Ethnobotanical Indices on Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Poisonous Bites in Thiruppuvanam Region of Sivagangai District in Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Poisonous bites are serious problems in tropical countries like India. Both the tribal and non-tribal people prefer herbal treatment for poisonous bites. In this manner, an ethnomedicinal investigation was carried out to explore the plants used to treat poisonous bites in Thiruppuvanam region of Sivagangai district. By this research work, a total of 16 medicinal remedies prepared from 16 species of angiosperms belonging to 15 genera comes under 13 families are in medicinal utility for the treatment of poisonous bites. It was documented that, 9 plants were used for the treatment of snake bite, 3 plants for the treatment of scorpion sting, 2 for all type of bites, 1 for dog bite, insect bite and rat bite. Among the 16 species recorded, dicots were represented with 11 species belonging to 10 genera of 9 families and monocots were 5 species of 5 genera belonging to 4 families. Aristolochiaceae, Lamiaceae and Liliaceae were found as dominant families with 2 species each (12.5%) and 10 families were noted with single species (each of 6.25%). Regarding the habits of medicinal plants, 8 species cited were herbs. It was also observed that leaves were mostly used plant part (43.75%) to treat poisonous bites. The medicinal preparation was mostly used in the form of extract (62.5%) and the administration of the medicine prepared was mainly taken as drink (64.70%). Musa paradisiaca (UV of 0.85 with 17 use-reports) was the most frequently and popularly used medicinal plant species in the study area. It is necessary to perform phytochemical or pharmacological studies on these traditionally used plants used for medicinal purposes to ascertain their therapeutic efficiencies.
 Keywords: Ethnobotanical indices, Medicinal plants, Poisonous bites, Thiruppuvanam region, Sivagangai district, Tamil Nadu.