Medicinal Plants Used by Traditional Healers in Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India
Author Information
Author(s): Muthu Chellaiah, Ayyanar Muniappan, Raja Nagappan, Ignacimuthu Savarimuthu
Primary Institution: Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, India
Hypothesis
What medicinal plants are used by traditional healers in Kancheepuram District?
Conclusion
The study found that traditional healers in Kancheepuram District use a variety of medicinal plants to treat common ailments, but their knowledge is at risk of disappearing.
Supporting Evidence
- The study documented 85 species of plants used for various ailments.
- The most common ailments treated included skin diseases, poison bites, and stomachaches.
- The traditional knowledge of medicinal plants is at risk of being lost as younger generations show less interest.
Takeaway
Traditional healers in Kancheepuram use plants to help people feel better when they are sick, but fewer young people are learning this important knowledge.
Methodology
An ethnobotanical survey was conducted through interviews and questionnaires with traditional healers in 12 villages.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the reliance on self-reported data from traditional healers.
Limitations
The study may not represent all traditional healers in the region, as it was limited to specific villages and a small sample size.
Participant Demographics
10 informants, comprising 8 males and 2 females, aged between 48 and 74.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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