ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY TRIBALS IN ANANTAPUR DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

S Raja Sekhar. The present study deals with the study of some of the medicinal plants were used by sugali tribes of the Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India. These tribes are depending on the medicinal plants for traditional health care. 25 Medicinal plants were identified and botanical name, local name, family, habitat, part of plant used, mode of consumption, disease cured and preparation method are represented.


Introduction:-
India is an identified mega diverse country, rich in biodiversity and associated traditional knowledge. In floral diversity, India ranks tenth in the world and fourth in Asia (Sanjay et al., 2015). In India about two lakh villages are in forest area (Aggarwal et al., 2009). India has the second largest tribal population in the world after Africa (Mukherkee et al., 2013). The Anantapur District is a district in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, India. The district headquarters is located at Anantapur city. As of 2011 Census, the district had a population of 4,083,315 of which 28.095 is urban and literacy rate of 64.28%. It is the largest district in terms of area in Andhra Pradesh and 7 th largest district in India respectively. This region has been dominated by nomadic sugali tribes. The forest regions are inhabited by twenty thousand sugali tribal people. The sugalis are inhabiting this place were nature worshippers originally, and they worship Champaka tree (Michelia champaca), called Dodda Sampige in the local language (Ganeshaiah et al., 1998).
Our present aim to 1. Document plant species that were utilized for medicinal purposes among the tribal people of the sugali tribes. 2. Document human diseases, traditional plant remedies, methods of preparation and mode of administration.

Methodology:-
Periodic field studies were carried out in different villages of Anantapur district. Normally tribal peoples are hesitating to talk with strangers and very conservative regarding providing information. They feel if they disclose medicinal property of a plant that plant will be lost forever. However, information gathered from tribal's, local vaidyas, medicine men and women village elders through personal communication and questionnaire.
Questionnaires were used to collect information from the tribal people. Questionnaires consists name, sex, age, vernacular name of the plant, the parts and properties that were used, mode of preparation, approximate doses and mode of administration.

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The collected plant species were identified with the help of different published data and flora.
The medicinal plants are categorized disease wise under each section arranged in the alphabetical order of plant species name followed by family name, local name, part(s) used and mode of administration(i.e. decoction, paste, powder and juice),for reported plant species.

Discussion:-
The present investigation provides an ethno botanical data of the 25 medicinal plants used by the sugali tribal people of Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India.. The medicinal plant botanical name, local name, family, habitat, part of plant used, mode of consumption, disease cured and preparation method are represented in the table (See table). The majority of plants species belong to families Fabaceae, Mimosaceae, Amarantahceae and Rubiaceae.
The knowledge and usage of herbal medicine for the treatment of various human diseases and disorders in local villages is still a major part of tribal life. Allopathic medicines are expensive and there is no side effect in comparison to the traditional medicine. This indicates the reason for the dependence of tribal peoples on traditional medicine.
The common diseases of this area are Cough, cold, Headache, Dysentery, Fever and Jaundice. These tribes are consuming the highly nutritious forest products such as honey, tubers fruits and etc. They won't suffer from major diseases like, Diabetes, Tuberculosis, Measles and Mumps. Many of the tribal peoples are using plants for disease cure. There is a need to establish herbal drug centers from newly identified medicinal plants for collecting, processing and preparation of herbal medicine and to improving the life and economy of the local tribal and rural peoples. The fruit is mixed with ginger and 2drops of honey, made into paste and consumed