An Ethnobotanical Survey of Some Medicinal Plants used by Traditional Healers of Adilabad Dist, Telangana State

Author(s): N. Ramakrishna and DSR. Rajender singh*

Abstract: The history of medicinal plants is as old as history of civilization, world over. The relevance of local herbal health traditions has not diminished despite the giant strides made in the field of modern medicine. India, a mega diverse nation, is one of the richest nations in terms of biological diversity. India owes this to its position in the tropical and subtropical latitudes. The traditional medicine industry in India mostly belongs to the small-scale category, in ethnobotanical studies, the major contribution has been in the field of medicine. A large number of ethnomedicinal information remained endemic to certain regions or people due to lack of communication. In recent the premier industrial houses have also entered the field of manufacture of ayurvedic and herbal products. In fact, modern or western medicine too is the beneficiary of herbal traditions in as much as 25% of the drugs of this class are plant-based. The major families which occupied first, and second position were Mimosaceae-12sp Euphorbiaceae-9sp, and all 149 plant species belonging to 57 families were documented and authentically identified. This bespeaks not only of the economic potential but also the sustained relevance of traditional medical science in modern times. The main aim of the survey is to prepare a ready check-list of medicinal plants present at and around Adilabad hills used by local herbalists and village folklore to cure various human and cattle ailments.

PAGES: 58-65  |  35 VIEWS  39 DOWNLOADS