C Alagesaboopathi

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Ethnomedicinal Plants Used as Medicine by the Kurumba Tribals in
Pennagaram Region, Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu, India
C. Alagesaboopathi
Department of Botany, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Salem - 636 007. Tamilnadu, India.
INTRODUCTION
India is endowed with a rich wealth of medicinal plants. In India, medicinal plants are widely used by all sections of
people either directly as folk remedies or indifferent indigenous systems of medicine or indirectly in the
pharmaceutical preparations of modern medicines. Medicinal plants have been used to cure a number of diseases.
India is one of the 12 megadiversity countries in the world and has 17,000 flowering plants of the designed 25 hotspots
in the world, the Eastern Himalaya and the Western Ghats are the 2 hotsposts in India. In India 550 ethnic tribes having
rich traditional and indigenous knowledge.
Plants have been used in traditional medicine for several thousand years [1]. The knowledge of medicinal plants has
been accumulated in the course of many centuries based on different Indian systems of medicines such as Ayurveda,
Unani and Siddha. In India it is reported that traditional healers use 2500 plant species and medicine [2]. In recent
years, there has been a tremendous range of interest in the medicinal plants especially those used in Ayurvedas and
other traditional systems of medicines. Drugs obtained from plant are believed to be much safer and exhibit a
remarkable efficacy in the treatment of various ailments [3]. Plants have always been the source of medicines and have
many uses to mankind.According to some earlier workers [4-6]. The notable contributions of ethnobotanical interests
on Tamilnadu are by Ramachandran and Nair (1981),Ansari and Dwarakan (1993) [7, 8] and in Indian prospective by
Kaushik (1988) and Kaushik and Dhiman (2000) [9, 10].
After Gamble (1915-36) the flora of Dharmapuri district was studied by Vajravelu ., 1967 [11, 12]. Pennagaram
region is situated in Dharmapuri district of Tamilnadu lying at 12 7'N latitude and 78 38'E. The annual mean rainfall of
this region is 102.8 cm with an elevation range of 270 m to 900 m from m.s.1.
In the present study, 20 medicinal plant species were surveyed to asses their therapeutic significance in managing
various ailments. Ethnomedicinal exploration was conducted in the different localities of the Pennagaram region and
numbers of valuable data on the uses of indigenous medicinal plants were recorded.
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ASIAN J. EXP. BIOL. SCI. VOL 2(1) 2011: 140-142
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
ABSTRACT
KEYWORDS:
The aim of present research was to record the indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants of Kurumba tribals in
Pennagaram Region, Dharmapuri District of Tamilnadu. The indigenous knowledge of the tribals and the native plants used
for medicinal value were collected through questionnaire and personal interviewed during field trips. The study revealed
some unknown medical used of medicinal plants. The botanical name, local name, family name, parts used and traditional
practice of 20 species, 20 genera and families are discussed here for the treatment of various ailments. The dicotyledons are
represented by 18 species of 18 genera and 13 families while monocotyledons are represented by 2 species of 2 genera and 2
families. 90% dicotyledons and 10% monocotyledons were encountered.
Ethnomedicinal plants, Traditional practice, Kurumba tribals, Pennagaram region.
ASIAN   J.  EXP. BIOL. SCI. VOl  2 (1) 2011140
SHORT COMMUNICATION
MATERIALSAND METHODS
RESULTSAND DISCUSSION
ENUMERATION
Periodic field surveys for ethnobotanical exploration were undertaken during December 2009 to March 2010 in
Pennagaram region of Dharmapuri District. During the surveys personal interviewed were conducted with the tribals
(Kurumba), the herbal medicine practioners, village dwellers and other traditional healers. Each of the plant material
was assigned field book number and documented as to family, botanical name, local name (Tamil), part used and
medicinal uses. Plant parts that were identified as having use in ethnobotany were collected and compressed. Plant
species collected were identified with the help of flora books [11, 13, 14]. Voucher specimens are deposited in the
herbarium of Botany Department, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Salem. It was found that some of the
present information has not so far been available in literature.
In the present investigation provides an ethnobotanical data of the medicinal plants used by the tribal people of
Kurumbas to cure various ailments. Out of 20 plant species studied 2 is monocot and 18 is dicot. All the 20 species
have medicinal uses. Six species are used for snake bite and scorpion sting.
and are used for stomachache problems. Tribal people also make use of
and to treat antipyretic. used to manage small pox.
The tribal people of Pennagram region, Dharmapuri District of Tamilnadu has been using numerous herbs of
therapeutic purpose since time immemorial. Tribal people chiefly depend on the herbs for all ailments. They are aware
of the plant remedies for common diseases like ulcer, skin diseases, headache, cold, cough and fits. They are also very
familiar with the antidotes for scorpion sting, insect bites and snake bites. Pharmacological and Clinical trails will help
in the confirmation of the efficacy of the report herbs. Due to more demand of ethnomedicinal plants and cultivation
and more profit, tribals have been motivated for conservation of these plant species.
The plant species are arranged alphabetical order. Each plant is followed by its family, local name. The medicinal uses
are described with details such as part(s) used singly, combination with other ingredients or mixed with other plants,
methods of preparation and mode of administration, followed by collectors initials (CA-C.Alagesaboopathi) and
collection number. The following is the list of 20 plants studied.
L. (Euphorbiaceae). Local name: Kuppaimeni. CA-31. The leaves are ground with leaves of
and hot water and given once a day for 2 days for stomach pain. Leaf juice is given orally
twice a day for cure diarrhoea in cattle.
Nees (Acanthaceae). Local name: Adathoda. CA-17. The leaves are grinding with
and mixed with leaves juice is given to cure fits.
(L.) Corr. (Rutaceae). Local name: Vilvam. CA-19. The leaf is grinding with curd and given once
a day for 4 days for cooling.
Roxb. (Simaroubaceae). Local name: Peeyamaram. CA-24. A decoction of the leaves with the
leaves of mixed with goats' milk to drink which cure scorpion sting and snake bite.
Mill. (Liliaceae). Local name: Chottukathalai, CA-13. The juice of the whole plant is taken as
remedy for giddiness in cattle.
Nees (Acanthaceae). Local name: Siriyanangai. CA-25. A decoction of the leaves with
the leaves of is given to snake bite. Leaf is grinding and made into paste and applied externally
in scorpion sting and snake bite.
L. (Aristolochiaceae). Local name: Eswaramooligai. CA 14. The leaf juice is taken orally to
treat skin disease and scorpion sting.
A.Juss. (Meliaceae). Local name: Vembu. CA-16. The leaf ground with castor oil is used in
small pox.
R.Br. (Asclepiadaceae). Local name: Erukku. CA-33. The leaf decoction is given once a day
for 4 days for stomachache problems in cattle.
L. (Capparidaceae). Local name: Nayivelai. CA-10. Leaves paste applied externally in scorpion
sting and snake bite.
Diels (Menispermaceae). Local name: Kattukkodai. CA 35. Leaf juice used in eczema. Roots
decoction is given in antipyretic and stomachache problems.
(Cucurbitaceae). Local name: Kovai. CA-12. Decoction of the leaves is mixed with
Calotropis gigantea, Cocculus hirsutus
Withania somnifera Cocculus hirsutus,
Ocimum tenuiflorum Rhinacanthus nasutus Azadirachta indica
1. Acalypha indica
Ocimum teniflorum
2. Adhatoda vasica Zingiber
officinalis Piper betle
3. Aegle marmelos
4. Ailanthus excelsa
Aristolochia indica
5. Aloe barbadensis
6. Andrographis paniculata
Andrographis alata
7. Aristolochia indica -
8. Azadirachta indica
9. Calotropis gigantea
10. Cleome viscosa
11. Cocculus hirsutus -
12. Coccinia grandis (L.) J. voigt
21. Ethnomedicinal Plants ……………...........................................…..in Pennagaram Region, Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu, India  C. Alagesaboopathi
ASIAN   J.  EXP. BIOL. SCI. VOl  2 (1) 2011 141
decoction of and black pepper two times a day for four to six days to cure ulcer.
Spreng. (Lamiaceae). Local name: Thumbai. CA-26. Decoction of the leaf is mixed with hot milk
to get relief from fever. The leaf paste is used in headache.
L. (Musaceae). Local name: Valai. CA-22. 100 ml of decoction of the skin bark is mixed with
hot water and given three times acts as antivenom for cobra bite.
L. (Lamiaceae). Local name: Thullasi. CA-30. The juice prepared from twenty to twenty
five grams of fresh leaves with 100 ml of hot water is taken orally as remedy for antipyretic, cold and cough.
(Forssk). Chior (Asclepiadaceae). Local name: Veliparuthi. CA-29. The decoction of the
leaves is used in treatment of insect bites. The leaf juice is an antidote to snake bite.
(L.) Kurz. (Acanthaceae). Local name: Nagamalli. CA-27. Leaf juice is mixed with cow's
milk are given in antipyretic and cough. Leaf paste is applied externally to treat wounds in live stock.
L. (Euphorbiaceae). Local name: Amanakku. CA-18. Decoction of the leaves is mixed salt is
applied for eye complaints in live stock.
L. (Zygophyllaceae). Local name: Nerunchi. CA-11. The whole plant juice is mixed with cow's
milk is used to cold.
Dun. (Solanaceae). Local name: Amukramkizhangu. CA-21. The root powder mixed with
black pepper used in stomachache problems.
Acalypha indica
13. Leucas aspera
14. Musa paradisiaca
15. Ocimum tenuifiorum
16. Pergularia daemia
17. Rhinacanthus nasutus
18. Ricinus communis
19. Tribulus terrestris
20. Withania somnifera
REFERENCES
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Corresponding Author: C. Alagesaboopathi, Department of Botany, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Salem -
636 007. Tamilnadu, India. E-mail: alagesaboopathi@rediffmail.com
21. Ethnomedicinal Plants ……………...........................................…..in Pennagaram Region, Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu, India  C. Alagesaboopathi
ASIAN   J.  EXP. BIOL. SCI. VOl  2 (1) 2011142


Ethnomedicinal Plants Used as Medicine by the Kurumba Tribals in Pennagaram Region, Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu, India

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Ethnomedicinal Plants Used as Medicine by the Kurumba Tribals in Pennagaram Region, Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu, India

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