Ethnomedicinal plants used by traditional healers in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India

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1 Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources Vol. 3(3), September 2012, pp Ethnomedicinal plants used by traditional healers in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India M Rudrapal 1 *, N Sridhar 2 and M Raghavendra 2 1 Aditya Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, Surampalem, East Godavari district , Andhra Pradesh, India 2 Koringa College of Pharmacy, Korangi, Tallarevu (M), East Godavari district Received 12 August 2011; Accepted 20 July 2012 An ethnomedicinal survey was carried out in 10 different villages of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh with an aim to document the information regarding folkloric uses of indigenous plant species. A total of 32 plant species belonging to 32 genera and 25 families were recorded, and enumerated along with their botanical name, family, local name, part(s) used, ethnomedicinal uses including their method of preparation, mode of administration and dosage. The reported plant species in the form of various traditional preparations are employed by the village people for the management as well as treatment of various ailments ranging from snake bite to fever. Keywords: East Godavari, Ethnomedicinal uses, Indigenous plants, Traditional healers. IPC code; Int. cl. ( ) A61K 36/00 Introduction East Godavari district, having an area of 10, 807 sq. km is situated in the North East Coast of Andhra Pradesh, India and is bounded on the North by Visakhapatnam district and the state of Orissa, on the East and the South by the Bay of Bengal and on the West by Khammam and West Godavari districts. The District is located between Northern latitudes of 16 30' and 18 20' and between the Eastern longitudes of 81 30' and 82 30'. East Godavari district consists of forty-nine tribal revenue villages split into three mandals of Sankhavaram, Prattipadu and Kotananduru, with a total population of approximately fifteen thousand. The tribals inhabiting these villages are Kondakapus, Kondadoras, Valmikis, Kondakammaras and Manyadoras, all with their own socio-cultural identities. The occupations of the tribal and village people here is primarily crop and vegetable cultivation 1. Literature survey showed that no ethnomedicinal work has been reported previously from the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, but similar studies 2,3 have been done by several workers in other parts of the state. Keeping this view in mind, an ethnomedicinal survey was carried out in the village areas of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India with an aim to document the information regarding traditional uses of indigenous plant species. *Correspondent author: rs_rudrapal@yahoo.co.in Materials and Methods Ethnomedicinal survey was carried out in 10 different villages of East Godavari district during the summer of 2011 (Fig. 1). During field trips, the information regarding the local names and folkloric uses of medicinal plants were gathered from traditional village healers, elderly village people and knowledgeable rural folk. The details about local name, place of collection, plants/plant parts used, method of preparation and uses were specially recorded against each studied plant during the survey. The plant species were collected and photographs were also taken (Plate 1). In addition, direct plant observation and identification was done with the help of traditional healers and local herbal drug practitioners. The collected species were identified with the help of regional floras and other books on ethnobotany The voucher specimens were deposited in the Department of Botany, M. R. College, Peddapuram. The collected data which includes the list of plants of different families, plant part(s) used and method of preparation with their traditional uses, are listed in Table 1. Results and Discussion The present investigation reveals the folkloric uses of 32 plant species belonging to 32 genera and 25 families. Among them, 6 are trees, 18 are herbs and 8 are shrubs species. The whole plant or different plant part(s) such as leaves, stem barks, roots, fruits, seeds,

2 RUDRAPAL et al: ETHNOMEDICINES OF EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT 427 Fig. 1 Map of East Godavari District of Andhra Pardesh, showing survey area flowers, young buds, etc. in form of various traditional preparations are used to cure a number of human diseases/ailments as reported by traditional healers and local herbal medicinal practitioners. Leaves of 18 plant species, roots of 13 species, stem barks of 6 species, seeds of 5 species, fruits of 4 species, whole plant of 1 species, flowers of 1 species are used for the treatment of various diseases. Plants were used either internally or externally to cure around 33 different ailments in more than one form of preparations like extract, decoction, juice, powder, paste, infusion and various other forms (Table 1). Most of the plant species are used to cure two or more than two diseases in appropriate forms and the dosage is prescribed depending upon the age of the patient and type or severity of illness. The study results clearly indicated that the reported ethnomedicinal plants are used to treat various ailments such as fever, cough, diarrhoea, amoebiasis, jaundice, liver diseases, anaemia, menstrual disorders, snake bite, wounds, external ulcers, ear pains, stomachache, leprosy, diabetes, skin diseases, epilepsy, convulsions, asthma, syphilis, throat problems, vomiting, joint pain, sleeping disturbance, heart diseases, leucoderma, edema, worm infestation, bone pain, conjunctivitis etc. In recent years, several attempts have been made to study the ethnomedicinal importance of plants used by primitive tribes in different parts of the state. Panduranga et al 13 studied the use of medicinal plants in folk medicine by Konda Reddis for treating various

3 428 INDIAN J NAT PROD RESOUR, SEPTEMBER 2012 Ruellia tuberosa Plate 1 Some medicinal plants used by traditional healers of East Godavari district women s diseases and reproductive ailments in several districts including East Godavari of Andhra Pradesh. In addition, ethnomedicinal plants used traditionally by various aboriginal tribes and other village people have also been reported 14 from Paderu division of Visakhapatnam district, an adjoining district of East Godavari, of Andhra Pradesh. Although, similar works on medicinal plants in relation to their traditional uses have been documented earlier as mentioned above, but the information reproduced herein about listed species of medicinal plants are considerably new and have not been recorded earlier. However, the present investigation reveals that reported plants play a vital role in the primary health care of the rural population in the study area. Conclusion The present study was conducted to document the ethnomedicinal plant resources of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India as well as to explore the traditional knowledge or belief of these plants used by the village people for their primary health care needs. Such ethnomedicinal information is required for taking up large scale cultivation as well as conservation of medicinal plants that may boost the

4 RUDRAPAL et al: ETHNOMEDICINES OF EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT 429 Table 1 Ethnomedicinal plants used by traditional healers of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India S. No. Plant name/family/voucher no. Local name Part (s) used Ethnomedicinal uses 1 Abutilon indicum Linn./ Malvaceae/ MRC 28 2 Abrus precatorius Linn./ Fabaceae/MRC 63 3 Acalypha indica Linn. /Euphorbiaceae/MRC 17 4 Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Correa/Rutaceae/MRC 52 5 Ailanthus excelsa Roxb./ Simaroubaceae/MRC 87 6 Albizia lebbeck (Linn.) Benth./Mimosaceae/MRC Argemone mexicana Linn./ Papaveraceae/MRC 40 8 Artemisia vulgaris Linn./ Asteraceae/MRC Asteracantha longifolia Nees./Acanthaceae/MRC Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub./Fabaceae/MRC Cassia tora Linn./ Caesalpiniaceae/MRC Celastrus paniculatus Willd./ Celastraceae/MRC Cissampelos pareira Linn./ Menispermaceae/MRC 152 Duvvenaku Leaves Freshly collected leaves are cooked and taken in treating bleeding piles. Guruvindha Leaves, seeds, roots Decoction of leaves and root is given orally for cold and cough; seed powder is used to induce abortion. Muripinda Leaves, roots Nine leaves, nine grains of black pepper and a drop of cow ghee are crushed together and taken daily twice with butter milk in jaundice; leaf extract is poured into ears to get relief from ear pain; powdered root is given with one spoon of honey in paralysis; leaf extract is mixed with butter and given orally in convulsions. Maredu Leaves, fruits, roots Decoction of fruits is used to treat vomiting; powdered leaves are given orally in diabetes; paste of fresh root is taken orally in case of snake bites. Pedhamanu Bark, Roots Root is extracted with hot water and 5 g of the extract twice a day is given to vomiting patients; extract of fresh stem bark is mixed with curd and given to the diarrhoea patients or used in the treatment of intestinal amoebiasis. Derisena Seeds, cork of stem Cork of the stem is powdered and given internally to cure skin diseases; cork powder is extracted with hot water and given internally in case of snake bites etc. as antidote, and oil of seeds is applied externally to treat leucoderma. Pechikusuma Whole plant Latex of this plant is applied in the eyes in conjunctivitis; the extract of the herb is used to treat external wounds and ulcers, and oil of seeds is applied externally in skin diseases and leprosy. Machipathri Leaves Leaf extract is given orally as appetizer and epilepsy; leaves are heated with ghee and the product is tied to the eyes in conjunctivitis. Neerugobbi Roots Powdered root is extracted with hot water and given orally to edema patients. Modhuga Leaves, flowers, stem bark Extracts of flowers and leaves are used in treating diarrhoea, external ulcers; powdered stem bark extracted with hot water and the extract is used to clean external ulcers. Thagerasa Leaves Cooked leaves are taken orally to cure edema, leprosy and skin diseases; leaf extract along with the leaf extract of Ricinus communis Linn. is applied externally in back pain. Maalkamgini Roots, seeds Powdered root is given to diabetic patients; oil of seeds is massaged at the joint in order to get relief from joint pains. Chiruboddi Roots Root powder is given orally to treat fever, heart diseases and leprosy, powdered root with cow s milk is taken orally to treat diarrhoea. 14 Curculigo orchioides Gaertn./ Nelathadi Roots Powdered root mixed with honey is given orally in reducing fever, Hypoxidaceae/MRC g of root powder is mixed with hot water and taken orally in case of stomach ache, 10 g of the root powder is given orally with butter milk to anemic patients, 5 g of the root powder, 10 g ghee and 20 g honey is given orally for in leprosy. 15 Curcuma zedoaria Rosc./ Zingiberaceae/MRC Datura metel Linn./ Solanaceae/MRC 235 Kachuralu Fruits g of dry fruit extract with black peeper is given with sugar to treat asthma; dry fruits are taken orally in cough, headache and anemia. Tellavummetta Leaves Freshly collected leaves are crushed; extract of it is taken orally with buttermilk in dog bite. (Contd.)

5 430 INDIAN J NAT PROD RESOUR, SEPTEMBER 2012 Table 1 Ethnomedicinal plants used by traditional healers of East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, India (Contd.) S. No. Plant name/family/voucher no. Local name Part (s) used Ethnomedicinal uses 17 Euphorbia hirta Linn./ Euphorbiaceae/MRC 58 Dhugdhika Leaves 3-5 g of powdered leaves is given orally to treat asthma and cough; 10 g of leaves are crushed, 2 g of the black pepper is added into it and given orally in case of snake bites. 18 Ficus religiosa Linn./ Moraceae/MRC 149 Ravichettu Stem bark, young bud Decoction of stem bark is applied externally for healing wounds; young bud or stem bark is boiled in milk and taken orally in the treatment of syphilis. 19 Lowsonia inermis Linn./ Lythraceae/MRC Myristica fragrans Houtt./ Myristicaceae/MRC 70 Gorintaku Leaves Freshly collected leaves are crushed and the paste is applied directly on the wounds. Japathri Nutmeg Oil is extracted from nutmeg and is taken orally in case of sleeping disorders. 21 Pergularia daemia (Forsk.) Chiov./Asclepiadaceae/ MRC 103 Dhustupu theega Leaves, roots Five leaves and three grains of black pepper are crushed together; prepared into pills and given orally for treating fever, sixty drops of leaf extract is given orally in worm infestation; root powder is mixed with cured and given orally for treating menstrual colic. 22 Phyllanthus amarus Schum. & Thonn./Euphorbiaceae/ MRC 74 Nelausiri Leaves, fruits, roots Mixed powder of leaves and fruits is taken morning and evening for 3-6 days in treating jaundice; extract mixed with oil is warmed and applied into the eyes for conjunctivitis patients; powdered root with cow milk is given daily two times to the anemic patients. 23 Plectronia parviflora (Lam.) Bedd./Rubiaceae/MRC 125 Balusu Leaves, stem bark, roots Either root, bark or leaf extract is given orally to treat diarrhoea; the soup or curry of leaves is good for the diarrhoea patients; root is crushed, extracted and extract is taken orally to expel intestinal worms. 24 Plumeria rubra Linn./ Apocynaceae/MRC 180 Arhata ganneru Leaves Freshly collected leaves are crushed and the paste is applied directly externally on affected areas/wounds. 25 Punica granatum Linn./ Punicaceae/MRC 60 Dhanemma chettu Roots Fresh root infusion is given orally for expelling intestinal worms. 26 Randia dumetorum Poir./ Rubiaceae/MRC 23 Manga Fruits, stem bark Fruit extract are given orally to prevent vomiting and also to treat throat problems; stem bark extract is applied externally in bone pains. 27 Ruellia tuberosa Linn./ Acanthaceae/MRC 78 Tapakaku Leaves Paste of fresh leaves is applied externally on the wounds. 28 Semecarpus anacardium Linn. f./anacardiaceae/ MRC 127 Nallajeedi chettu Seeds Seed oil is applied externally in skin diseases and leucoderma. 29 Solanum nigrum Linn./ Solanaceae/MRC Tagetes erecta Linn./ Asteraceae/MRC Terminalia cuneata Roth./ Combretaceae/MRC Vitex negundo Linn./ Verbenaceae/MRC 46 Kamanchi Leaves, seeds Leaves are cooked and given to the edema and piles patients; seeds are extracted with hot water and the extract is mixed with honey and given orally to diabetic patients. Banthimokka Leaves Paste of fresh leaves is applied externally on the affected parts/external injuries to control bleeding and relieve pain. Tellamaddi Stem bark Powdered stem bark is mixed with a locally made sweet (paravannam) containing milk, sugar and rice and the preparation is kept in a suitable container and kept in hot water bath over night. Next day morning the preparation is given orally for treating asthma. Vavili/ nirguni Leaves, roots Freshly collected leaves are extracted and ½ ounce of the extract is given orally in reducing fever; 5 drops of the leaf extract is applied into the nostrils in treating convulsions; 2 spoons of the root extract is given orally every hour in case of snake bite.

6 RUDRAPAL et al: ETHNOMEDICINES OF EAST GODAVARI DISTRICT 431 rural economy of people through the establishment of herbal drug industries and development of health care system in our country. Further, scientific investigation based upon the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants can be an approach in the discovery and development of novel drug leads. Acknowledgement Authors are grateful to all informants for their valuable help and cooperation during the ethnomedicinal survey. Authors are very much thankful to botanist cum herbal drug practitioner Mr. Raghava Rao, Department of Botany, M. R. College, Peddapuram, East Godavari district, A.P. for providing valuable information regarding the use of medicinal plants and also for his help in identifying the collected plant species. References (access date: ). 2 Basha S K and Sudarshanam G, Ethnobotanical studies on medicinal plants used by Sugalis of Yerramalais in Kurnool district, Andhra Pradesh, India, Int J Phytomed, 2010, 2, Pragada P M, Rao D S and Venkaiah M, Study of some ethnomedicinal plants for treatment of dysentery of North Coastal Andhra Pradesh, India, Int J Biosci, 2012, 2(1), Chetty K M, Sivaji K and Tulasi Rao K, Flowering Plants of Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, India, Students offset Printers, Tirupati, Hemadri K, Andhra Pradeshlo Vanamulikalu, Chemiloids, Vijayawada, Jain S K, Dictionary of Indian Folk Medicine and Ethnobotany, Deep Publications, New Delhi, Khare C P, Indian Medicinal Plants, Springer-Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg, Jain S K, Medicinal Plants, National Book Trust of India, New Delhi, Zafar R, Medicinal Plants of India, CBS Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi, Chopra R N, Nayar S L and Chopra I R, Glossary of Medicinal Plants, Publications and Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi, Kirtikar K R and Basu B D, Indian Medicinal Plants, 2 nd Edn, Vols I-IV, Lalit Mohan Basu Press, Allahabad, Jain S K, Glimpses of Indian Ethnobotany, Oxford and IHB Publishing Co., New Delhi, Panduranga R M, Prasanthi S and Seetharami Reddi T V V, Medicinal plants in Folk medicine for Women s diseases in use by Konda Reddis, Indian J Trad Knowledge, 2011, 10(3), Padal S B, Murty P P, Srinivasa Rao D and Venkaiah M, Ethnomedicinal Plants from Paderu Division of Visakhapatnam District, A.P, India, J Phytol, 2010, 2(8),