostly on !orests !or their need and ha%e sound 9no0ledge o!
her/al remedies(
Materials and methods
The study area and ethnobotanical sur!ey
.amil ;adu is the 11
th
largest state in India 0ith a geograhical area o! 1300=)
9m
2
and lies /et0een 11H 00E to 12H 00E ;orth latitudes and ++H 2)E to +)H =0E
East longitudes( .he total !orest co%er .amil ;adu is 214)2 9m
2
716(=2D8( .his
includes 12,4-- 9m
2
o! dense !orests 7-(61D8 and ),-63 9m
2
o! oen !orests
76(-1D8( 2! the total !orest area o! .amil ;adu, 330= 9m
2
are under rotected
area 71=D8 0hich includes, ) Bildli!e sanctuaries, 12 #ird sanctuaries, =
;ational ar9s, 3 #ioshere reser%es and one .iger reser%e >26?(
:ancheeuram district in north .amil ;adu 7Iig( 18 is laced 1-
th
in the !orest
co%er 0ith a geograhical area o! 44+4 @<(9ms and recorded !orest in the
district is =(32D >26?( .his district is situated on the northern East Coast o!
.amil ;adu and is adGacent to #ay o! #engal and Chennai city and is /ounded
in the 0est /y Jellore and .hiru%annamalai districts, in the north /y
.hiru%allur and Chennai districts, in the south /y Jilluuram district and in the
east /y #ay o! #engal >2+?( 3addy is the maGor cro culti%ated in this district
!ollo0ed /y groundnuts, sugarcane, cereals, millets and ulses( .he ri%er 3alar
is one o! the most imortant ri%ers running through the district( .here are only a
!e0 hills o! considera/le ele%ation in the district >2+?(
&igure '( Location o! the study area(
)ocal traditional healers
Local traditional healers ha%ing ractical 9no0ledge o! lants in medicine 0ere
inter%ie0ed in 12 %illages o! the district during 2cto/er 2003 "ril 2004(
During the course o! the study, !our !ield tris 0ere carried out in the study area
totaling 40 days( 5ethods o! selecting in!ormants deended uon the
distri/ution o! local eole ha%ing !ol9 9no0ledge( .hey 0ere re<uested to
collect secimens o! the lants they 9ne0 or to sho0 the lant secies on site(
.hese in!ormants 0ere traditional healers themsel%es or had tradition o! healing
in their !amilies and had 9no0ledge o! the medicinal use o! the lants( Iuel
0ood !rom the surroundings 0as the main energy source !or coo9ing and
eating( .he 0ealth o! medicinal lant 9no0ledge among the eole o! this
district is /ased on hundreds o! years o! /elie!s and o/ser%ations( .his
9no0ledge has /een transmitted orally !rom generation to generation6 ho0e%er
it seems that it is %anishing !rom the modern society since younger eole are
not interested to carry on this tradition(
Inter!ie* *ith traditional healers
"doting the methods o! 1ain >2)?, ethnomedicinal data 0ere collected through
general con%ersations 0ith the in!ormants( .he <uestionnaires 0ere used to
o/tain in!ormation on medicinal lants 0ith their local names, arts used, mode
o! rearation and administration( " total o! 10 in!ormants, comrising ) males
and 2 !emales 0ere identi!ied /et0een the ages o! 4) and +4( .hey 0ere
selected /ased on their 9no0ledge o! medicinal lants either !or sel!,
medication or !or treating others( In!ormants 0ere as9ed to come to !ield and
sho0 the lants 0ith local name6 the secies mentioned /y the in!ormants 0ere
taFonomically identi!ied(
+reser!ation of plant specimens
@tandard method 0as !ollo0ed 0ith regard to collection o! lant materials,
drying, mounting, rearation and reser%ation o! lant secimens >2-?(
Joucher secimens o! medicinal lants in trilicates 0ere collected, reared
and identi!ied( 3lants 0ith their correct nomenclature 0ere arranged
alha/etically /y !amily name, %ernacular name and ethnomedicinal uses( .he
identi!ication and nomenclature o! the listed lants 0ere /ased on .he Ilora o!
3residency o! 5adras >30? and .he Ilora o! .amil ;adu Carnatic >31?( .hey
0ere later %eri!ied at #otanical @ur%ey o! India, @outhern Circle, Coim/atore,
India( "ll the reser%ed secimens 0ere deosited at the Cer/arium o!
Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai(
Results
.he results o! the sur%ey are resented in .a/le 1 and the !amilies o! the lants
are arranged in alha/etical order( .he resent in%estigation comrises )=
secies o! ethnomedicinal lants distri/uted in +6 genera /elonging to 41
!amilies( Ior each secies /otanical name, !amily, local name, arts used,
methods o! rearation, administration and ailments treated are ro%ided(
.raditional healers are using these lants to cure diseases related to s9in
ro/lems, cold, !e%er, cough, headache, diarrhoea, !ertility ro/lems, toothache,
stomach ache, 0ounds, dia/etes, rheumatism, asthma, dysentery, small oF,
/one !ractures, earache, hair loss and oison 7sna9e, scorion and insect8 /ites
7Iigure 48(
Table '( 5edicinal lants used /y traditional healers !rom :ancheeuram
district o! .amil ;adu
Cer/s 73- secies8 0ere !ound to /e the most used lants 7Iigure 28 !ollo0ed
/y trees 721 secies8, shru/s 714 secies8 and clim/ers 711 secies8 in
descending order( .he most dominant !amilies in the study 0ere Euhor/iaceae
7+ secies8, Jer/enaceae 7= secies8, Caesaliniaceae, @olanaceae and
"ocynaceae 74 secies8, "canthaceae, "scleiadaceae, "steraceae, Ia/aceae,
Lamiaceae, 5al%aceae, 5oraceae, Ru/iaceae and Rutaceae 73 secies8( 2ther
!amilies 0ith lo0 num/er are listed /elo0' "maranthaceae, "nacardiaceae,
#oraginaceae, Caaraceae, Liliaceae and Cucur/itaceae 72 secies8,
"iAoaceae, "nnonaceae, "raceae, Com/retaceae, Con%ol%ulaceae, Cyeraceae,
Lauraceae, Lythraceae, 5eliaceae, 5enisermaceae, @aindaceae,
Rhamnaceae, 3oaceae, ;yctaginaceae, 5yrtaceae, 5oringaceae, 5imosaceae,
@terculiaceae, Jiolaceae, Jitaceae and Kygohyllaceae 71 secies8(
&igure "( Ca/it(
Local traditional healers are commonly using the !ollo0ing lants to treat more
num/er o! diseases( .hey are' Vitex negundo, Wedelia calendulacea, Ocimum
gratissimum, Cynodon dactylon,Solanum nigrum, Azadirachta
indica, Pongamia pinnata, Aristolochia indica, Solanum trilobatum, Adhatoda
asica, Phyllanthus emblica, Ocimum sanctum, !urraya "oenigii, #icus
benghalensis and Cassia auriculata( 3re!erence !or their use may /e related to
their a%aila/ility(
Discussion
Di!!erent arts o! medicinal lants 0ere used as medicine /y the local
traditional healers( "mong the di!!erent lant arts, the lea%es 0ere most
!re<uently used !or the treatment o! diseases !ollo0ed /y 0hole lant arts,
!ruit, stem, root, stem and root /ar9, seed, !lo0er and lateF( .he methods o!
rearation 7Iigure 38 !all into !our categories, %iA(' lant arts alied as a
aste 73)D8, Guice eFtracted !rom the !resh lant arts 724D8, o0der made
!rom !resh or dried lant arts 720D8, some !resh lant arts 76D8, and
decoction 712D8( EFternal alications 7mostly !or s9in diseases, sna9e /ites
and 0ounds8 and internal consumtion o! the rearations 0ere in%ol%ed in the
treatment o! diseases(
&igure ,( 5ethod o! rearation(
&igure -( ;um/er o! remedies used !or %arious ailments(
It 0as o/ser%ed that, most o! the remedies consisted o! single lant art and
more than one method o! rearation( Co0e%er, many o! the remedies
consisted o! di!!erent arts o! the same lant secies to treat single or more
diseases( Ior eFamle, Andrographis paniculata lea! aste is used to treat
oison /ites and lea! o0der is used to treat dia/etes6 $ymnema sylestre root
o0der is used to treat oison /ites and lea! o0der is used to treat
dia/etes6 %icinus communis ,Guice eFtracted !rom lea%es is used to increase
secretion o! mil9 and oil o/tained !rom seeds is used to treat stomach
ache6 Azadirachta indica lea! aste is used to treat small oF, rheumatism and
s9in diseases and young t0igs are used as tooth /rush6 #icus benghalensis
stem lateF is used to treat heel crac9s and young t0igs are used as tooth
/rush6 !oringa oleifera /oiled lea%es are used to reduce /ody heat, to treat
indigestion and eye diseases and !lo0ers are used to cool the eyes and increase
serm roduction6 &izyphus mauritiana decoction o! lea! is used to get relie!
!rom /ody ain and /ar9 o0der is used to treat 0ounds6 Solanum torum
Guice eFtracted !rom the lea! is used to reduce /ody heat and unrie !ruits are
used to strengthen the /ody(
5oreo%er a single lant is used !or more than one disease( Ior
eFamle, Andrographis paniculata 7dia/etes and scorion /ites8, 'rianthema
portulacastrum 7constiation and asthma8, Aera lanata 7cough, sore throat and
0ounds8, $ymnema sylestris 7dia/etes and oison /ites8, Watta"a"a
olubilis 7rheumatic ain, cough, !e%er and se%ere cold8, Sphaeranthus
indicus 7s9in diseases and iles8, (eliotropium indicum 70ounds and s9in
a!!ections8, Cassia absus 70ounds and s9in a!!ections8, Cassia
occidentalis 7sca/ies and /one !ractures8, 'erminalia ar)una70ounds, headache
and tooth in!ections8, !u"ia maderaspatana 7cold and cough8, Cyperus
rotundus 7mil9 secretion and scorion /ites8, Euphorbia hirta 70ounds and li
crac9s8,Phyllanthus emblica 7cold and cough8, %icinus communis 7mil9
secretion ad stomachache8, Clitoria ternatea 7eye diseases and
headache8, Pongamia pinnata 70ound and gas trou/le8,Coleus
aromaticus 7indigestion and cough8,*eucas aspera 7headache and
!e%er8, Ocimum sanctum 7cough, cold and headache8, Cinnamomum
erum 7cough, dysentery and /ody cooling8,Aloe era 7hair loss and good
slee8, Azadirachta indica 7small oF, rheumatism and s9in diseases8, !oringa
oleifera 7/ody heat, indigestion, eye diseases and to increases serm
roduction8,Syzygium cumini 7s0ellings and /ody heat8, &izyphus
mauritiana 7/ody ain and 0ounds8, Citrus aurantifolia 7!e%er, headache and
cold8, Cardiospermum halicacabum 7throat in!ection and headache8, Solanum
torum 7to reduce /ody heat and to strengthening the /ody8, Solanum
trilobatum 7cough and itching8 and itex negundo 7headache, !e%er, cold and
cough8 and these recies are reared using di!!erent ingredients o! non,lant
origin such as 0ater, salt, honey, etc(
Common health ro/lems in the sites o! the study area 0ere s9in ro/lems such
as 0ounds, cuts, /urns and s9in diseases and the largest num/er o! the remedies
70ounds 16 remedies and s9in diseases - remedies8 0as used to treat these
trou/les( @e%eral studies ha%e enumerated the lants used !or 0ound healing
and s9in diseases in %arious arts o! the 0orld >14,32,34?( 24 remedies 0ere
used to alle%iate ro/lems o! the resiratory system such as cold, cough and
asthma( 5ost o! the lants in Lamiaceae 0ere used to treat cold, cough, !e%er,
headache and asthma( &hor/ani>3=? reorted 16 lant secies that 0ere used
!or resiratory diseases in north Iran and sa!ety and e!!icacy o! the treatments
!or resiratory trac9 in!ections 0ere re%ie0ed >36?( Common ailments such as
headaches or coughs are considered to /e diseases 0ith natural causes and
hence their symtoms are treated at the household le%el, 0ithout resource to
magical ractices >12?( In the resent study eight remedies 7'erminalia ar)una+
*eucas aspera+ Ocimum sanctum+ Sida acuta+ Citrus aurantifolia+
Cardiospermum halicacabum+ *antana camara and Vitex negundo8 0ere used
to get relie! !rom headache( Recently Ignacimuthu et al >3+? reorted
that Ceropegia candelabrum, Pergularia daemia and Vitex negundo 0ere used
/y tri/als !or the treatment o! headache(
.raditional healers o! :ancheeuram district used nine lant secies to treat
stomach ro/lems 7three lants to treat stomachache and siF lants to cure
digesti%e ro/lems8( In ;orth,Bestern 3atagonia the eole o! Curruhuinca
community 0ere a!!ected 0ith digesti%e ro/lems and the highest !idelity le%el
0as !ound !or secies utiliAed !or treating digesti%e ailments >3)? and
&hor/ani>3=? reorted that there 0ere 4) lants !or the treatment o!
gastrointestinal disorders in north o! Iran( .he tri/al eole o! Bestern 5adhya
3radesh o! India used 13 lants !or the treatment o! Gaundice >1-?( In the
resent study only Phyllanthus amarus 0as used !or the treatment o!
Gaundice( Abutilon indicum+ Azadirachta indica+ #icus
benghalensis and 'erminalia ar)una 0ere used to treat dental ro/lems( Jarious
studies ha%e reorted on the indigenous use o! medicinal lants in the treatment
o! oral diseases >>3-? L>21??( Andrographis paniculata+ Catharanthus
roseus and $ymnema sylestre 0ere used to treat dia/etes /y the local
traditional healers( Chherti et al >1=? reorted that the tri/al eole o! @i99im
and DarGeeling Cimalayan region in India utiliAed 3+ secies o! lants
/elonging to 2) di!!erent !amilies as antidia/etic agents(
Conclusion
.he sur%ey indicated that, the study area has lenty o! medicinal lants to treat
a 0ide sectrum o! human ailments( Earlier studies on traditional medicinal
lants also re%ealed that the economically /ac90ard local and tri/al eole o!
.amil ;adu re!er !ol9 medicine due to lo0 cost and sometimes it is a art o!
their social li!e and culture >40,4=?( It is e%ident !rom the inter%ie0s conducted
in di!!erent %illages, 9no0ledge o! medicinal lants is limited to traditional
healers, her/alists and elderly ersons 0ho are li%ing in rural areas( .his study
also oints out that certain secies o! medicinal lants are /eing eFloited /y
the local residents 0ho are una0are o! the imortance o! medicinal lants in
the ecosystem(
.his study concluded that e%en though the accessi/ility o! Bestern medicine
!or simle and comlicated diseases is a%aila/le, many eole in the studied
arts o! :ancheeuram district is still continue to deend on medicinal lants,
at least !or the treatment o! some simle diseases such as, cold, cough, !e%er,
headache, oison /ites, s9in diseases and tooth in!ections( Bell,9no0ledged
healers ha%e good interactions 0ith atients and this 0ould imro%e the <uality
o! healthcare deli%ery( .he resent,day traditional healers are %ery old( Due to
lac9 o! interest among the younger generation as 0ell as their tendency to
migrate to cities !or lucrati%e Go/s, there is a ossi/ility o! losing this 0ealth o!
9no0ledge in the near !uture( It thus /ecomes necessary to ac<uire and reser%e
this traditional system o! medicine /y roer documentation and identi!ication
o! secimens(
Ac%no*ledgements
.he authors are grate!ul to the local traditional healers in the :ancheeuram
district !or sharing their 9no0ledge on her/al medicine( Be also than9
#otanical @ur%ey o! India 7#@I8, @outhern Circle, Coim/atore, .amil ;adu
7India8 !or ermitting to con!irm the identi!ied lant secimens 0ith her/aria(
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