Ethnomedicine of the Chellipale Community of Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu
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Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 4(4), October 2005, pp. 437-442 Ethnomedicine of the Chellipale community of Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu P S Udayan, Sateesh George, Thushar K V and Indira Balachandran* Centre for Medicinal Plants Research (CMPR), Arya Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal Changuvetty, Kottakkal 676 503, District Malappuram, Kerala E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Received 21 July 2004; revised 24 May 2005 The paper enumerates the traditional uses of some plants used by the Chellipale community near Kolli hills of Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu. Medicinal uses of 51 plants belonging to 36 families as gathered from the tribal along with their botanical identity are highlighted in this paper. Key words: Medicinal plants, Chellipale community, Kolli Hills, Ethnomedicine, Tamil Nadu IPC Int. Cl.7: A61K35/78, A61P1/02, A61P1/04, A61P1/06, A61P1/08, A61P1/14, A61P11/00, A61P11/14, A61P13/00, A61P13/02, A61P13/04, A61P15/10, A61P17/00, A61P17/14, A61P19/00, A61P19/02, A61P29/00, A61P31/00, A61P39/02 Medicinal plants provide an efficient local aid to of the Talaghat stretch and eastward of the hill lies in healthcare and disease free life. Traditional Pachamalai. A broad valley divides Kolli hill and ethnomedicinal studies have in recent years received Patchamalai. Kolli hill on the western, eastern and much attention due to their wide local acceptability southern sides appears abruptly from the plains and and clues for new or lesser-known medicinal plants.1 on the northern side ascends to the plains by Over 16,000 species of higher plants are reported to numerous long and gently sloping spurs. The occur in India, of which about 9,000 are economically maximum temperature ranges between 20°C-30°C useful. Whereas, 7,500 of these species are reported to and minimum temperature between 10°C-20°C. The be used for healthcare by various ethnic communities average annual rainfall is around 1445 mm. The soil in India, 3,900 are reported to be edible, 700 is deep to very deep, non-calcareous. The top most culturally important, 525 used for fiber, 400 for hill area is characterised by sandy loam soil, whereas fodder, 300 for pesticides and insecticides, 300 for the bottom of the valley is characterised by alluvial gums, resins and dyes and 100 provide incense and and clay loam soil. The forest types range from perfume2,3. Only about 2,500 plant species of evergreen to moist deciduous and dry deciduous. On medicinal value have been well documented in Indian the western side of the hills, patchy good sholas still Systems of Medicine and under ethnobotany.4 exist, though a great portion of the plateau is cleared. However, some medicinal plants database lists out The total population of Kolli hills is 33,888 living in more than 4,700 species used in Indian System of folk 6,840 households. Out of the 33,888 people, 32,080 medicine.5 are tribals and the rest939 have been declared as Scheduled Castes. The population density in Study Area Kollimalai is 119 persons per sq km. Kolli hills or Kollimalai located near Rasipuram taluk of Namakkal district in Tamil Nadu is situated at Methodology 11°10′ to 11° 30′N latitude and 78°15′ to 78°30′E The study was conducted as a part of the forest longitude with an altitude ranging from 1000-1400 m exploration trip. The information was gathered from above msl (Fig. 1). A minor area of the eastern Kuttavada Madammi, a 75-year-old person of the portion of this hill lies in the Perambalur district. It Chellipale community. He explained the medicinal has a total area of about 283 sq km. Kolli hill is part uses, local names, mode of preparation of medicine _____________ and other relevant matters on various plants. Such *Corresponding author plants having medicinal uses were collected, tagged 438 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 4, No. 4, OCTOBER 2005 and entered in the field data book together with Biotechnology, Government of India, for the financial important botanical notes for herbarium specimens. support. We are also greatly indebted to Dr P N All such plants were taxonomically identified6,7. Ravindran, Visiting Scientist, CMPR for his constant encouragement and support. We express our gratitude Results and Discussion to the authorities of Tamil Nadu Forest Department, During the survey 51 plant species belonging to 36 especially Mr U Ravindran, Divisional Forest Officer, families were identified as medicinally important, as Salem, Mr Eswaramurthy, Range officer, Kolli Hills the tribal community of that area commonly uses for granting permission and Mr Muthusamy, Forest them for their primary healthcare (Figs 2-6). These Guard, Kolli Hills for his help during field visit. We species are arranged in the tabular form with details are also thankful to Mr N K Janardhanan, Herbal like, family, botanical name, local name, habit and Garden staff, for assistance during the field visit. We uses (Table 1). More than 90% of the people express our gratitude to Mr Kuttavada madammi, inhabiting Kolli Hills depend on the traditional tribal colony, Kolli Hills for giving information knowledge for their primary healthcare. This includes during the field visit. settlers from the neighboring areas also. Traditional medicine has been providing healthcare to a vast majority of people all over the world since time References 1 Tripathi Y C, Ethnomedicinal Treasure of Tribal Rajasthan, J immemorial. According to a WHO estimate, more Non-Timber For Products, 7(1/2) (2000), 77-84. than 80% of the world’s population relies on 2 Anonymous, Ethnobotany in India: A Status Report. All India traditional medicinal practices for primary healthcare Coordinated Research Project in Ethnobotany, Ministry of needs. Recording of information on indigenous Environment & Forest, Govt. of India, New Delhi, (1994). methods of treatment from traditional healers will go 3 Arora R K, Ethnobotany and its role in the Conservation and a long way in finding out locally available solutions use of plant Genetic Resources in India, Ethnobotany 9 (1997), for health care. It is especially relevant in view of the 6-15. high cost of synthetic medicines, which are beyond 4 Jain S K, Dictionary of Indian Folk Medicine and the reach of the poor people. These indigenous Ethnobotany. (Deep Publications, New Delhi), (1991). healthcare recipes with scientific refinement can be 5 Anonymous, Amruth Editorial, 2(6), (1998), FRLHT, Bangalore. made accessible even to the deprived persons. 6 Gamble J S, Flora of Presidency of Madras, Vol. 1-3, (Adlard & Son Ltd. London), (1915). Acknowledgement 7 Matthew K M, The Flora of Tamilnadu Carnatic, Vols. Authors are thankful to the authorities of Arya I-III. The Rapinat Herbarium, St. Joseph’s College, Vaidya Sala, Kottakkal and Department of Thiruchirapalli, (1981-1984). UDAYAN et al: ETHNOMEDICINE OF THE CHELLIPALE COMMUNITY OF TAMIL NADU 439 440 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 4, No. 4, OCTOBER 2005 UDAYAN et al: ETHNOMEDICINE OF THE CHELLIPALE COMMUNITY OF TAMIL NADU 441 442 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 4, No. 4, OCTOBER 2005 .