260 likes | 263 Views
Explore the traditional knowledge of the Kanikkar tribe in Tamil Nadu regarding the use of medicinal plants for treating diabetes. Discover the diverse plant species and their preparations used in this ancient healthcare system.
E N D
ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY THE KANIKKARS IN WESTERN GHATS, TIRUNELVELI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ANTI-DIABETICS EDWIN ARULDOSS DAVID BENHER Associate Professor and Head RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY V.H.N.SENTHIKUMARA NADAR COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS) (Re-Accredited with “A” grade by NAAC) VIRUDHUNAGAR-626 001 TAMIL NADU, INDIA
INTRODUCTION • Man dependent on plants for survival from ancient civilizations (Wickens, 1990) • Primitive people are very close to nature and acquired knowledge about useful and harmful plants. This knowledge is time tested, integrated with their culture & passed on orally from generation to generation • The value & important of traditional knowledge are now being increasingly acknowledged all over the world • It is mainly because of the fact that Cheap, Readily available, Reliable & have lesser side effects • World Health Organization estimates over 80% of the people depends on traditional medicine for primary health care. • Hence, the ethno-directed investigations are today recognized as the most viable method of identifying new medicinal plants in its bioactive constituents
India is the one of the twelve mega biodiversity countries of the world it has rich vegetation and plant diversity due to extreme variations in geographical and climatic conditions. • India represents one of the greatest emporia of ethnobotanical wealth (Pal, 2000) • India also has rich tradition of practicing traditional herbal therapeutics in the form of Ayurveda, Unani & Siddha system of medicine • In spite the fact that, India has about 45,000 plant species but traditional healers use only 2500 plant species of which, 100 species of plants serve as regular sources of medicine. • So there is a scrutiny of folk claims found almost 95% of plants
India has various ethnic groups along with a wide variety of traditional practices • Indigenous people of the study area is Kanikars • Lack of access to modern healthcare services, they are largely relying on their indigenous health care system • Nowadays, this ethnic knowledge is declining very rapidly due to • Life style changes by outsider’s contact • Oral transmission is partly attributed to the lose of knowledge • The folk medicine is often closely guarded with utmost secrecy • OBJECTIVE: To ascertain the detailed information on the traditional knowledge on the usage of medicinal plants to cure diabetes.
DIABETES MELLITUS • Chronic systemic disease characterized by metabolic and vascular abnormalities • Disorder of carbohydrate metabolism • Results from inadequate production or underutilization of insulin • Characterized by glucosuria and hyperglycemia • Two forms - Type 1 and Type 2 • Type 1-Patient secretes no insulin. Cause is felt to be autoimmune. • Type 2- Patient secretes insufficient amounts of insulin and insulin receptors are resistant to existent circulating insulin
Effects of Diabetes • Affects approx. 5 – 8 % • Mostly asymptomatic • Tendency increase with obesity • One of the leading cause of death by disease • One of the leading cause of blindness • One of the leading cause of renal failure
SIDE EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL DRUGS • Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea • Hypoglycaemia • Dilutional hyponatraemia & water intoxication (Chlorpropamide) • Disulfiram-like reaction with alcohol (Chlorpropamide) • Weight gain
METHODOLOGY • The study area is Western Ghats of Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu (India). • Ethnomedicinal plants information was obtained by semi-structured oral interviews, group discussions, informal meetings and field observation • Good rapport was established • Totally 21 informants between the ages of 30 to 75 were interviewed
FINDINGS • In the present study, a total of 44 species of plants belonging to 15 families were documented. • As far as plant part utility is concerned, leaves are commonly used, followed by bark, whole plant, seeds etc. • The formulations are prepared mostly in the form of juice followed by decoction, powder and paste prepared from raw plant parts. • To make better acceptability of herbal remedies that are taken orally and additives are not taken internally. • The data collected from this study will be useful to the researchers, pharmaceutical companies to discover a novel drug to cure diabetes.