Ethno medical Survey of Medicinal Plants in Periyathalai Coastal Area, Thoothukudi District, Tamilnadu

Abstract

The majority of the people in Periyathalai depend on indigenous medicine for primary health care. However this knowledge is perishing due to poor documentation. As a result, an ethno medical survey of medicinal plants used to treat various diseases in Periyathalai was conducted. The objectives were to document the knowledge of rural people about the medicinal plants and to create awareness among the people about the medicinal plant conservation and cultivation. The study participants were fishery communities and local people of Periyathalai. Fifty informants aged above 40 were selected randomly. The purpose of the study was explained to the informants in their own language. After obtaining informed consent, they were interviewed in their own localities using semi-structured questionnaire. Information on indigenous use of plants, part used condition of the plant used, method of preparation, route of administration and the diseases treated were collected. 57 plants belonging to 33 families were used by them. Among them 57 percent were herbs. 88 percent plants were easily available. They used mainly raw drugs rather than fresh plant materials. They mostly bought the required raw drugs from outside shops. Leaves were the mostly used plant parts (26%) followed by fruits (18%) and seeds (11%). Poultice was the mostly used preparation form (27%) followed by decoction (22%), powder (17%) and juice (13%). Majority of the medicinal preparations were taken orally (68 %). This documentation provides the baseline information about the indigenous medicines of the Periyathalai. This study will be useful to the future generation.