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ETHNOMEDICINAL STUDY OF PLANTS USED FOR
THE TREATMENT OF DIABETETES AND ANTIDOTE
FOR POISONOUS BITE BY MALAYALI TRIBES OF
YERCAUD HILLS, SOUTHERN EASTERN GHATS,
SALEM DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU
R. REKKA*, S.MURUGESH** AND R. PRABAKARAN*
*PG AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY,
VIVEKANANDHA COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE FOR
WOMEN (AUTONOMOUS), ELAYAMPALAYAM,
TIRUCHENGODE, NAMAKKAL(DT).
**
Received on:
14th Dec 2013
PERIYAR PALKALAI NAGAR, SALEM.
Revised on:
20th Dec 2013
Accepted on:
25th Dec 2013
DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY, PERIYAR UNIVERSITY,
Corresponding author’s e-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT:
An ethnomedicinal plants survey was carried out to collect the information
about the medicinal plants found in Yercaud hills and
Published on:
1st March 2014
used by the native
Malayali tribes of South Eastern Ghats of India. 59 plant species belongs to 53
genera and 41 families, which are used in traditional healthcare system of
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Diabetes and Poisonous bites, are described under this study. These studies
also attempted to find out the medicines prepared out of these medicinal
plants, form of medicine and their corresponding diseases. In this report the
information obtained from the tribals was compared already existing
literatures of ethno medicinal studies in India. The identified medicinal plants
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were mostly used to cure the Diabetes and Antidote for Poisonous bite.
Following these medicinal plants used by the tribals to arranged numerically
and followed by their plants vernacular names, parts of used, mode of
preparation and their corresponding diseases of Diabetes and Antidote for
Poisonous bite.
KEYWORDS: Eastern Ghats, Ethnomedicinal, Malayali tribes, Yercaud
Hills.
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INTRODUCTION:
Nature has created plants in the world for every ailment and there is a cure for every disease. It is only in
the hands of human to recover it. The uses of medicinal plant are found in the Rig veda. The Rig veda
(4500 B.C. - 1600 B.C.) has mentioned about 67 medicinal plants. The aboriginal people of India knew
the antidote for snake bite (Rauvolfia serpentina) even 3000 years ago and also other plants, to treat
several diseases. Medicinal plants have been used for centuries as remedies for poisonous bites because
they contain component of therapeutic values. The utility of all the wild plants for the treatment of various
ailments was not recognized in one day or in one century. It is a result of the progressive development of
human cultures. There are many theories regarding the origin of herbal medicine. The initial selection of
plant materials for medicinal purposes was influenced by religious thoughts and its collection and
administration was accompanied by a magic ritual. Early man could have gained some scientific
knowledge by watching the effects produced by various plants when eaten by domestic animals
(Sofowore, 1982).
Diabetes mellitus is an endocrinological metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia,
polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, polyphagia, emaciation and weakness due to disturbance in
carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism associated with absolute or relative deficiency in insulin
secretion and/or insulin action (Deb and Dutta, 2006). Diabetes is becoming the third “killer” of the health
of mankind alond with cancer, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Synthetic antidiabetic agents
like sulfonylureas, biguanides, glucosidase inhibitors and thiazolindiones are being expensive and produce
serious side effects. Further their use is not safe during pregnancy. Herbal therapy recommended for the
treatment of diabetes throughtout the world. Herbal drugs are prescribed widely because of their
effectiveness, less side effects and relatively low cost (Venkatesh et al., 2003).
Ethnic medicine is a kind of systematized and analyzed traditional knowledge of folk healing in its own
way. Herbal medicines continue to till an important place in the curing systems of many traditional
societies. In spite of the inroads of modern medicine, their prominence is still continuing and forms a part
of their culture elements which are not easily discarded without major cultural disruption. This study aims
to record information on medicinal plants from traditional medicinal practioners of Yercaud hills and
finding new affordable herbal therapies able to normalized diabetes and poisonous bite.
STUDY AREA:
The study area Yercaud hill situated between 110 45’56” N latitude and 780 17’55” E longitude. Yercaud
hill located in Salem district, Tamil Nadu, the forest types range from evergreen to moist deciduous with
the altitude of 1515 meters (4970 ft) above sea level and the highest point in Yercaud is the Servarayan
temple, at 5,326 feet (1.623 m). The Shevaroy hills occupy an area of about 150 square miles (390 Sq.
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km). The temperature never rises above 29oC or goes below 13oC. The average annual rainfall is around
1500mm – 1750mm. The soil is deep and non-calcareous.
MALAYALI TRIBE:
The Malayalis in Tamil Nadu are found mainly in the Kollimalai, Sheveroys and Pachaimalai. According
to their traditions, they were three brothers who came from Conjeevaram and each one settled in each of
the three hills. Though there are served accounts about their exact origin, all agree that they came from
Conjeevaram or Kanchipuram, a religious town in the Chinglebut district in Northern Tamil Nadu. Many
elderly men in the Pachaimalai claimed that they were of royal descent from Conjeevaram. Edgar
Thurston Thurston in “Castes and Tribes of South India” corroborated the same view when he wrote: “The
Malayali denotes inhabitant of the hills (malai = hill or mountain alu = person). Malayali are the largest
Scheduled Tribes with a population of 310,042.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Field trips were arranged in such a way as to facilitate collection of plants throughout the study. During
the course of investigation, several periodical field trips were conducted. The information was collected in
the field from both men and women according to the methodology of Schultes (1960, 1962), Jain and Rao
(1983) and Jain (1987). The person from each area of the study accompanied to the field showed the
plants, and information as to which health conditions the plants were used, and the method of preparation
and administration of remedies. At that end of each interview, specimens of the plants were collected for
scientific identification and herbarium preparation following standard procedures (Jain and Rao, 1977).
Plants species collected were identified with the help of floras (Gamble, 1936; Matthew, 1983).
RESULT AND DISCUSSION:
The survey revealed that tribal people of study area use 59 plants species belonging to 41 families and 53
genera to treat Diabetes, Scorpion sting, Snake, Centipede and Beetle bite. Among the 59 plants species
28 species were used to treat the poisonous bite and 31 species were used to treat the Diabetes. Leaves are
found as the most widely used plant parts (16 species) followed by the whole plant parts and Bark (9
species), Root (7 species), Rhizome and Fruits (5 species), Stem and Seeds (3 species), Flowers, Bulb and
Pulp (1 species). Most of the plants are taken orally in the form of powder for curing Diabetes and snake
bite, scorpion sting, and centipede bite. Andrographis paniculata and Corallocarpus epigaeus which are
used for treating both snake bite and Scorpion sting. Azadirachta indica used for treating both snake bite
and diabetes. In this study area, most of the traditional healers were commonly used Cassia fistula,
Andrographis paniculata and Corallocarpus epigeous for treating snake bite and Syzygium cumini used
for curing diabetes. Traditional healers is giving the red chilly to the patients for the snake bite is the
patients know the hot taste the snake bite poison decreased, is the patients did not find the hot taste the
poison not decreased in patient body. Uses of 25 plant species used by Thakar tribes of Maharastra, 23
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plant species used by Sugalis tribes, Andhra Pradesh and 26 plant species are used by tribal communities
for the treatment of snake bite in West Nimar, 16 medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes by
tribal people of Kolli Hills. Minor differences in the plants used, mode of preparation of drugs and mixture
of other herbs for curing the same diseases were also noted.
REMEDIES FOR DIABETES:
Powder of plants such as Alangium salvifolium, Allium cepa, Aloe barbadensis, Andrographis paniculata,
Aspeaegus racemous, Azadirachta indica, Cardiosperum canescens, Cicca acida, Centella astiatica,
Centratherum anthelminticum, Clerodndrum inerme, Curculigo orchioides, Curcuma aromatic, Emblica
officinalis, Ficus benghalensis, Ficus glomerata, Gymnema sylvestre, Hybanthus enneaspermus,
Indigofera aspalathoides, Madhuca longifolia, Michelia champaca, Piper longum, Shora roxburghii,
Syzygium cumini, Tephrosia purpurea, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia bellerica, Terminallia chebula,
Thespesia populnea, Tinospora cordifolia and Tragia involacrata to given orally (Table 1).
REMEDIES FOR BEETLE BITE:
Powder of plants such as Cantharathus roseus and Nerium indicum to given orally. Evolvulus alsinoides
and E. mummularis leaf juice is applied on the spot of bite. The whole plant parts powder of Rubia
cordifolia is given orally. Different parts of plants such as Coldenia procumbens, Curcuma longa,
Cynodon dactylon, Lepidagathis cristata, Leptadenia reticulate Mimosa pudica, Mollugo lotoides and
Senna occidentalis made into powder to apply on the spot of bite (Table 2).
REMEDIES FOR CENTIPEDE BITE:
Powder of plants such as Andrographis paniculata, Aristolochia indica, Enicostemma littorale, Pavonia
odorata, Pavonia zeylanica and Toddalia asiatica is given orally for 4-5 days for treating centipede bite
(Table 3).
REMEDIES FOR SCORPION STING:
Rhizome of Corallocarpus epigeous is given orally in the form of powder. Strychnos Nux-vomica seeds
are made in to powder is given orally for 48 days for curing scorpion sting (Table 4).
REMEDIES FOR SNAKE BITE:
Powder of plants such as Cassia fistula, Corallocarpus epigeous and Eclipta prostrate is given orally.
Andrographis paniculata and Andrographis alata plant parts are made into powder is given orally.
Different parts of plants such as Andrographis paniculata, Azadirachta indica, Caltropis procera,
Citrullus colocynthis and Perularia daemia is given orally in the form of powder (Table 5).
REFERENCES:
Chandler R F., Freeman L., and Hooper S N. 1979.
J.Ethnopharmacol, , 1: 49-68.
Herbal remedies of the Maritime Indians,
Deb L., and Dutta A. 2006. Diabetes mellitus its possible pharmacological evaluation techniques and
naturopathy, Int.J.Green Pharmacy, 1(7): 28.
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Elavarasi s and Saravanan K.. 2012. Etnobotanical study of plants used to treat Diabetes by Tribal
people of Kolli Hills, Namakkal District, Tamil Nadu, Southern India, International Journal
of Pharm Tech Research, 4 (1): 404-411.
Gamble J S., and Fischer C E C. 1935. Flora of Presidency of Madras, London (Issued in II part: 1-7 by
Gamble, 8-11 by Fischer), vols. 1-3, Calcutta.
Jain S K.., and Rao R R. 1977. A hand book of field Herbarium methods, Today and Tomorrows
printers and publishers, New Delhi.
Jain S K.. 1987. A Manual of Ethnobotany, Scientific Publishers, Jodhpur.
Mathew K W. 1983. Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic, the Rapinat Herbarium, Tiruchirapalli, India, 3 vol.
Sainkhediya Jeetendra and Aske Dilip kumar. 2012. Ethnomedicinal plants used by Tribal
communities for the treatment of snake bite in West Nimar, MP, India, Journal of
Biological sciences, 1 (2):77-79.
Schultes R E. 1960. Tapping of our heritage of ethnobotanical lore, Econ.Bot. 14: 257-262.
Schultes R E. 1962. The role of ethnobotanist in the search for new medicinal plants. Lloydia, 25: 257266.
Singh E A., Kamble S Y., Bipinraj N K., and Jagtap S D. 2012. Medicinal plants used by the
Thakar tribes of Raigad district, Maharashtra for the treatment of snake-bite and
scorpion-bite, International Journal of Phytothearpy Research, 2 (2): 26-35.
Sofowora A. 1982 Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine in Africa, John wiley & Sons, New York.
Venkatesh S., Reddy G.D., Reddy B.M., Ramesh M., and Appa Rao A.V.N. 2003. Antihyperglycemic
activity of Caramulla attenuate, Fitoterapia, 74: 274-279.
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TABLE: 1 PLANT USED AS DIABETES
Botanical name /Vernacular Name
Family
Alangium salvifolium, Linn./Alange
Allium cepa,Linn./Venkayam
Aloe barbadensis,Mill./Katralai
Andrographis
paniculata,Wall.ex.Nees./Siriyanangai
Asparagus
racemosus,Wild./Thanervittankilangu
Cardiospermum
canescens,Wall./Malaimudakkathan
Cicca acida (L.) Merr. /Aranelli
Centella asiatica,Urb./Vallarai
Centratherum
anthelminticum,O.Kze./Kattuseragam
Clerodendron
inerme,Gnerth./Sangankuppai
Curculigo
orchioides,Gaertn./Nilapanaikilangu
Curcuma
aromatic,Salisb./Kasthrumanjal
Emblica officinalis,Gaerth./Nelli
Ficus bengalensis,Linn./Alamaram
Ficus glomerata,Roxb./Attimaram
Alangiaceae
Liliaceae
Liliaceae
Acanthaceae
Gymnema
sylvestre,R.Br./Sirukurunjan
Hybanthus enneaspermus, F. Muell.
/Orithalthamarai
Indigofera
aspalathoides,Vahl./Sivanarvembu
Madhuca longifolia, /Illupei
Michelia champaca,Linn./Sempakam
Tragia involacrata, L./Ganjamkori
Piper longum,Linn./Tippili
Santalum album,Linn./Sandanam
Shora roxburghii,Roxb./Kunkilium
Syzygium cumini(L.)Kkeels./Naaval
Tephrosia purpurea(L.)Pers./Kolingi
Terminalia arjuna(Roxb)Wt.Ar.
/Marudam
Terminalia bellerica,Roxb./Thanrikk
Asclepidaceae
Terminalia chebula,Retz./Kadukai
Thespesia populnea
Tinospora cordifolia(Willd)
Miers./Seethal
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Liliaceae
Sapindaceae
Parts
Used
Root
Bulb
Pulp
Leaves
and stem
Rhizome
Euphorbiaceae
Apiaceae
Asteraceae
Whole
plant parts
Leaves
Leaves
Seeds
Verbenaceae
Leaves
Hypoxidaceae
Rhizome
Zingiberaceae
Rhizome
Euphorbiaceae
Moraceae
Moraceae
Fruit
Bark
Leaves
and Bark
Leaves
Violaceae
Sapotaceae
Magnoliaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Piperaceae
Santalaceae
Dipterocarpaceae
Mytraceae
Fabaceae
Combertaceae
Whole
plant parts
Whole
plant parts
Fruit
Flower
Leaves
Fruits
Bark
Bark
Seeds
Leaves
Bark
Combertaceae
Bark
Combertaceae
Malvaceae
Menispermaceae
Bark
Bark
Root
Fabaceae
PEER-REVIEWED
Methods of
Preparation/Dosage
Powder of different
parts of plants is given
orally in tablet form
for 1 month.
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TABLE: 2 PLANTS USED AGAINST THE BEETLE BITE
Botanical name
/Vernacular Name
Cantharathus roseus, Don.
/Katcharali
Nerium indicum, Mill.
/Ratharali
Rubia cordifolia, Linn. /
Vandukadithali
Family
Apocynaceae
Parts Used
Methods of Preparation/Dosage
Leaves
Powder of different plant parts are
mixed with hot water to given
orally.
Apocynaceae
Leaves
Rudiaceae
Whole plant
parts
Whole plant parts powder is given
orally.
Coldenia procumbens,
Linn. / Perunjcherupattai
Boranginaceae
Leaves
Curcuma longa, Linn. /
Manjal
Cynodon dactylon (Linn)
Pers. / Arugampull
Lepidathis cristata, Willd. /
Karappanpoondu
Leptadenia reticulate, W.&
A. /Nnappala
Mimosa pudica,Linn. /
Thottasurungi
Mollugo lotoides, O.Kze. /
Sirucherupattai
Zingiberaceae
Rhizome
Poaceae
Whole plant
parts
Whole plant
parts
Leaves
Senna occidentalis (L.)
Link. /Utharam
Evolvulus alsinoides, Linn.
/ Vishnukirandhi
Caesalpiniaceae Leaves
Convolvulaceae Leaves
The leaves are crushed and paste is
tied on the specific spot of bite
Evolvulus nummularis (L.)
L. / Vellavishnukirandhi
Convolvulaceae Leaves
The leaves are crushed and paste is
tied on the specific spot of bite
Acanthaceae
Asclepidaceae
Mimosaceae
Aizoceae
Powder of different plant parts are
mixed with coconut oil to applied
on Beetle bite spot.
Whole plant
parts
Whole plant
parts
TABLE: 3 PLANTS USED AGAINST THE CENTIPEDE BITE
Botanical name /Vernacular
Name
Andrographis paniculata,
Wall.ex.Nees./ Siriyanangai
Aristolochia indica, Linn./
Thalasuruli
Enicostemma littorale, Blume./
Vellaragu
Pavonia odorata, Willd.
/Peramutti
Family
Parts Used
Whole plant
parts
Aristolochiaceae Root
Methods of
Preparation/Dosage
Acanthaceae
Gentianaceae
Malvaceae
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Whole plant
parts
Root
PEER-REVIEWED
Plant powder mix with
the hot water is given
thrice daily after meals
for 4-5 days.
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Pavonia zeylanica, Cav.
Chitramutti
Toddalia asiatica,Lamk./
Mulaikaradan mullu
Malvaceae
Root
Rutaceae
Root
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TABLE: 4 PLANTS USED AGAINST THE SCORPION STING
Botanical name
/Vernacular Name
Corallocarpus epigaeus,
Hook.f. /Keradankilangu
Strychnos Nux-vomica,
Linn. / Etti
Family
Parts Used
Cucurbitaceae
Rhizome
Loganiaceae
Seeds
Methods of
Preparation/Dosage
The Rhizome powder is
taken orally.
Seed powder is given orally
once daily in the morning for
48 days. 8 seeds are powder
every time.
TABLE: 5 PLANTS USED AGAINST THE SNAKE BITE
Botanical name /Vernacular Name
Family
Parts
Used
Bark
Rhizome
Cassia fistula,Linn. / Konnei
Corallocarpus epigaeus, Hook.f. /
Keradankilangu
Eclipta prostrate, Roxb. /
Karisalankanni
Caesalpiniaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Asteraceae
Leaves
and stem
Andrographis
paniculata,Wall.ex.Nees./Siriyananga
i
Andrographis
alata,Nees./Periyanangai
Andrographis
paniculata,Wall.ex.Nees./Siriyananga
i
Azadirachta indica,A.Juss./Vembu
Calotropis procera,R.Br./Vellerukkan
Citrullus colocynthis, Schrad
/Varithumutti
Perularia daemia(Forsk)chiov.
/Velliparuthi
Acanthaceae
Leaves
and stem
Acanthaceae
Leaves
Acanthaceae
Leaves
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Meliaceae
Asclepidaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Asclepidaceae
Bark
Bark
Whole
plant parts
Whole
plant parts
PEER-REVIEWED
Methods of
Preparation/Dosage
Different parts of
plants are powder
along with the seeds of
pepper and Bulb of
garlic is mixed with
hot water to given
orally.
Powder of Leaves and
stem with hot water is
given orally.
Powder of different
plant parts are given
daily before meals for
3 days.
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