Ethnomedicinal Plants Used by Rural People in Salem District, South India with Reference to Important Ailments

The observations of present investigation showed that traditional medicine plays a vital role among the rural people of Salem district, Tamil Nadu, India. In Salem district, the traditional medicinal method is very effective, supportive and successful in curing snake bite, jaundice, diabetes, fever, urinary troubles and skin diseases. Tribals and villagers mainly depend on the plants for all ailments. They are perceptive of the plant remedies for common diseases such as jaundice, diabetes, dysentery asthma, rheumatism, skin diseases, cough, urinary troubles, fever, dyspepsia and constipation. Analysis of the present study revealed that different parts of the plants such as bark, flower, fruit, latex, leaves, roots, seeds, stems, tubers and whole plants are being used as medicines. Among these parts 61% of medicines were from leaves. This was followed by flowers (10%), seeds (9%), root-tubers (8%), latex (6%), bark (3%), whole plant (2%) and stem (1%). They are also very popular with the antidotes for scorpion bite and snake bites. Accepted: 12 August 2016 Available Online: 25 August 2016