Ethnobotanical investigations among traditional healers in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to collect information from traditional healers on the use of medicinal plants in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh during July 2011 to August 2012. The indigenous knowledge of local traditional healers and the native plants used for medicinal purposes were collected through questionnaire and personal interviews during field trips. The investigation revealed that, the traditional healers used 65 species of plants distributed in 58 genera belonging to 35 families to treat various diseases. The documented medicinal plants were mostly used to cure skin diseases, poison bites, stomachache and nervous disorders. In this study the most dominant families were Euphorbiaceae and fabaceae and leaves were most frequently used for the treatment of diseases. This study showed that many people in the studied parts of Warangal district still continue to depend on medicinal plants at least for the treatment of primary healthcare. The traditional healers are dwindling in number and there is a grave danger of traditional knowledge disappearing soon since the younger generation is not interested to carry on this tradition.