Role of medicinal plants in traditional health care system: a case study from Nallamalais.

ABSTRACT The Nallamalais is a group of moderately steep hills in the central part of the Eastern Ghats. Theseranges have typical gorges and gaps due to faulting the stream erosion resulting into a discontinuous range.The study area of the forest is of moist deciduous and dry deciduous mixed type with patches of scrub forest.The dominant tree species are Anogeissus latifolia, Boswellia serrata, Chloroxylon swietenia, Dalbergiapaniculata, Hardwickia binata, Pterocarpus marsupium and Terminalia alata. Nallamalais was explored toinventory sampling in study site areas by laying a quadrate of 10x10 m., 5x5 m.and 1x1 m. All the plant speciesencountered in quadrats were listed. A total of 324 species belonging to 252 genera and 96 families wererecorded. Out of which 116 tree species of 40 families, 167 herbaceous species of 37 families and 41 shrubspecies of 19 families listed. Of these only 66 species are used to cure only 5 listed major diseases i.e.Asthma, cardiac, diabetes, snake bite, scorpion sting.