Ethnogynecological uses
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Transcript of Ethnogynecological uses
Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge
Vol. 9(1), January 2010, pp. 73-76
Ethnogynecological uses of plants prevalent among the tribes
of Periyar Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats
Jomy Augustine*, Sreejesh KR & Bijeshmon PP
Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, St Thomas College, Pala, 686 574, Kerala
E-mail: [email protected]
Received 4 January 2007; revised 17 October 2008
Periyar Tiger Reserve, with an area of 777 sq km is the largest protected area in the high ranges of Kerala state. There are
five tribal groups, namely Mannan, Paliyan, Urali, Malayarayan and Malampandaram with a total population of 2,166. An
ethnobotanical study carried out among the tribal groups of Periyar Tiger Reserve revealed use of 15 plant species for
ethnogynecological purposes.
Keywords: Ethnogynecology, Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala, Mannan tribes, Paliyan tribes, Urali tribes, Malayarayan
tribes and Malampandaram tribes
IPC Int. Cl.8: A61K36/00, A61P15/00, A61P15/06, A61P31/00, A61P31/04
About 64% of the total global population remain
dependent on traditional medicines1,2
. Nearly 8,000
plant species were recognized as of ethnobotanical
importance and many of them are promising drugs for
modern medicinal applications3. Periyar Tiger
Reserve with an area of 777 sq km is the largest
protected area in Kerala state and is situated in Idukki
revenue district (Figs. 1 & 4). The area is quite rich in
plant wealth with 1,978 species of flowering plants4.
There are 5 tribes, namely Mannan, Paliyan, Urali,
Malayarayan and Malampandaram with a total
population of 2,166 residing in and around the
protected area5. The first 3 tribal groups are said as
early immigrants from Tamil Nadu plains after the
demolition of great regimes of Chola and Pandya as
indicated by the dialect, which is a mixture of
Malayalam and Tamil but more similarity to Tamil6.
Except Malampandaram tribes, all are now settled in
5 permanent settlements outside the Tiger Reserve.
Malampandaram tribes’ are still residing inside the
forests as cave dwellers.
Methodology An ethnobotanical survey was conducted frequently
among the five tribal groups. Elder people and
medicine men of the tribal communities were
contacted for interview. Sometimes, they were
employed as field guides during the field exploration
for collection of the plants and recorded first hand
ethnobotanical uses. At certain occasions, plants were
brought from interior forests and shown to them for
knowing and recording the local names and medicinal
uses. Tribal physicians and village physicians were
consulted for knowing more about the uses of plants
(Fig. 8). Village old mothers were consulted for the
methods of preparation and administration of the
plants. The information from the tribal people was
compared with literature7-12
. The voucher specimens
were deposited at herbaria of Calicut University
Herbarium (CALI) and Herbarium of Kerala Forest
Research Institute (KFRI).
Results
Fifteen plant species used by the tribes of the Tiger
Reserve for childbirth, mother care and to induce
abortion are by botanical name, family and common
name followed by the uses and method of
administration. [
Anamirta cocculus (L.) Wt. & Arn. (Menisper-
maceae), Pechumarunnu
The fresh bark juice is applied on head for easing
childbirth by Malayarayan. The fruit is reported as
convulsive poison and as insecticide
8,10,11.
Arenga wightii Griff. (Arecaceae), Aazham pana.(Fig. 8)
Toddy from the inflorescence is extracted and
hardened with fresh roots of Thottea siliquosa (Lam.) ——————
*Corresponding author
INDIAN J.TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 9, No. 1, JANUARY 2010
74
Ding Hou and small amount is given every morning
to pregnant ladies to prevent malformed childbirth by
Malampandaram.
Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. (Hypoxidaceae),
Nilappana
Fresh tubers are eaten for increasing lactation. Tuber
paste is applied on breasts of the mother immediately
after childbirth to induce lactation by Mannan. Tubers
are reported as abortifacient7.
Gloriosa superba L. (Liliaceae), Menthonni (Fig. 7).
A small amount of tuber paste is applied externally on
head to accelerate childbirth. It is believed that the
tubers that grow to the northern direction with a
horizontal basal portion and downwardly growing
Fig1Map of study area Fig 2 Fig 3
Fig 4 Periyar Tiger Reserve Fig 5 Fig 6
Fig 7 Fig 8 Fig 9 A tribe
Thottea siliquosa Thottea siliquosa
Polypleurum stylosum Mussaenda belilla
Gloriosa superba Arenga wightii Mannan
AUGUSTINE et al.: ETHNOGYNECOLOGICAL USES AMONG TRIBES OF KERALA
75
distal portion are the ones to be used. The basal
portion made into a paste, is applied on head of ladies,
who are suffering from severe delivery pain. Soon
after the delivery, paste made of the distal portion of
the same tuber is applied on the head for vaginal
contraction (Malampandaram). The paste of the
rhizome is applied on the lower part of belly for
easing childbirth7. The rhizome has been reported
as abortifacient in early stage of pregnancy and
its rhizome starch is reported useful in
gonorrhea8,13
.
Lagerstroemia microcarpa Wt. (Lythraceae),
Benthekku (Malayarayan), Thuvara (Mannan).
Fresh bark of tender stem is eaten by ladies before
start eating fish or flesh after delivery. Ladies after
delivery do not eat meat or fish for several weeks and
when they wish to start eating fish, this treatment is
given (Mannan).
Lannea coromandelica (Houtt.) Merr.
(Anacardiaceae), Uthi
Bark decoction of Terminalia catappa and Vitex
altissima is used for bathing ladies after delivery for
few weeks (Mannan).
Lycoperisicon esculentum P. Miller (Solanaceae)
Kattuthakkali.
Juice of fresh leaves folded and placed over flame for
some time is orally given to ladies to stop
menstruation temporarily (Mannan).
Meliosma simplicifolia (Roxb.) Walp. (Sabiaceae),
Chenthanamaram.
Mothers eat fresh tender bark after delivery for
contraction of uterus (Mannan).
Mussaenda belilla Buch.-Ham. (Rubiaceae), Vellila
thali. (Fig. 6)
Fresh bark and young parts are given orally to ladies
after delivery. This treatment is given before they start
eating meat after delivery (Mannan). Leaves are
reported to be used in lactation problems in young
mothers7..
Polygonum chinense L. (Polygonaceae), Mudanthi.
Stem is acidic and given orally to ladies after
delivery. It is believed that this treatment is good for
contraction of the uterus and to reduce dilation of
vagina. It is also used as a vegetable (Mannan).
Polypleurum stylosum (Wt.) Hall. (Podostemaceae),
Karimpayal. (Fig. 5)
Fresh plant paste is applied externally around the
vagina and belly to ease childbirth. This gives
relief from severe pain during delivery
(Malayarayan).
Schleichera oleosa (Lour.) Oken (Sapindaceae),
Mulla maram, Poovam
Pregnant women bathe in water boiled with the bark
of the stem. This gives relief from acute back pain
(Mannan).
Solanum torvum Sw. (Solanaceae), Ana chunda
Leaf is made into a roll and one roll is placed on
another leaf and rolled, and this is held over fire for a
while and the juice extracted from the inner leaf is
given orally to induce abortion (Mannan).
Thottea siliquosa (Lam.) Ding Hou. (Aristo-
lochiaceae), Alpam (Figs 2 & 3)
The fresh roots are added to fresh toddy obtained
from the inflorescence of Arenga wightii Griff. and
kept for over night. Small amount of the toddy is
given to pregnant ladies every morning to prevent
malformation of the foetus (Malampandaram).
Vitex altissima L.f. (Verbenaceae), Mayilellu
The bark and wood is boiled in water and the water is
used for bathing women after childbirth for few
weeks (Mannan).
Discussion
The information was gathered directly from the tribal
people of the study area. Since several plants
especially Polypleurum stylosum (Wt.) Hall., Arenga
wightii Griff., etc. are potential for modern drug
development and further studies on the biomedical
experimentation of these plants are suggested.
Acknowledgement
Author is grateful to Kerala State Council for
Science Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) for
the financial support; Kerala Forest Department,
Thekkady for giving permission to do the study and to
extend all possible facilities for conducting of the
fieldwork. The principal of St Thomas College, Pala
is also acknowledged for providing the facilities for
the study.
INDIAN J.TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE, VOL. 9, No. 1, JANUARY 2010
76
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