International Journal of

Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Vol. 01, No. 01, Jan-Dec 2012

IJASET 010101 Copyright © 2012 BASHA RESEARCH CENTRE. All rights reserved.

A status survey of medicinal plant diversity at Kondapalli reserve forest,

Andhra Pradesh, India

I. SIVA RAMA KRISHNA and M. SUJATHA

Freshman Engineering Department, K L University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India

Email: isivaram76@gmail.com, sujatha7klu@gmail.com

Abstract: A preliminary survey was carried out in 2010-11 in Kondapalli reserve forest, one of the historical

and tourist spot in Andhra Pradesh, India and identified 33 medicinal plants which are being used by the ethnic

people. During the survey the status survey has also been carried for all identified plants and identified the local

threats to the medicinal plants. Kondapalli is famous world over toy making from Givotia moluccana (L.) Sreem

(Tella poniki). Some plants are being over used by the local people for making toys and other goods, which are

having the medicinal properties. As the species becoming endangered in that locality, there is an urgent need to

take strategies towards conservation and management of that area. In this paper a detailed list of various

medicinal plants located in the study area have been listed out and discussed the various conservation and

management steps.

Key words: Medicinal plants, Kondapalli forest, Conservation, management

Introduction:

The application of traditional medicine and medicinal

plants has expanded globally. It has gained extensive

popularity and now has become a crucial part of

human health care. Traditional medicines have been

used by the Indian people since many centuries. In

India, the use of plants for medicinal treatment dates

back to 5000 years. It was officially recognized that

2500 plant species have medicinal value while over

6000 plants are estimated to be explored in traditional,

folk and herbal medicine (Huxley 1984).The

medicinal plants find application in pharmaceutical,

cosmetic, agricultural and food industry. The

medicinal herbs usage for curing disease has been

documented in history of all civilizations. Man in the

pre-historic era was probably not aware about the

health hazards associated with irrational therapy. With

the onset of research in medicine, it was concluded

that plants contain active principles, which are

responsible, for curative action of the herbs. The

plant-based traditional medical systems continue to

provide the primary health care to more than three-

quarters of the world’s populace. The World Health

Organization has estimated that over 80% of the

global population relies chiefly on traditional

medicine (Akerele 1992).

India has rich diversity of medicinal plants. The

supply base of 90% herbal raw drugs used in the

manufacture of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani &

Homoeopathy systems of medicine is largely from the

wild. This wild source is speedily shrinking day-by-

day. Therefore, there is a need for conservation and

sustainable use of medicinal plants. It is hoped that, in

the future, ethnobotany may play an increasingly

important role in sustainable development and

biodiversity conservation (Rajasekaran & Warren

1994). The key threats for medicinal plants are due to

over dependency by local people, grazing, forest fires

and commercial activities. The local people depend

upon these plants are due to the effective nature, non

availability of medical facilities and ethno cultural

beliefs. Cultivation is clearly a sustainable alternative

to the present collection of medicinal plants from the

wild. This can be a potential provider of returns to the

farmers.

Literature review:

Ethnobotanical investigation has led to the

documentation of a large number of wild plants used

by tribal for meeting their multifarious requirements

(Anonymous 1990). Studies on ethnobotany were

initiated by Janaki-Ammal as an official programme

in the Economic Botany Section of Botanical Survey

of India (Howrah) in 1954. From 1960, Jain started

intensive field studies among tribal areas of central

India (Jain 1963 a-e; 1964 a-c; 1965 a-b). These

publications in early sixties triggered ethnobotanical

activities in many botanists, anthropologists and

ayurvedic medical practitioners.

V. S. Raju (2001) made a note on Ethnoveterinary

medicine in Andhra Pradesh. Ratnam & Raju (2005)

reported Folk medicine used for common women

ailments by Adivasis in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra

Pradesh. S.N. Jadhav & K.N. Reddy (2006) presented

detail account on threatened medicinal plants of

Andhra Pradesh. K.N. Reddy et. al (2002, 2007)

published several papers on ethnobotanical studies.

Bhakshu & Raju (2007) made abstract account on

Ethno-medico-botanical studies of certain medicinal

plants and certain Euphorbiaciaceous medicinal plants

of Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh. Geetha & Raju

(2007) made a note on Ethno-medico-botanical

properties of Terminalia species in the forests of

Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh.

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I. SIVA RAMA KRISHNA, M. SUJATHA

International Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Vol. 01, No. 01, Jan-Dec 2012, pp 1-5

Study Area:

The Kondapalli reserve forest spreads over an area of

62 Sq. Km. situated in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra

Pradesh. The forest spreads in the Deccan plateau in

between 16o 37’N and 80

o 31’E-latitudes and 16

o

45’N and 80o 26’E longitudes (Map 1). The study area

is one of the historical regions of our country with

highly undulating and rocky quartzite terrain. The

historic fort on the hill located to the west of the

Kondapalli village was built by Prolaya Vema Reddy

of Kondavidu during the 14th century.

The local people are mainly depending on Givotia

moluccana (L.) Sreem (local name: Tella poniki),

which is used exclusively for the manufacture of the

famous Kondpalli toys. The forest vegetation around

Kondapalli fort and the nearby hills are also well

known for medicinal plants and trees such as

Phyllanthus amarus (Telugu local name "nela usiri"),

Andrographis paniculata (local name: “adavi mirapa”

or “nelavemu”), Wrightia tinctoria, Tephrosia

purpurea, Albizia amara, Streulia urens and

Chloroxylon swetenia. The hill range is mainly made

up of charnockites, with some pyroxene granulites,

granites, khondalites, pyroxenites and dolerites.

Fig. 1 - Map showing the study area of Kondapalli

Reserve Forest in India (Not to Scale)

Methodology:

A survey has been conducted from April, 2010 to

March 2011 for all three seasons (summer, mansoon

and winter) in various habitats with special emphasis

on medicinal values. Secondary data has also been

collected from the local villagers. A data form is

prepared in local language to know the particulars of

the plants which are useful for preparing medicines.

An exhaustive list of various medicinal plants has

been prepared after proper photo documentation and

identification of unknown species with the help of

experts. Line transect method has been used for

carryout the study of various plant species. The

specimens were identified with the aid of standard

local floras. The status survey has also been done for

all the three seasons and grouped them as Rare,

Sporadic and Common.

Results:

The taxa are arranged alphabetically followed by local

name and family names (Table 1). Ethnobotanical

investigation has led to the documentation of a large

number of wild plants used by tribals for meeting

their demands. In India, many organized

ethnobotanical studies were initiated by intensive field

studies in the tribal areas. The state of Andhra Pradesh

is ethonobotanically better explored. There is very

little documentation in the study area. The terrain is

undulated and it is very difficult to explore the region.

The present study reveals 33 species belonging to 32

genera under 26 families. As per the detailed survey

carried out for one year, 17 species are common, 12

species are Sporadic and 4 species are rarely occurred

(Table 2, Fig 2).

Fig. 2 Graph showing the status of various medicinal

plants available at Kondapalli Reserve Forest

These medicinal plants are known to cure 16 types of

ailments. The main ailments in the study area were

boils, body pains, insect and dog bites, cold, fever,

chest pain, ear ache, foot cracks, skin diseases,

Kidney stones, motions, stomachache, toothache,

wounds and external tumors. For most of the diseases,

tribal people are using single plant and for few they

are using the combination of others.

Table 1: List of medicinal plant species found in Kondapalli Reserve Forest

S.No Scientific Name Common Name Family

1 Aganosma dichotoma (Roth) K. Schum Pala malli Alangiaceae

2 Albizia amara (Roxb.) Boiv. Mimosaceae

3 Andrographis paniculata Nees Nela vemu Acanthaceae

4 Argyreia nervosa (Burm.f.) Bojer. Convolvulaceae

5 Atalantia monophylla A.DC Konda nimma Ruteaceae

6 Azima tetracantha Lam Telluppi Zygophyllaceae

7 Bauhinia racemosa Linn Chinnare Fabaceae

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A status survey of medicinal plant diversity at Kondapalli reserve forest, Andhra Pradesh, India

International Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Vol. 01, No. 01, Jan-Dec 2012, pp 1-5

8 Boswellia serreta Roxb. Anthuka Burseraceae

9 Canavalia virosa Roxb. Adavi chamma Papilionaceae

10 Caralluma adscendens Roxb. Kundeti kommulu Asclepidaceae

11 Cassytha filiformis L. Paachi theega Lauraceae

12 Cayratia auriculata Roxb. Chephichi Theega Vitaceae

13 Chloroxylon swietenia DC Billika Rutaceae

14 Cleome gynandra L. Vamintaku Capparidaceae

15 Commiphora caudata Wight & Arn Metta mamidi Burseraceae

16 Crateva magna (Lour.) DC Uskia-Tammidi Capparidaceae

17 Cyperus rotundus L. Tunga Kayalu Cyperaceae

18 Datura metel L. Nallummetta Solanaceae

19 Elytraria acaulis L.f. Nalamarri Acanthaceae

20 Givotia moluccana L. Sreem Tella Puniki Euphorbiaceae

21 Grewia hirsuta Vahl Gundu bontha Tiliaceae

22 Gyrocarpus americanus Jacq. Puniki Hernandiaceae

23 Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq. Pappucharu theega Convolvulaceae

24 Lawsonia inermis L. Gorintaku Lythraceae

25 Malachra capitata L. Yerribenda Malvaceae

26 Marsdenia volubilis T. Cooke Bandi guruvinda Asclepiadaceae

27 Mimosa pudica L. Atti patti Mimosaceae

28 Moringa concanensis Nimmo Ex Gibs Adavi Mulaga Moringaceae

29 Phyllanthus amarus Schum.et Thonn Nela Usiri Euphorbiaceae

30 Phyllanthus reticulates Poiret Nalla Pulcheru Euphorbiaceae

31 Plumbago zeylanica Linn. Chitramulamu Plumbaginaceae

32 Pterospermum xylocarpum Gaertn. Lolugu Strerculiaceae

33 Tylophora indica Burm.F.Merr. Mekameyani Aku Asclepiadaceae

Table 2: Status of medicinal plant species found in Kondapalli Reserve Forest

S.No Scientific Name Status

1 Aganosma dichotoma (Roth) K. Schum Common

2 Albizia amara (Roxb.) Boiv. Common

3 Andrographis paniculata Nees Common

4 Argyreia nervosa (Burm.f.) Bojer. Common

5 Atalantia monophylla A.DC Common

6 Azima tetracantha Lam Sporadic

7 Bauhinia racemosa Linn Common

8 Boswellia serreta Roxb. Rare

9 Canavalia virosa Roxb. Sporadic

10 Caralluma adscendens Roxb. Rare

11 Cassytha filiformis L. Common

12 Cayratia auriculata Roxb. Sporadic

13 Chloroxylon swietenia DC Common

14 Cleome gynandra L. Common

15 Commiphora caudata Wight & Arn Sporadic

16 Crateva magna (Lour.) DC Rare

17 Cyperus rotundus L. Sporadic

18 Datura metel L. Common

19 Elytraria acaulis L.f. Sporadic

20 Givotia moluccana L. Sreem Common

21 Grewia hirsuta Vahl Common

22 Gyrocarpus americanus Jacq. Sporadic

23 Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq. Common

24 Lawsonia inermis L. Common

25 Malachra capitata L. Sporadic

26 Marsdenia volubilis T. Cooke Common

27 Mimosa pudica L. Common

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I. SIVA RAMA KRISHNA, M. SUJATHA

International Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Vol. 01, No. 01, Jan-Dec 2012, pp 1-5

28 Moringa concanensis Nimmo Ex Gibs Sporadic

29 Phyllanthus amarus Schum.et Thonn Common

30 Phyllanthus reticulates Poiret Sporadic

31 Plumbago zeylanica Linn. Sporadic

32 Pterospermum xylocarpum Gaertn. Rare

33 Tylophora indica Burm.F.Merr. Sporadic

Conclusion:

Due to deforestation and other threats to biodiversity

lead to loss of medicinal plant diversity in all habitats.

Even though the protection measures are taken up by

the government and other NGO’s, there is still more

efforts are required for the conservation and

management of medicinal plant wealth. The present

study reveals that the local people are having good

knowledge on traditional uses of plants. But due to the

modernisation, this knowledge may be lost in due

course. Hence it is essential to study and document

the ethnic knowledge, which can provide valuable

information to biochemists and pharmacologists in

screening of individual species and their phyto-

constituents.

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International Journal of Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology

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