Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Kani tribes of Pechiparai Hills, Western Ghats, India

Abstract

BackgroundThe present study was conducted among the Kani, a tribe settled in the Pechiparai hills of Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, to document and quantify their traditional knowledge on the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various human ailments. MethodsEthnomedicinal data were collected from the Kani by using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed by using use value (UV), informant consensus factor (Fic), fidelity level (FL) and family use value (FUV). ResultsIn total, 138 species representing 126 genera belonging to 60 families were reported to have medicinal value and were extensively used by the tribe. Leguminosae was the most speciose family, including 14% (19 species) of identified species. Leaf (50%; 69 species) was found to be the part most used to prepare drugs; leaf extract in the form of juice (26%) was the most widely used preparation; and remedies were often administered orally (53%). The highest UV was recorded for Aristolochia indica (0.35) with 18 use reports, whereas the highest Fic (0.09) was noted for the ailment category ‘fever’. The wide use of Curcuma longa has strong pharmacological evidence – that it is effective in treating various ailments. ConclusionThe present study was the first quantitative survey of the traditional use of medicinal plants by the Kani and will help in the conservation of this invaluable inheritance.