Preserving indigenous wisdom: An ethnomedicinal survey and quantitative analysis of the medicinal flora in Thattagarai and Oosimalai

Abstract

Background: Medicinal plants are the most important source for our medical systems. Due to the modernization of theworld, the knowledge of indigenous medicinal plants was disappearing. The main objective of this study focuses on identifying and recording the medicinal plants used by the indigenous tribal communities living in the Thattagarai and Oosimalair egions of Erode. 

Methods: This ethnobotanical survey carried a total of a total 78 informants, and traditional healers were interviewed; a result of 49 medicinal plant species belonging to 33 families are reported.  

Results: Overall, Fabaceae (10.20%) was the dominant family, followed by Combretaceae (8.16%), Solanaceae, and Euphorbiaceae (6.12%). Life form analysis shows trees (40.82%), followed by herbs (28.57%), shrubs (18.37%), and climbers (12.24%). The Use Value (UV) and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) results range from0.04 to 0.87, with several plants, such as Terminalia chebula, Mimosa pudica, Butea monosperma, Hemidesmus indicus, and Withania somnifera. The Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) values ranged from 0.94 to 1.00. High ICF values were indicated for skin diseases, wounds, joint pain, diabetes, immunity boosting, digestive disorders, and snake bites.  

Conclusion: This research concluded with the documentation of ethnomedicinal knowledge, which conserves the natural biodiversity and transformation of knowledge through roots. 

Keywords: Medicinal plants, ethnobotanical survey, documentation, Use Value, and Relative Frequency of Citation.