Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine
Published in: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 1/2006

Open Access 01-12-2006 | Research

Medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Kancheepuram District of Tamil Nadu, India

Authors: Chellaiah Muthu, Muniappan Ayyanar, Nagappan Raja, Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu

Published in: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine | Issue 1/2006

Login to get access

Abstract

An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to collect information from traditional healers on the use of medicinal plants in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu during October 2003 to April 2004. The indigenous knowledge of local traditional healers and the native plants used for medicinal purposes were collected through questionnaire and personal interviews during field trips.
The investigation revealed that, the traditional healers used 85 species of plants distributed in 76 genera belonging to 41 families to treat various diseases. The documented medicinal plants were mostly used to cure skin diseases, poison bites, stomachache and nervous disorders. In this study the most dominant family was Euphorbiaceae and leaves were most frequently used for the treatment of diseases.
This study showed that many people in the studied parts of Kancheepuram district still continue to depend on medicinal plants at least for the treatment of primary healthcare. The traditional healers are dwindling in number and there is a grave danger of traditional knowledge disappearing soon since the younger generation is not interested to carry on this tradition.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
2.
Pei SJ: Ethnobotanical approaches of traditional medicine srudies: Some experiences from Asia. Pharmaceutical Biology 2001, 39: 74-79.
3.
4.
Gazzaneo LR, Paiva de Lucena RF, Paulino de Albuquerque U: Knowledge and use of medicinal plants by local specialists in an region of Atlantic Forest in the state of Pernambuco (Northeastern Brazil). Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2005., 1:9: [http://​www.​ethnobiomed.​com/​content/​1/​1/​9]
5.
Al-Qura'n S: Ethnobotanical survey of folk toxic plants in southern part of Jordan. Toxicon 2005, 46: 119-126. 10.1016/j.toxicon.2005.04.010PubMedCrossRef
6.
Hanazaki N, Tamashiro JY, Leitao-Filho H, Gegossi A: Diversity of plant uses in two Caicaras communities from the Atlantic forest coast, Brazil. Biodiversity ands Conservation 2000, 9: 597-615. 10.1023/A:1008920301824CrossRef
7.
Rossato SC, Leitao-Filho H, Gegossi A: Ethnobotany of Caicaras of the Atlantic forest coast (Brazil). Economic botany 1999, 53: 387-395.CrossRef
8.
Azaizeh H, Fulder S, Khalil K, Said O: Ethnomedicinal knowledge of local Arab practitioners in the Middle East Region. Fitoterapia 2003, 74: 98-108. 10.1016/S0367-326X(02)00285-XPubMedCrossRef
9.
Khan AU: History of decline and present status of natural tropical thorn forest in Punjab. Pakistan Biological Conservation 2002, 63: 210-250.
10.
Diallo D, Hveem B, Mahmoud MA, Berge G, Paulsen BS, Maiga A: An ethnobotanical survey of herbal drugs of Gourma district, Mali. Pharmaceutical Biology 1999, 37: 80-91.CrossRef
11.
Principe P: Monetising the pharmacological benefits of plants. US Environmental protection Agency, Washington, D.C.; 1991.
12.
Busia K: Medical provision in Africa – Past and present. Phytotherapy Research 2005, 19: 919-923. 10.1002/ptr.1775PubMedCrossRef
13.
Jain SK: Dictionary of Indian Folk Medicine and Ethnobotany. Deep publications, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi.; 1991.
14.
Saikia AP, Ryakala VK, Sharma P, Goswami P, Bora U: Ethnobotany of medicinal plants used by Assamese people for various skin ailments and cosmetics. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2006.
15.
Chhetri DR, Parajuli P, Subba GC: Antidiabetic plants used by Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayan tribes, India. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2005, 99: 199-202. 10.1016/j.jep.2005.01.058PubMedCrossRef
16.
Harsha VH, Hebbar SS, Hegde GR, Shripathi V: Ethnomedical knowledge of plants used by Kunabi Tribe of Karnataka in India. Fitoterapia 2002, 73: 281-287. 10.1016/S0367-326X(02)00078-3PubMedCrossRef
17.
Natarajan B, Paulsen BS: An ethnopharmacological study from Thane district, Maharashtra, India: Traditional knowledge compared with modern biological science. Pharmaceutical Biology 2000, 38: 139-151.PubMedCrossRef
18.
Maruthi KR, Krishna V, Manjunatha BK, Nagaraja VP: Traditional medicinal plants of Davanagere district, Karnataka with reference to cure skin diseases. Environment and Ecology 2000, 18: 441-446.
19.
Samvatsar S, Diwanji VB: Plant sources for the treatment of jaundice in the tribals of Western Madhya Pradesh of India. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2000, 73: 313-316. 10.1016/S0378-8741(00)00274-9PubMedCrossRef
20.
21.
Hebbar SS, Harsha VH, Shripathi V, Hegde GR: Ethnomedicine of Dharwad district in Karnataka, India–plants used in oral health care. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2004, 94: 261-266. 10.1016/j.jep.2004.04.021PubMedCrossRef
22.
Viswanathan MB: Ethnobotany of Malayalis in the Yelagiri hills of Vellore district, Tamil Nadu. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 1989, 13: 667-671.
23.
Viswanathan MB: Ethnobotany of Malayalis in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, India. Ethnobotany 1997, 9: 77-79.
24.
Dwarakan P, Ansari AA: Ethnobotanical notes of Valikadupatti and surroundings of Kollimalais of Salem district, Tamil Nadu. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany Additional Series 1992, 10: 495-499.
25.
Ramachandran VS, Nair NC: Ethnobotanical observations on Irulars of Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 1981, 2: 183-190.
26.
Annamalai R: Tamil Nadu biodiversity strategy and action plan – Forest Biodiversity. Tamil Nadu Forest Department, Government of India, Chennai 2004.
27.
28.
Jain SK: The role of botanist in folklore research. Folklore 1964, 5: 145-150.
29.
Jain SK, Rao RR: A handbook of field and herbarium methods. Today and tomorrow printers and publishers. New Delhi; 1976.
30.
Gamble JS: The Flora of the Presidency of Madras. Adlard & son, LTD, London 1935.
31.
Matthew KM: The Flora of the Tamil Nadu Carnatic. The Rapinat Herbarium, St Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli, India;; 1983.
32.
Chah KF, Eze CA, Emuelosi CE, Esimone CO: Antibacterial and wound healing properties of methanolic extracts of some Nigerian medicinal plants. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2006, 104: 164-167. 10.1016/j.jep.2005.08.070PubMedCrossRef
33.
Ayyanar M, Ignacimuthu S: Traditional Knowledge of Kani tribals in Kouthalai of Tirunelveli hills, Tamil Nadu, India. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2005, 102: 246-255. 10.1016/j.jep.2005.06.020PubMedCrossRef
34.
Harsha VH, Hebbar SS, Shripathi V, Hegde GR: Ethnomedicobotany of Uttara Kannada District in Karnataka, India--plants in treatment of skin diseases. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2003, 84: 37-40. 10.1016/S0378-8741(02)00261-1PubMedCrossRef
35.
Ghorbani A: Studies on pharmaceutical ethnobotany in the region of Turkmen Sahra, north of Iran (Part 1): general results. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2005, 102: 58-68. 10.1016/j.jep.2005.05.035PubMedCrossRef
36.
Coon JT, Ernst E: Andrographis paniculata in the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review of safety and efficacy. Planta Medica 2004, 70: 293-298. 10.1055/s-2004-818938PubMedCrossRef
37.
38.
Estomba D, Ladio A, Lozada M: Medicinal wild plant knowledge and gathering patterns in a Mapuche community from North-western Patagonia. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2006, 103: 109-119. 10.1016/j.jep.2005.07.015PubMedCrossRef
39.
Tapsoba H, Deschamps JP: Use of medicinal plants for the treatment of oral diseases in Burkina Faso. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2006, 104: 68-78. 10.1016/j.jep.2005.08.047PubMedCrossRef
40.
Sandhya B, Thomas S, Isabel W, Shenbagarathai R: Ethnomedicinal plants used by the valaiyan community of Piranmalai hills (Reserved forest), Tamil Nadu, India – A pilot study. African journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines 2006, 3: 101-114.
41.
Ayyanar M, Ignacimuthu S: Ethnomedicinal plants used by the tribals of Tirunelveli hills to treat poisonous bites and skin diseases Indian. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 2005, 4: 229-236.
42.
Ganesan S, Suresh N, Kesavan L: Ethnomedicinal survey of lower Palni Hills of Tamil Nadu. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 2004, 3: 299-304.
43.
Ignacimuthu S, SankaraSivaraman K, Kesavan L: Medico-ethnobotanical survey among Kanikar tribals of Mundanthurai Sanctuary. Fitoterapia 1998, 69: 409-414.
44.
Rajan S, Sethuraman M, Mukherjee PK: Ethnobiology of the Nilgiri Hills, India. Phytotherapy – Research 2002, 16: 98-116. 10.1002/ptr.1098PubMedCrossRef
45.
Udayan PS, Sateesh G, Thushar KV, Indira B: Ethnomedicine of Chellipale community of Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 2005, 4: 437-442.
Metadata
Title
Medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Kancheepuram District of Tamil Nadu, India
Authors
Chellaiah Muthu
Muniappan Ayyanar
Nagappan Raja
Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu
Publication date
01-12-2006
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine / Issue 1/2006
Electronic ISSN: 1746-4269
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-2-43

Other articles of this Issue 1/2006

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 1/2006 Go to the issue

Editorial

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine – achievements and perspectives

Research

Plant use of the Maasai of Sekenani Valley, Maasai Mara, Kenya

Research

Re-examining hypotheses concerning the use and knowledge of medicinal plants: a study in the Caatinga vegetation of NE Brazil

Research

Traditional medicinal plant use in Loja province, Southern Ecuador

Research

Ethnomedicines used in Trinidad and Tobago for urinary problems and diabetes mellitus

Review

Developing the medicinal plants sector in northern India: challenges and opportunities