Ethnomedicinal Plants used by the Indigenous Peoples of Palani Hills in Southern Western Ghats for Treating Rheumatism

Abstract

Ethnomedicinal plants used by th local indigenous peoples for treating rheumatism in the villages of Palani Hills, Southern Western Ghats (Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu, India) ere carried out during the period of Janaury 2012 to March 2013. The local indigenous peoples of the study area are called Paliyars and Pulayrs and they are indigenous people of Palani hills. They posses diverse and valuable traditional knowledge about the usage of different plants for curing various ailments. The rheumatism is one of the ailment successfully treated by the application of traditional phytothreaphy by their known practice. A total of 39 ethnomedicinal plants belonging to 38 genera and 38 families have been documented for their therapeutic uses against rhematism and related diseases such as inflamation and swelling of joints. The leaves were the most frequently utilized plant part and most herbal remedies are prepared as decoction followed by paste. The decoction is taken orally and the paste is applied topically in affected part to treat rheumatism.