Ethnomedicinal Perspectives of Botanicals Used by the People of Pavalamalai, Gobi, Erode District, Tamil Nadu for Curing Various Ailments

Abstract

Ethnobotanical survey was carried out in Pavalamalai, Erode District to document the medicinal plants occurring in that area. Ethnomedicinal information was gathered by interviewing the local medicine man and elderly persons with informal interviews in order to have a thorough knowledge of plants. In the present study a total of 68 plant species of 61 genera belonging to 32 families have been reported which are used by local people for primary health care and to cure various ailments such as diarrhoea, dysentery, skin diseases, toothache, indigestion, worm infestations, jaundice, liver diseases, wound healing and an antidote for poison. The plant species are enumerated alphabetically by family followed by their local name, plant part used and their therapeutic values. This survey tried to make everybody being known about the natural asserts of our nature and throws light on the use of medicinal plants in the treatment various diseases. The observation of present study has shown that traditional medicine plays a significant role in the life of local people.