Poisonous Plants of the Salem District of Tamilnadu, Southern India
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C. Alagesaboopathi / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2012,5(10),5039-5042 Research Article Available online through ISSN: 0974-6943 http://jprsolutions.info Poisonous Plants of the Salem District of Tamilnadu, Southern India C. Alagesaboopathi Department of Botany, Government Arts College (Autonomous), Salem – 636007, Tamilnadu, India Received on:12-06-2012; Revised on: 17-07-2012; Accepted on:26-08-2012 ABSTRACT The present investigation was carried out in the Salem district of Tamilnadu, India, to document the poisonous plants. A total of 33 species belonging to 28 genera and 20 families have been reported. Information on poisonous plants is significant as some of them are used in medication. The poisonous activities due to toxic substances namely, tannins, glycosides, saponins, alkaloids, amines, proteins, amino acids, mycotoxins, picrotoxins, resins, chelating poisons, etc. a record of 33 poisonous plants occurring on the Salem district of Tamilnadu has been presented. The knowledge on the poisonous plant species has been collected from the tribals, village dwellers, the herbal medicine practitioners and other traditional healers during ethnomedicinal field survey. The poisonous plant species are arranged in alphabetical order. Each plant is followed by its family, vernacular name (Tamil), poisonous plant part(s) and poisonous symptoms. The investigation recommends that tribals and common people are not only knowing of such poisonous plants and their detrimental causes, but also utilize them judiciously for manage of mosquitoes, bugs, ticks, grasshoppers, moth, insect-pests and several other hurtful organisms. Key words: Poisonous plants, Ethnomedicine, Malayali, Salem, Tamilnadu. INTRODUCTION Literally thousands of plants contain various quantities of poisonous al., 2006; Alagesaboopathi, 2009; Sankaranarayanan, et al., 2010; Parthipan substances. Poisonous plants are a little group of plants that yield et al., 2011; Umapriya et al., 2011; Francis Xavier et al., 2011; Poongodi et phytoconstituents, which exert harmful causes or effect death either presently al., 2011). or by purpose of cumulative activity of the toxic activity due to presence of known or unknown phytochemical principles in it and not by mechanical MATERIALS AND METHODS activity (Chopra et al., 1949). The poisonous quality of complete plant or Ethnomedicinal field trips were conducted in various villages, tribal areas any plant part my be due to production of phytotoxic substances namely, and forest areas of Salem district of Tamilnadu, during June 2011 to July glycosides, phenolic toxicants, resins, tannins, saponins, proteins, amino 2012. A great number of tribal and medicine men of the villages knew about acids, amines, mycotoxins, alkaloids, carbohydrates, chealating poisons, the poisonous plants. During the surveys individual interviews were metals, ketones, essential oil, picrotoxins toxalbumins, etc. Several of which conducted with the tribals, village dwellers, the herbal practitioners and are detrimental to man and animal life, at least under particular conditions. other traditional healers. Knowledge were recorded on the plants and plant Salem is one of the important districts of Tamilnadu. It lies between parts, which they utilize for poisoning arrow heads, driving away the bugs 11o14'46'' and 12o53'30'' North latitude and between 77o32'52'' to 78o53'05'' and insects from hut and killing vermin, worms and body lice. Each of the East longitude. The district is mountainous in character Enumerated below plant material was assigned field book number and documented as to family, are some important Hills. They are Shevaroy Hills, Kanjamalai Hills, scientific name, vernacular name (Tamil) and poisonous parts. Plant species Suriyamalai, Kumaragiri Hills, Bodamalai, Arunoothmalai, Palamalai, collected were identified with the help of standard floras (Hooker, 1884; Uthumalai and Kalvarayan Hills. The district is well known for its unique Gamble, 1936; Matthew, 1983; Henry et al., 1987). The knowledge about assemblage of vegetation riches. The main tribes are Malayali. the poisonous properties of chosen plant species was collected from the literatures on poisonous and dangerous plants by O’Leary, 1964; Lampe, They are some poisonous plants that occur in this district. People of this 1974 and Chopra et al., 1984. All the collected specimens are deposited in district where not able to identify that which plants are poisonous. the herbarium of Botany Department, Government Arts College Particularly women and children’s are prone to be victimized by eating (Autonomous), Salem, Tamilnadu for further reference. poisonous plants accidently. The poisonous plant parts may be root, leaves, stem, latex, stem bark, fruit and seed or even whole plant (Chopra, 1949; Enumeration Rakhi et al., 2010; Chopra et al., 1965; Katewa et al., 2008; Jangid and The plants are arranged alphabetically, each by its scientific name, followed Sharma, 2011). Sometimes single plant species possesses both activities as by family name, vernacular name (Tamil) and poisonous part(s) (Fig. 1-8). poisonous and therapeutic value. The poisonous plants of India have been The medicinal uses are descriped with details of part(s) used and records on descriped by many authors (Chopra et al., 1984; Jain, 1991; Jain, 1999; poisonous symptoms. Cheze, et al., 2000; Furler et al., 2000; Caius, 2003; Agra et al., 2007; Katewa et al., 2008; Jangid and Sharma, 2011). A lot of study has been done RESULTS AND DISCUSSION on the vegetaion of Tamilnadu and ethnomedicinal uses of plants but no The present paper deals with 33 poisonous plant species belonging to work has been done particularly on poisonous plants of Tamilnadu (Banerjee twenty various families. Some are fruit yielding, some are medicinally and Era Banerjee, 1986; Senthilkumar and Krishnamurthy, 1993; Udayan et significant though they are poisonous. List of the plant species with their scientific name, family, vernacular name (Tamil) and uses and toxic symptoms *Corresponding author. are given in Table 1. The poisonous parts of great number of plant species C. Alagesaboopathi were latex, seeds and root. Besides these, poisonous parts of some plants Department of Botany, were leaves, flowers, fruits and root bark, tuber, stem bark and sometimes Government Arts College (Autonomous), entire plant also. Some plants effects poisoning to both human beings as Salem – 636007, Tamilnadu, India Journal of Pharmacy Research Vol.5 Issue 10.October 2012 5039-5042 C. Alagesaboopathi / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2012,5(10),5039-5042 Table 1: Uses and Poisonous symptoms of plants of the Salem district of Tamilnadu. S.No. Scientific name Family Vernacular Name Uses and poisonous symptoms 1. Abrus precatorius Linn. Papilionaceae Kundumani Seeds is poisonous causing vomiting, cardiac poison, paralysis, gastroenteritis with purging and temperature fluctuation followed by death. Seeds are eaten by livestock, it causes vomiting, severe diarrhoea and weakness. 2. Alangium salvifolium (L.f.) Wang. Alangiaceae Alangimaram Root bark decoction given internally in minute doses causes depresses heart; in large quantities produces unusual respiration. 3. Argemone mexicana Linn. Papaveraceae Pirammathandu Fruits and seeds are narcotic. Fruits and seeds consumption in higher amount causes poisoning. If consumed by animals causes diarrhoea. 4. Butea monosperma (Lam) Taub. Papilionaceae Porasu Seed decoction is used as fish poison. 5. Calotropis gigantea R.Br. Asclepiadaceae Yerukku Latex is given internally in fatal; The latex is injurious to eyes, causing blindness. It is used as fish poison. 6. Cascabela thevetia (L.) Lippold Apocynaceae Ponnarali Seeds is highly poisonous; used for suicidal purposes. Seeds are used to poison and kill enemy’s animals. Intake of seeds cause vomiting, burning and numbing sensation in mouth and throat. 7. Catharanthus roseus (L.) Don Apocynaceae Nithyakalyaani The leaves and root decoction is considered poisonous. The other parts are also poisonous when consumed in higher doses. 8. Cleistanthus collinus (Roxb) Euphorbiaceae Oduvan Leaves is extremely poisonous; used for suicidal and homicidal purposes. It is also used as Benth.ex.Hook.f cattle and fish poison. 9. Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. Cuscutaceae Sadathari Plant extract causes abortion and vomiting. Villagers and tribals mix the plant with fodder to kill enemy’s cattle. 10. Datura metel Linn Solanaceae Oomathai Entire plant is poisonous. Fruits and seeds are toxic and used for committing offences. The leaves, fruits and seeds extract causes giddiness, fatal poisoning, dryness of throat, voice is unrecognizable and leads to unconsciousness. 11. Euphorbia antiquorum Linn. Euphorbiaceae Sadhurakkalli Latex is acrid causes dermatitis. The latex is injurious to eyes. 12. Euphorbia hirta Linn. Euphorbiaceae Ammanpacharisi The latex is injurious to eyes 13. Euphorbia nivulia Buch-Ham. Euphorbiaceae Elaikkalli Intake of latex is fatal; The latex is injurious to eyes, causes blindness. 14. Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. Euphorbiaceae Palperukimaram Intake of latex is vomiting and purgation of bowels accompanied by delirium. The latex is irritant to tender skin. 15. Euphorbia tirucalli Linn. Euphorbiaceae Thirukkalli Latex is poisonous, causes dermatitis. Intake of latex is fatal; injurious to eyes, causing blindness. Root decoction is used as abortifacient. 16. Gloriosa superba Linn. Colchicaceae Kalappaikkilangu Tuber decoction mixed with sugar is used as abortifacient. Intake of the tuber is vomiting,