A joint research team of the National Institute of Indian Medicinal History, Hyderabad and Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupathi have found that tribal people belonging to the chenchus, Yerukulas and Yanadis living in the deep jungles of Rapur in the Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh are in possession of a vast ethno-medicinal knowledge which is mostly not known to traditional Indian systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani.

 

The research teams found that the tribals, having no access to the modern medicinal system, are deeply depending on their knowledge of the traditional ethno-medicine for curing a variety of ailments.

 

It is found that the medicinal properties of plants are reportedly totally different from those mentioned in the traditional Indian systems of medicine.

 

The research team had documented the herbs being used by the tribes and the medicinal properties possessed by them. The team, consisting of M. Neelima, G. Sundarsanam, G. Penchala Pratap and B. Jyothi, has also found to their surprise that the tribals have attributed different medicinal properties to individual parts of a plant like leaves, fruits, flowers, seeds, stem bark, tubers and roots.

 

The tribals have reportedly claimed to have knowledge of as many as 61 medicinal plants in various forms of paste, powder, juice decoction and infusion in crude form with additives like ghee, sesame oil, cow urine, infant urine, cow milk and lemon.

 

The team is of the opinion that a scientific study and evaluation of these claims would be helpful to enhance the modern medicinal knowledge.

 

The researchers had found that the tribals have been using the medicinal plants for curing various diseases such as skin troubles, jaundice, rheumatism, burning maturation, fevers, intestinal worms, menstrual problems, cough, diabetes, asthma, dandruff, insomnia, indigestion, constipation, cuts, wounds, sexual problems, fractures, ear-ache, eye diseases and scorpion and snake bites.

 

The researchers are, however, worried that the modern community would not be able to use the wealth of the ethno-medicinal knowledge with the forests depleting very fast.