TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY LOCAL PEOPLE OF KAILASAKONA- A SACRED GROVE OF CHITTOOR DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

摘要

Objective: The present study deals with the documentation of traditional medicinal knowledge from local people of Kailasakona Sacred Grove, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Methods: The medicinal plants used by local people of Kailasakona Sacred Grove were documented through a structural questionnaire from the time period of 2013-2014 and cross checked the ethnomedicinal values with Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical database. Results: The present study deals ethnomedicinal values of plants against 25 types of ailments/diseases are explored by using 31 medicinal plants, belongs to 25 families. Among the 31 medicinal plants, most of the drug preparations are made from shrubs followed by trees, herbs, climbers and stragglers. Among the plant parts leaf is used higher percentage for the preparation of drugs followed by fruit, latex, root, stem bark, whole plant, flower, root bark and seed. Paste form and oral administration of the drugs are most prevalent. Conclusion: The ethnomedicinal data get from Kailasakona Sacred Grove indicates the people of this area possess good knowledge on medicinal plants. However, lack of followers as well as practitioners the ethnomedicinal data is dwindling rapidly. There is no proper documentation studies are taken so far to this area. Hence the present study was undertaken to document the medicinal knowledge from local people of Kailasakona Sacred Grove. Coincidence of cross checked documented medicinal data with Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical database shows medicinal significance of Kailasakna Sacred Grove area local people. Keywords: Local villagers, Medicinal plants, Indigenous knowledge, Kailasakona Sacred Grove.