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Medicinal properties of plants have been recognized and practiced by
tribal communities as a tradition for thousands of years. Knowledge on some
common medicinal plants of their locality is available with all the members of
the community. However, the elderly members possess a great deal of knowledge
of medicinal plants as well as on medicines for curing certain life threatening
diseases. Tribal people use plants solely or in combination. Same plant may be
used for different disorders: for example Calotropis gigantea is
used as vermicide and for chest pain, Centella asiatica used
for gynaecological problems and for jaundice, Dodonaea viscosa used
for headache, stomach pain and piles, Wrightia tinctoria for
treating mumps and as lactagogue. In certain cases a combination of different
plants are used in the treatment for e.g. Albizia lebbec together
with Cassia fistula and Euphorbia hirta is
used for urinary disorder. And Capparis zeylanica with Pongamia
pinnata, Cissus quandrangularis and Toddalia
asiatica is used for venereal disease. Each tribe has its own method
of collecting the plants as well as the preparation of medicines. Dosage and
duration of medication depends on the age of the patient and the intensity of
disease. The tribes collect the plant part used for medicine at a particular
time like, either before flowering or fruiting, or in a particular season.
