Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge Vol. 3(3), July 2004, pp. 299-304 Ethnomedicinal survey of lower Palni Hills of Tamil Nadu *S Ganesan1, N Suresh3 and L Kesaven2 1,2Centre for Research & PG Department of Botany,Thiagarajar College (Autonomous), Madurai 625009, Tamil Nadu [email protected], [email protected] 3PG Department of Botany, V.O. Chidambaram College, Tuticorin 628008, Tamil Nadu Received 3 October 2003; revised 22 March 2004 Tribals are a distinct ethnic group who are usually confined to definite geographical areas, mainly in forests. Their life is woven around forest ecology and forest resources. Information on some very useful medicines known to the tribal communities through experience of ages is usu- ally passed on from generation to generation. Ethnomedicinal surveys and fieldwork are impor- tant for systematic documentation. In the present attempt, the ethnomedicinal aspects of 45 spe- cies of plants used by the Paliyan and Pulayan tribes of lower Palni Hills (both northern and southern slopes) Tamil Nadu have been enumerated. Keywords: Ethnomedicinal plants, Paliyans, Pulayans, Lower Palni Hills, Tamil Nadu. IPC Int. Cl.7 : A61K35/78, A61P1/12, A61P39/02, A61P15/02, A61P17/02, A61P17/10, A61P1/02, A61P1/04, A61P29/00, A61P13/02, A61P15/06, A61P11/10. Lower Palni Hills of Western Ghats, and the mean annual rainfall is 1200mm Tamil Nadu, India, are situated between of which the highest rainfall is during 10º 22’N latitude and 77º 59’E longitude. August to September. Palni Hills is a spur of Western Ghats, The medico-ethnobotanical informa- which is one of the internationally recog- tion was mainly gathered from tribes, nized “hot spot” known for its richness Paliyans and Pulayans, the oldest aborigi- 1 and uniqueness of plant wealth . Primarily nal communities inhabiting various places based on the difference in the altitudes, of Tamil Nadu and Travancore, especially the flora of this region is broadly classi- along the Western Ghats. A few workers fied into scrub forest (500 to 750m), de- undertook the medico-ethnobotanical ciduous forest (750 to 1000m), dry ever- survey of the above tribes3-5. An account green forest (1000 to 1500m) and moist of the ethnobotanical information of 44 evergreen forest (1500 to 2000m)2. The plant species belonging to 30 families temperature ranges from 18ºC to 32ºC dominated by Leguminosae, Acantha- ceae, Apocynaceae, Solanaceae and Con- _______________ volvulaceae has been given3. The infor- *Correspondent author 300 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 3, No.3, JULY 2004 mation was mainly gathered from Pulay- 10. All voucher specimens, in the form of ans dwelling in Eastern offshoot of lower herbarium were deposited in the Research Palni Hills (Pachchalur hills) only. Centre and PG Department of Botany, Among the 44 plant species studied, 34 Thiagarajar College, Madurai, Tamil species were medicinally important, 9 Nadu. species were edible, and 14 species were used for miscellaneous purposes. Since Results there is no detailed information available, The ethnobotanical data serve as a base an attempt was made to collect the med- for new compounds with active principles ico-ethnobotanical information of Pali- for phytochemical, pharmacognostical, yans and Pulayans of lower Palni hills. pharmacological and clinical research. It The survey was carried out from August is the search and research, which keeps adding new drugs and new foods for the 2001 to July 2002. 6 The lower Palni Hills lie in Dindigul welfare of mankind . In the present at- District of Tamil Nadu. The following are tempt, the ethnomedicinal aspects of 45 the areas of inhabitation of the tribes, species of plants distributed among 42 Paliyans and Pulayans (Pa. ─ Paliyans, genera belonging to 26 families collected Pu. ─ Pulayans). Northern slopes: 1. from Paliyans and Pulayans have been Pachalur ─ Paliyan & Pulayan, 2. Ka- enumerated. daisikkadu ─ Pa, 3. Bothamalai ─ Pu., 4. The enumerated plants distributed Nadanangal ─ Pa., 5. Karadipparai ─ Pa., amongst Acanthaceae (4 species), Lili- 6. Sudalapparai ─ Pa., 7. Periyur ─ Pa, aceae, Cucurbitaceae, Solanaceae (3 spe- Pu., 8. Kavichikombu ─ Pa., 9. Paraip- cies each ) and Sapindaceae, Amaryllida- patti ─ Pa., 10. Kottakombu ─ Pu. South- ceae, Euphorbiaceae (2 species each), one ern slope:1. Thandikudi ─ Pa, Pu., 2. Pteridophytic plant Nephrolepis auricu- Bommakadu ─Pa., 3. Oththakkadu ─ Pa. lata and remaining 16 families (one spe- cies each) were found to be used by Pali- yans and Pulayans of lower Palni Hills Methodology (both northern and southern slopes) for Ethnomedicinal information was col- the treatment of various ailments like lected from all categories of Paliyan and stomach disorders, eczema, fever, vene- Pulayan tribes by contacting the local real diseases, cuts, tooth-ache, head-ache, healers, headmen, elderly persons and the urinary disorder, rheumatism, menstrual persons having a thorough knowledge of disorders, etc. The plants were found to plants. The information gathered was be used in different forms such as juice, confirmed by different groups of tribal extract, decoction, paste, infusion, pow- people dwelling in different places of in- der, etc. All the studied plant species have vestigation. The methodology adopted by been arranged alphabetically, along with 6 previous workers was followed . The their binomial, family, vernacular name, voucher specimens were collected and and uses followed by the names of the 7- identified by referring to standard flora tribes in parenthesis. GANESAN et al: ETHNOMEDICINAL SURVEY OF LOWER PALNI HILLS 301 Enumeration Heyne ex Roth. Acanthaceae 1 Achyranthes aspera L.– “Thonimalai marunthu”. Leaves Amaranthaceae. “Nayuruvi”. The ground with egg, black gram and decoction (handful of root cuttings onion are applied for bone fracture in boiled in 250ml of water and reduced human being and in livestock (Pa. to 100ml) is consumed for stomach Pu.). upset (Pa. Pu. ). 9 Caesalpinia decapetala (Roth.) 2 Allium cepa L. Liliaceae. Alston Caesalpiniaceae “Sivappu “Venkayam”. Three onion bulbs tied Indu”. Plant is considered to be in a thread, worn around the neck of sacred. Leaf paste smeared over the the person suffering from chicken body of the children relieves fever pox give a cooling effect (Pa. Pu.). (Pa. Pu.). 3 Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) 10 Cardiospermum halicacabum L. Wall. ex Nees Acanthaceae. Sapindaceae. “Mudakkuththan”. Leaf “Nilavaembu”. Leaf paste mixed with juice mixed with hot rice kanji (gruel) hot water when taken four times acts is consumed to relieve pain in the as antivenom for cobra bite. It also joint and at the time of delivery (Pa. arrests excess menstruation. Pu.). 4 Anisochilus carnosus (L. f.) Willd. ex 11 Cassia tora L. Caesalpiniaceae. Benth. Lamiaceae. “Karpooravalli”. “Thakarai”. The leaf decoction is Leaf paste is used for eczema. taken to refresh the body. Leaf and 5 Asparagus racemosus Willd. seed paste is dissolved in the Liliaceae. “Thanneer vittan decoction of fennel water and taken kizhangu”, “Evakkamul”. The juice orally to cure stomach ulcer. The of the bulb arrests excess urination. seeds are referred to as “God’s Pills” For healing wounds with pus, the leaf by Paliyans (Pa.). paste mixed with the urine of female 12 Centella asiatica (L.) Urban. is applied for male members and Apiaceae. “Vallaarai”. Leaf paste vice-versa (Pa.). mixed with goat milk is administered 6 Balanophora fungosa Forster & for venereal diseases (Pa. Pu.). Forster. Balanophoraceae. 13 Chromolaena odorata L. Asteraceae. “Vaeruchedi”. The plant paste is used “Vettukayapoondu”. Leaf paste is for eczema (Pa. Pu.). applied for cuts. 7 Begonia malabarica Lam. 14 Cinnamomum verum Presl. Begoniaceae. “Senkurungu”, Lauraceae. “Ilavangam”. Bark paste “Senthandu”. The bark free pink stem is applied for tooth-ache (Pa. Pu). paste applied on the face cures the 15 Cipadessa baccifera (Roth) Miq. pimples and gives a cooling effect Meliaceae. “Pulippan chedi”. Leaf (Pa. Pu.). paste is taken orally to stop diarrhoea 8 Blepharis maderaspatensis (L.) (Pa. Pu.). 302 INDIAN J TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL 3, No.3, JULY 2004 16 Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schoff. 25 Mukia leiosperma Wight. Araceae “Chaembu”. Intake of raw Cucurbitaceae. “Musumusukkai”. leaves prevents stone formation in the The green leaf salad relieves stomach urinary track and also arrests frequent upset (Pa. Pu.). urination (Pa. Pu.). 26 Nephrolepis auriculata (L.) Trimen 17 Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. Polypodiaceae. “Peranaikkizhangu”. Amaryllidaceae. “Nilappanai”. Paste Extract of the bulbils when consumed of the rootstock is applied to relieve twice a day stops frequent urination tooth-ache and joint pain (Pa. Pu.). and stomach upset in children (Pa.) 18 Diplocyclos palmatus L. 27 Passiflora leschenaulti DC. Cucurbitaceae. “Linga kodi”, Passifloraceae. “Malai Kovai”. “Ayviral kodi”. Leaf paste is applied Intake of leaf juice cures stomach to relieve joint pain and rheumatism upset and dysentery (Pa.). (Pa.) 28 Plectranthus coleoides Benth. 19 Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq. Lamiaceae. “Mudupattan”. Leaf paste Sapindaceae. “ Virali”. The leaves is applied for burns. Juice of the along with the leaves of Eucalyptus young leaves when consumed helps sp. are boiled in water and the vapour in easy child birth (Pa.). is inhaled to relieve headache (Pa. 29 Plumbago zeylanica L. Pu.). Plumbaginaceae. “Chitramoolam”. 20 Drymaria cordata (L.) Willd. ex Roots are shade dried and powdered. Roem. & Shult. Caryophyllaceae. The powder when consumed mixed “Kodicharai”.