AN ETHNOMEDICINAL SURVEY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS UTILIZED BY FOLK PEOPLE OF THE THRISSUR FOREST CIRCLE, KERALA

Raghunathan M.*

ABSTRACT

Background: Malayans are the tribes, residing in Malappuram, Palakkad and Thrissur districts of the Western Ghats of Kerala state, themselves, they are collecting both wooden materials for spiritual purposes and non-wooden products such as honey, gum, resin, and herbs for their commercial income. Therefore, this study wanted to focus the plants those were utilised in a huge manner for traditional medical practices in the study area. Materials and Methods: The ethnomedicinal survey had been conducted from August 2015 to August 2017 in the tribal folk villages at Elanad, Thirumani and Machad forest areas, Western-Ghats, Kerala. At the time of field survey, many interviews had been conducted to know the edible medicinal plants. By using the Questionnaire, interviews and discussions were made in between investigators and the folk people in their local language according to the methodology recommended by Jain. Results: Current exploration had assembled much of data relevant to make use of 39 plants belonging to 28 families were used by peoples to the treatment of diseases in the study area. Totally 66 parts of the different plants are being used by folk villagers in the study area to make the variety of formulations, towards the treatment of diseases. Quite interestingly porcupine horn was used to make an herbal potion contains other ingredients such as honey, hen egg, lemon juice for treating asthma in the study area. Conclusion: The folk village communities use several of traditional plants on a daily basis to heal a number of sicknesses in the regular practices. The Pesticide activity of Cleistanthus collinus and Anti asthmatic effect of Hystrix indica will be conducted in our institute in the near future.

Keywords: Traditional healer, Machad, Malayan, Kerala, Herbs, Asthma.