Exploitation of Medicinal Herbs for Common Ailments Prevailing in Avinashipalayam and Koduvai village of Tirupur District, ,

Shanmugapriya N* and Jegadesh E

Department of Botany, PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore – 641 014, Tamil Nadu, India Corresponding Author : [email protected]

ABSTRACT

The present study deals with the documentation of medicinal which are traditionally used by local people of Avinashipalayam and Koduvai village of Tirupur District, Tamil Nadu. About 30 medicinal herbs belonging to 17 families were identified from the study area and utilized to cure skin diseases, poisonous bites, asthma, cough, fever, cold, dysentery etc. The materials were collected with the help of local people and the information about the vernacular names, parts used and therapeutic uses of the plants were recorded.

Key words : Medicinal herbs, Traditional medicaments, Koduvai village.

INTRODUCTION have chemical simulations. It is also observed that India is richly endowed with a wide variety only 15% of pharmaceutical drugs are consumed in of plants having the medicinal value. These plants developing countries and relatively more affluent are widely used by all the sectors of the society people take a large proportion of it [4]. It is due to whether directly as folk remedies or indirectly as extinction and less availability of the rare plant pharmaceutical preparations of modern medicine species and partly due to poor recognition of the [1] . In recent times, focus on plant research has traditional information and inadequate knowledge increased all over the world and showed immense on herbal remediation. It is the high time to collect, potential of medicinal plants used in various update and document this scattered knowledge of traditional systems such as Ayurveda, Siddha and folklore medicine. Hence the present study was Unani. Traditionally plants play a crucial role all aimed to explore and exploit the folklore over the world in remedial measures for diseases medicaments used for common diseases prevailing and to keep good health [2] . In India, herbal drug among the rurals of Avinashipalayam and Koduvai constitutes the major part in all traditional systems Village of Tirupur District, Tamil Nadu. of medicine. These herbal remedies were accepted MATERIALS AND METHODS by the society because of its less cost and without Periodical field visits have been carried out any side effects [3] . Nowadays, folk medicine is in Avinashipalayam and Koduvai village of recognized throughout the world as a credible Tirupur District. The village people nearby this healthcare resource and about 80% of the world’s study area have been enquired and interviewed to population depends on the traditional medicine for gather the first hand information on the medicinal the treatment of different ailments. In addition uses of plants with vernacular names, parts used many modern drugs derived from plant products and therapeutic uses for each and every medicinal

PSGCAS Search: A Journal of Science and Technology Volume : 3 No. : 1, ISSN: 2349 – 5456 61

Exploitation of Medicinal Herbs for Common Ailments Prevailing in Avinashipalayam and Koduvai village of Tirupur District, Tamil Nadu, India plant collected. The local people accompanied us utilized. The most frequently used plant parts were in finding out the right medicinal plants from the leaves for the treatment of various diseases. The natural habitat. The collected data were list of medicinal plants was arranged alphabetically authentically identified with the help of flora of and their Botanical name, family, parts used, presidency of Madras [5, 6] and Botanical Survey vernacular name and therapeutic uses have been of India, Southern Circle, Coimbatore. The tabulated (Table 1). The Photographs of frequently specimens were deposited in the Herbarium, used medicinal plants have also been given (Fig 1). Department of Botany, PSG College of Arts and During the field survey, the medicinal plants Science, Coimbatore. documented from the study area were highly

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION valuable for curing various ailments like snake In the present investigation 30 plant species bite, ulcer, dysentery, cold, cough, fever, skin belonging to 17 families used by the villagers to diseases etc. It is the need of the hour to document treat various ailments have been recorded. Among and preserve the traditional knowledge from local the 17 families the plants belonging to people for future utility. Euphorbiaceae and Mimosaceae were highly

Acacia leucophloea Dichrostachys cinerea Anthocephalus cadamba

Cadaba Solanum

fruticosa trilobatum

Pergularia daemia Syzgium cumini Crotalaria retusa

Fig-1 Medicinal Plants used for common ailments prevailing in Avinashipalayam and Koduvai Village

PSGCAS Search: A Journal of Science and Technology Volume: 3 No. : 1, ISSN: 2349 – 5456 62

Exploitation of Medicinal Herbs for Common Ailments Prevailing in Avinashipalayam and Koduvai village of Tirupur District, Tamil Nadu, India

Table 1 Enumeration of Medicinal Plants used for common ailments prevailing in Avinashipalayam and Koduvai Village Vernacular Parts S.No Botanical Name Family Medicinal uses Name used Acacia Mimosaceae Velvelam Bark The bark decoction is used for cough and intermittent fever 1. leucophloea Anthocephalus Rubiaceae Kadampu Flower Flower and root Juices are used as abortifacient. 2. cadamba and root Bauhinia Caesalpiniaceae Manthari Bark Bark is applied externally on wounds 3. tomentosa Brassica Brassicaceae Kadugu Seed Seed powder is added in a tumbler of Cow’s milk, wi th this add a pinch of sugar 4. nigra and mix well. It is given daily for people suffered from drug addiction, indigestion and stones in urinary system. fruticosa Capparidaceae Vizhuthi Leaf Leaf juice is used as a remedy for dysentery, stimulant, purgative, fever, cough and 5. lung problems. Fresh leaves are crushed along with goat’s milk or ground nut to prepare a paste given 3 days for treating Neurological diseases. Calotropis Asclepiadaceae Erukku Leaf Leaves are dried, made into a powder, mixed with coconut oil and applied on the 6. gigantea wounds. The flower and fruits of Piper nigrum are chewed weekly once as a preventing measure from snake bites. Capsicum Solanaceae Milagai Fruit The fruits are acrid, used as digestive. They are useful in cough and intermittent fever 7. annuum and used as cardiotonic Cissus Vitaceae Pirandai Stem Stem paste is administered orally once in a a week; 25 grams of it controls high 8. quadrangularis blood pressure. Stem made into paste or chutney and is given oral ly to cure the gastric problem. Cleome Cleomaceae Nal Velai Leaf The leaf juice alone mixed with oil is dropped into the ear to control earache. 9. gynandra 10. Coccinia grandis Cucurbitaceae Kovaikkai Fruit The fruit is orally administered to control fever and asthma. Crotalaria retusa Fabaceae Kilukiluppai Whole The whole plant is used for fever. 11. plant Datura Solonaceae Ummathai Leaf The leaf is made into dry powder and mixed with honey given to treat 12. metal asthma and snakebites. Pounded fresh leaves are applied over afflicted area in piles. Dichrostachys Mimosaceae Veduttalam Leaf, and The leaf is made into dry powder and mixed with honey given to treat asthma. It has 13. cinerea fruit been used for treating dysentery, urinary complaints and snake bites. The fruit paste is applied for treating the skin diseases. Emblica Euphorbiaceae Nellikkaai Fruit Fruits are taken daily and fruit juice once in two days, as treatment for cardiac disorder 14. officinalis

PSGCAS Search: A Journal of Science and Technology Volume: 3 No. : 1, ISSN: 2349 – 5456 63

Exploitation of Medicinal Herbs for Common Ailments Prevailing in Avinashipalayam and Koduvai village of Tirupur District, Tamil Nadu, India

Vernacular Parts S.No Botanical Name Family Medicinal uses Name used Eucalyptus Myrtaceae Karpura Whole The plant oil used as carminative and digestive. This oil cures the skin diseases, chronic 15. globulus maram plant and intermittent fevers. Euphorbia Euphorbiaceae Tirucalli Stem It has been used for cancer. 16. tirucalli Jatropha Euphorbiaceae Adalai Seed Powdered seeds are used for preparation of tablets for foul ulcers 17. gossipyfolia Melothria Cucurbitaceae Musu Root Roots are used as diuretic and as laxative. Seeds are masticated to relieve toothache. 18. maderaspatana muskkai and seed Mimosa Mimosaceae Thottal Root Root juice is used in treatment of dysentery, urinary complaints and snake bites. 19. pudica sinungi Momordica Cucurbitaceae Pavakkai Fruit Fruit is used in treatment of high blood pressure. 20. charantia 21. Moringa oleifera Moringaceae Murungai Leaf Leaves are used to control Hypertension. Pergularia Asclepiadaceae Veliparuthi Leaf Leaf juice used for asthma and applied externally for the traumatic swelling. The root 22. deamia Root and bark are purgatives and also administered for snake bite. and Bark Phylanthus Euphorbiaceae Keelanelli Root The root is made into paste, mixed with milk and given to the patients suffering from 23. amarus jaundice. Punica granutum Lythraceae Madulai Fruit Eating raw ripened fruits control heart disorders. Juice of the fresh fruit is used to reduce 24. fever. Ricinus Euphorbiaceae Amanakku Seed Castor oil is used to cure cataract and eye irritation. Castor oil can be used regularly as communis hair oil; it helps in growth of hair and cures dandruff. Seed oil is mixed with Cow’s milk 25. and Ginger extract. This extraction is given 6 times a day to cure stomach ache, body temperature, dysuria and menstrual problem. 26. Solanum nigrum Solanaceae Manathakali Leaf Leaf paste is taken once in 2 days as a very good remedy for blood pressure. Solanum Solanaceae Thooduvalai Root The roots and leaves of this plant are given in the form of decoction for consumptive 27. trilobatum and Leaf patients. Leaves are commonly given for children suffering from prolonged fever. Syzygium cumini Myrtaceae Naaval Seed Seed powder is mixed with hot water and administered orally to control constipation. 28. Seed powder is added with coconut oil and applied externally for all kind of skin diseases and inflammation. Tribulus Zygophyllaceae Nerunjimull Root and Three spoons of fruit and root decoction are administered orally thrice a day to control 29. terrestris fruit jaundice and it also cures urinary diseases. The plant decoction is mixed with a pinch of cumin powder to treat stomach problems. Tridax Asteraceae Vettukaya Leaf The leaf is mixed with gingelly oil and slightly boiled to apply on the toxic bites. The 30. procumbens thalai leaf paste is applied to treat the cuts and wounds.

PSGCAS Search: A Journal of Science and Technology Volume: 3 No. : 1, ISSN: 2349 – 5456 64

Exploitation of Medicinal Herbs for Common Ailments Prevailing in Avinashipalayam and Koduvai village of Tirupur District, Tamil Nadu, India

CONCLUSION From the data collected in the study areas, it is document the data available with us in a systematic inferred that a variety of herbal medicaments have manner. The further detailed phytochemical studies been practiced to cure cough, fever, cold, poisonous may be of immense use in the search of new drugs bites and skin diseases. So it is high time to without any side effects.

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