An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by the "NALIKE" community in the Bantwala taluk of Dakshina Kannada District, Karnataka, India

Abstract

The "Nalike" community, also known as Panar, is one of the tribal communities in the Bantwala taluk in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district. In addition to the practise of ritual dance, the majority of the families in this community embrace traditional medication as a source of income. For the ethnobotanical survey, a total of 25 informants were chosen and documented 160 medicinal plant species from 65 families including their botanical name, trivial name, family name, plant parts used, and medicinal uses. The most frequent families are Leguminosae (17 species), Rubiaceae (9 species), Apocynaceae (7 species), Myrtaceae (7 species), and Lamiaceae (7 species). To cure various disorders, different portions of medicinal plants are employed in the manufacture of various types of traditional medicine such as decoction, infusion, paste, or powder. A total of 39 diseases were identified and classified into nine disease categories. All informants treat paralysis with Syzygium aromaticum, Cinnamomum verum, and Glycyrrhiza glabra, as well as other medicinal plants in various combinations, in the category of neurological illnesses.