Ciência e Tecnologia Veterinária

A Report on Medicinal Plants Used in Ethno Veterinary Practices of Toda Tribe in the Nilgiri Hills

Abstract

Balan Banumathi and Baskaralingam Vaseeharan

This study reports the surveyed list of medicinal plants used by Toda tribes of Nilgiri hills in ethnoveterinary practices. During the study, information about ethnoveterinary plants was obtained from Toda tribes by questionnaire method. The ethnoveterinary plants traditionally used by Toda tribes were collected and preserved as herbarium specimens by following the standard methods. The identification of plants was further authenticated with Botanical survey of India, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. During the survey, it was noted that ten plants were traditionally used by Toda tribes to treat various human and veterinary diseases such as basic first aid for food poison, snake bite, indigestion, physio-therapeutic treatment for bone fracture, antibacterial, antifungal activity over cuts and wounds, insect repellent, deworming in cattle, diarrhea, and increases cattle lactation. The information provided in this study would bring new insights on the development of environmental friendly, effective medicines and vaccines to control veterinary diseases in the future. In addition, this study may be highly useful to protect and conserve the endemic flora species of Nilgiri hills of Tamil Nadu.