<span style="font-size:15.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA" lang="EN-US">Medicobotanical properties of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Phyllanthus</i> species (Euphorbiaceae) used by the Aboriginal <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Adivasis</i> of Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh</span>

Abstract

<span style="font-size:9.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt" lang="EN-US">Medicobotanical survey was undertaken to collect information from traditional healers on the use of medicinal plants in Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. The indigenous knowledge of local traditional healers and native plants used for medicinal purpose were collected through questionnaire and personal interviews. The genus <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Phyllanthus </i>represented by 18 species in Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, of which 13 species are used by the aboriginal <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Adivasi</i> communities in the treatment of various human diseases/ailments. The tribal people especially the elders have authentic information on medicinal values of different plant parts like leaves, fruits, flowers, seeds, stem bark, stem galls and roots. They use the drugs of different plant parts in the form of paste, powder, juice, decoction, infusion, and also in crude form, with other additives like calcium, camphor, castor oil, cow milk, dry chilli, garlic, gingelly oil, ginger, goat milk, honey, ilachi, jaggery, mustard oil, pepper, turmeric, white of hen’s egg, cow urine, etc. The hither to unknown therapeutic properties of test species were analysed and indicated with asterisk. The present study have been undertaken to document ethnomedicobotanical uses of plant of the region which may serve as a base knowledge for new drug development and for prevention of biopiracy.

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