Ethnopharmacological Values of Sacred Trees of Big Temples in Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu State, India.

Abstract

Ethnopharmacological values: This study provides a significant ethnopharmacological informations, about the sacred plants of big temples in cuddalore district, tamilnadu state qualitatively and quantitatively. Ethanobotanical studies are very important to reveal the multi sort values of plants in the world in past and present. In this way since this is the first ethanobotanical study which records the traditional important medicinal values of sacred plants of big temples in cuddalore district. Materials and methods: The information was obtained through open and semi-structured interviews with 35 (22 males, 13 females) knowledgeable local people and traditional healers.  The collected data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. In addition, conservation status of the plants, usage value and relative importance were determined.Results: A total of six species of sacred plants, mostly trees, belonging to six families were studied in this investigation. They were used to treat 30 diseases and 12 major ailment categories. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part.  Based on IUCN red data, the identified sacred plants include one least concerned species, one vulnerable species and two endangered and threatened species.  The ailment categories of Gastro-intestinal problems had the highest percentage (83.3) of use plant species (Table-5). The most important species according to their high use value (UV) were Aegle marmelos (0.97) and Prosopis cineraria (0.94) which are the most frequently and popularly used plants.  The species which had the highest Relative Importance (RI) values are Aegle marmelos (1.80) and Ficus religiosa (1.71).Conclusion: As a result of the present study, it can be concluded the sacred plants play an important role in the health care of human being and people rely on medicinal plants to treat various ailments and diseases.  In addition, the ethnomedicinal plants with high UV and RI values might give some useful leads for further pharmacological inverstigation.

Keywords: Sacred trees, Conservation, Ethnopharmacology, Ethano-medicine, Sthalavriksha, Big Temple Cuddalore district.