AN ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY TRADITIONAL HEALERS OF THADVAI, WARANGAL DISTRICT, ANDHRA PRADESH, INDIA

Since ancient times, plants have been used as medicine, foods, Agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals by large number of tribes, rural and urban people. India has more than 300 tribal communities. The tribal region of Andhra Pradesh has not received proper attention of ethnomedicinal researchers. Therefore, a survey of ethnomedicinal plants used by Koya tribes of Medaram and Narlapura villages which are on the south of the Godavari River, Thadvai Mandal, Warangal District; Andhra Pradesh, India was undertaken. The information on plants was collected by interviewing the local tribal traditional practitioners. The present study revealed that the plants which are used in traditional systems are mostly collected from the wild resources. A total of 36 plant species (belonging to 24 families) of ethno botanical interest upon inquiries from these tribal informants' between the age of 35-78 were reported. They have been using these parts in the form of paste, powder, decoction, juice, infusion and also in crude form, with other additives like honey, curd, and urine and cow milk to get relief from different ailments like diabetes, inflammations, wounds, skin diseases, headache, indigestion, urinary infections, fever, snake bites, cough, and dental problems. This study therefore concludes, it is necessary that suitability requirements are needed in order to protect the traditional knowledge in a particular area with reference to medicinal plant utilization. The plants need to be evaluated through phytochemical investigation to discover potentiality as drugs.