Introduction

The quantitative methods were proposed by Philips, led to an increasing awareness for ethnobotanical research. The quantitative ethnobotany deals with the computation of the importance of the plants and vegetation to people. It helps in quantification of qualitative data in the biological and social science. The various quantitative tools in ethnobotany help in the calculation of plant taxon. Ethnobotanical approach provide data which is agreeable to the hypothesis-testing, subsequent statistical validation and comparative analysis. The mystic nature has hidden resources of Biodiversity and use of flowering plants to manage diseases dates back to the beginning of mankind. In ancient periods, man has been on the earth totally depending on green plants for his day to day life needs, especially for healthcare. India is rich in ethnic diversity and traditional knowledge (TK) that has resulted in a considerable body of ethnobotanical research, of which one study has revealed a deep understanding of medicinal plants supported by high consensus. In Kerala, the diversified system of traditional practices prevails among the rural communities since time immemorial. Even though modern medical systems are available, the majority of the people are still depending on the ethnic tradition for curing various diseases. But this valuable oral health information is not yet documented systematically. However, in most of the world countries, especially those in the African continent, Asia and South and Central America, the majority of the population (roughly 80%) still relies to a great extent on herbal medicine for their primary healthcare 1, 2.

India is one of the richest floristic regions of the world and has been a diverse source of plant products and many of these plants species are used for medicinal purposes. The medicinal plants occupy an important position in the social-culture, and therapeutic arena of the India 3. The tribal and rural population of the India are to a large extent depended on medicinal plants for health care. Traditional knowledge of human health and medicinal has recently become a global concern. The value of medicinal plants and herbs are being lost due to lack of awareness and deforestation. In Kerala, the diversified system of traditional practices prevails among the rural communities since time immemorial. The present study aims to document the plants used by Mudhuvan, Mannan, Malaiaraian and ooralys tribes and the indigenous community/rural people of Munnar Idukki district of Kerala state. Medico-ethnobotany acts as a bridge between botany and tribal knowledge regarding medicinal plants 4.

In every period, every successive century from the development of humankind and advanced civilizations, the healing properties of certain medicinal plants are identified, noted and conveyed to the successive generations. The benefits of one society were passed on to another, which upgraded the old properties, discovered new ones, till present days. Consequently, historical texts from medical traditions in various countries of the world such as India, China, Egypt, Greek, Roman and Syria bring new insight into plant usage and become established as a rewarding tool for ethnopharmacological research. In India a number of studies have been in use, under indigenous systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Sidha and Unani. Ayurvedic texts viz., Charak Samhita, Sushrut Samhita, Sarangadhara Samhita, Bhavaprakasha Samhita, Satmya Darpan Samhita, Vaisajya Ratnabali, Rasatarangini, etc., explain numerous remedies to treat different ailments. Indeed, many plant based medicines are still in demand for a variety of diseases like congestive cardiac failure, bronchitis, inflammatory conditions and other.

Kerala is the state on the southern western malabar coast of India. Spread over 38.863 km². Kerala is the twenty-first largest Indian state by area. It is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast, Tamil Nadu to the east and south, and the Lakshadweep sea to the west. Malayalam is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state. Kerala is a homeland of a number of tribal communities. Majority of them inhabit the western slope of the Western Ghats. Thirty-six communities are listed in the scheduled tribes list of the State and their population according to 1991 census. Among them the Mudhuvan, Mannan, Malaiaraian and Ooralys tribes well knowledgeable in the use of medicinal plants for day to day life and healthcare in Idukki district.

Objective of this study was to interact with local traditional healers, tribals and document their knowledge on medicinal uses of plants. To collect scientific information and identify the medicinal plants used by the tribal and rural people of the study area. A large number of plants are still unexplored regarding their uses as food and medicine. So one of the objectives of the present work was preparation of a report on plants used as non-formal food and medicinal resources by the Mudhuvan, Mannan, Malaiaraian and Ooralys tribal and rural people of Munnar forest division, Idukki district of Western Ghats of Kerala. To provide status and conservation strategies of the plant in order to conserve the plants which are endangered, rare and common in the study area. In kerala ethnomedical value of plants in possession of various tribals and rural communities for treating various diseases and disorders has been done to some extent 5, 6, 7. A perusal of these reports suggested that the ethnobotanical survey in Munnar forest division, Idukki district of Western Ghats of Kerala is incomplete and traditional herbal healing knowledge of a large number of folk communities need documentation. There is no previous report in the records of ethnobotanical knowledge of herbal healing for various diseases from Mudhuvan, Mannan, Malaiaraian and Ooralys tribals of Munnar forest division of Iduki district, Kerala. Therefore, the current investigation aims to identify, collect and document the medicinal plants traditionally used for the treatment of various disorders in Munnar forest division. Documentation of traditional ethnomedicinal knowledge, indigenous herbal preparation for various ailments could help in preserving knowledge and creating awareness regarding the need for conservation of biological resources.

Present Knowledge on Local Folk Medicine

Ethnobotanical knowledge has been documented from various 8, 9 parts of Indian sub-continent 10, 11. In Kerala state, ethnomedicinal value of plants in possession of various tribal 12, 13 and rural folk communities for treating various diseases have been done to some extent 14, 15. A perusal of the literature reveals that several ethnobotanical studies among various tribals have been reported from the various district of this state except these predominant Mudhuvan, Mannan, Malaiaraian and Ooralys tribes in Munnar forest division, Idukki district, which has not yet been studied from ethnobotanical point of view.

Idukki District

Idukki district is located in the middle part of Kerala in the Idukki District. It is bounded on the East by Madurai District of Tamil Nadu, on the West by Ernakulam and Kottayam Districts of Kerala, on the South by Pathanamthitta District and on the North by Trichur and Coimbatore Districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu States respectively.

It lies between 9° 15' and 10° 21' of North latitude and 76° 37' and 77° 25' of East longitudes with an area of 5,087 sq. km. Idukki ranks first among the districts in the state in respect of area and forming 13 percent of the total area of the state. It is extends by 115km. from South to North and 67 km from East to West.

Munnar Forest Division

As far as the Munnar forest Division are concern, it is located in the middle part of Kerala in Idukki District. It consists of four forest ranges such as Mannar, Devikulam, Adimaly and Neriyamangalam ranges. The forest areas such as Lakshmi, Rajamalai in Munnar range, ODK, Top station, Silent valley, Poopara and Bodimettu forest areas in Devikulam range, Choorakota, Chinnapara, Thumbipara forest areas in Adimaly Range and Inchapara, Muduvanpara, Mamalaikandam, Valera and audit 4 Mannium forest areas in Neriyamangalam Range are the demarcated areas of rich floristic diversity. Due to altitudinal variations there is remarkable changes and difference in the climate within this tract.

Climate and Vegetation

Major area of the division falls in the Western slope of the Western Ghats. This area receives rains, from both monsoons viz., the Southwest and Northeast and showers during April – May. The annual average rainfall is about 3000 mm. The regular monsoon commences by June and lasts till the end of August. The climate is more or less temperate in the high altitude areas and the temperature varies from 6° C to 26° C.

Tribal Areas

There are different tribal communities namely Mudhuvan, Mannan, Malaiaraian and Ooralys are settled in different parts of the district. Among them some of them are Elampilacheri, Mamalaikandam and olavanthodu in Valera forest station, Choorakota, Chinnapara, and Thumbipara tribal colonies in Machipulav forest station and Sandoz tribal colony in Munnar ranges. The survey team interacted with the tribal and local peoples and collected useful informations on the folk medicinal plants with the co-operation of forest department officials of Munnar forest division.

Agricultural Crops

The agricultural crops like Coffee, Tea, Pepper, Coconut, Cardamom, Ginger, Plantain and Paddy etc., are the major agricultural crops found throughout the district. The soil and climate of the Munnar district is very suitable for agricultural crops and it promotes luxuriant growth of the vegetation.

Methodology

The study was conducted during 2015 (25 days) from 16^th November 2015 to 10^th December 2015 by the research team of Survey of medicinal plants unit, Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine under the CCRUM (Ministry of AYUSH) New Delhi, to collect information on medicinal plants used by traditional healers in the Munnar forest division, Idukki district of Western Ghats of Kerala (Figure 1). The ethnomedicinal information was gathered from the indigenous people of the study area called Mudhuvan, Mannan, Malaiaraian and Ooralys. They are oldest groups of the branch of ethnic people in South India. They reside in remote and inaccessible forest areas and practice indigenous phytotherapy to treat common ailments. During the course of exploration of ethnomedicinal plants information has been gathered from the healers inhabiting the forest areas who have sound knowledge of herbal remedies. For many decades, the tribal community has a traditionally self-managed system of folk medicine and primary healthcare mainly based on herbal remedies.

The knowledge about medicinal plants is rather specialized and is limited to a few members in the tribal community who are recognized as ‘Vaidhyar’ (also known as medicine men, informant and traditional healer). Traditional healers commonly begin their training as children or teenagers working as assistants to their mothers, fathers and to other relatives who are recognized healers. After having trained for a number of years, the apprentice will be ceremonially granted the authority to use a given treatment. This individual will be recognized by others in their culture as having mystical power to heal, as well as having the power to train others in the use of medicinal plants.

Data Collection

The ethnomedicinal information was collected through general conversations with traditional healers and questionnaires were used to gather their knowledge. Details of medicinal plants used, mode of treatment, methods of preparation and types of administration were documented by interacting with them as well as through direct observations. The information got from the tribals was recorded in field notebooks, ethnobotanical data collecting proforma sheet and compared with the previously reported literatures 5, 16, 17. The collected medicinal plants species were identified by the local people with their vernacular names, photographed and sample specimens were collected for the preparation of herbarium. The Flora of Presidency of Madras 18 and The Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic 19 were used to ascertain the nomenclature. The voucher specimens were deposited in the herbarium at Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Chennai.

Statistical Analysis (Quantitative analysis)

Use Value (UV)

The relative importance of each plant species known locally to be used as herbal remedy is reported as use value (UV) and it was calculated using the following formula 20.

UV = ƩU/n

Where UV is the use value of a species, U is the number of use reports cited by each informant for a given plant species and n is the total number of informants interviewed for a given plant.

Factor Informant Consensus (FIC)

The ICF was used to analyse the agreement degree

of ailments 21, 22. The ICF was calculated using the following formula:

Fic = (Nur – Nt)/(Nur – 1)

where Nur stands for the number of use reports of informants for a particular illness category, and Nt is the number of species used by all informants for a particular illness.

Fidelity Level (FL)

The FL was employed to determine the most important plant species used for treating certain diseases by the local herbal practitioners and elderly people living in the study area 23, 24, 25. The FL was calculated using the following formula:

FL (%) =Np/N×100

where Np is the number of informants that mentioned the specific plant species used to treat certain ailments, and N is the total number of the informants who utilized the plants as medicine for treating any given ailment.

Result and Discussion

Western Ghats of Munnar forest division has a variety of medicinal plants which are used by tribes and traditional healers for their primary health care. It consists of four forest ranges such as Mannar, Devikulam, Adimaly and Neriyamangalam ranges. The forest areas such as Lakshmi, Rajamalai in Munnar range, ODK, Top station, Silent valley, Poopara and Bodimettu forest areas in Devikulam range, Choorakota, Chinnapara, Thumbipara forest areas in Adimaly Range and Inchapara, Muduvanpara, Mamalaikandam, Valera and audit 4 Mannium forest areas in Neriyamangalam range are the demarcated areas of rich floristic diversity. Due to altitudinal variations there is remarkable changes and difference in the climate within this tract.

The present study identified tribal healers using 47 species of ethnomedicinal wild Plants distributed in 41 genera belonging to 29 families to treat various diseases such as dry cough, menstrual disorders, piles, viral fever, kidney stone, joint pain, jaundice, skin diseases, contraceptive purpose, etc. The result of the survey presented in Table 1, in which the plants are arranged alphabetically by botanical names for each species. The following ethnobotanical information were provided; Botanical names, Voucher specimen numbers, Family name, Local names, Part used, Mode of Application and Ethnobotanical Uses, Habit, Status of plant according to the informations collected. Moreover life forms of medicinally used plants are analyzed. They are 18 herbs, 13 shrubs, 12 trees and each one in Climbing shrub, Twining shrub, Climber, Parasitic shrub are recorded and statuses of plants are 26 in commonly available 14 are rare, Five are Common & cultivated and two is sporadic in the study area.

Among the studied 47 species various parts are used to cure various ailments in the different methods of formulations they are leaves used in 23 different formulations, fruits used in 9 different formulations, latex and rhizomes are used in each 4 different formulations, seed and flowers are used in 3 different formulations and whole plant, root, root tubers, stem bark & mace used each one in separate formulations. Moreover among the studied species their mode of application are analyzed they are 30 applications are externally and 18 applications are internally used by the tribes in the study area.

This is consistent with other general observations which have been reported earlier in relation to medicinal plants studies by the Indian system of medicines like Siddha, Ayurveda and Unani 26, 27, 28. Different types of preparation made from medicinally important plants include decoction, juice, powder, paste, oil and plant extract. Drugs are prescribed either single or in a combination of more than one plant/parts of same or different plants to the people suffering from various diseases.

The study of ethnomedicinal system and herbal medicinal as therapeutic agent is a paramount importance in addressing health problems of traditional communities and third world countries as well as industrialized societies. Previous reports on the ethnobotany of different district in Kerala, and adjoining areas provide evidence for the presence of numerous ethnomedicinal plants used by various tribal communities 29, 12. But, so far no systematic ethnobotanical survey has been made in this area, except the documentation of medicinal plants used by the tribes like Mudhuvan, Mannan, Malaiaraian and ooralys tribes. The therapeutic uses of herbal drugs and drug preparations differ from one region to the other. For example, people in different villages in India, exclusively used Andrographis alata (Vahl) for snake bite, scorpion and centipede bite and heavy fever like malaria and typhoid, Anti-inflammatory 30, 31. However, the Mudhuvan, Mannan, Malaiaraian and Ooralys tribes of Munnar, Idukki district of Kerala state are used Andrographis alata (Vahl) Ness to treat Asthma. The traditional knowledge about utilization of local plant species is vital in alternate health care system as well as for the self-sustenance of local population. High costs coupled with numerous side effects of synthetic drugs are forcing people to depend on the locally available herbal medicine for their health care needs.

In the present study statically analysed the 47 plants species used by 85 informants as ethnomedicines and the data were collected in the study area. The commonly used plant species was Coffea arabica L. (Rubiaceae) seeds popularly known as coffee with highest UV of 0.94 by 80 informants it is used for refreshment as decoction. Followed by Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R.Br. (Periplocaceae) and Piper nigrum L. (Piperaceae) With UV of 0.92 by 78 informants which is used for Jaundice as decoction and Dry cough as paste with honey. The species with lowest Use Value was observed, followed by Tabernaemontana heyneana Wall. (Apocynaceae) with UV of 0.40 by 34 informants as soaked oil extract for skin diseases, Scoparia dulcis L. (Scrophulariaceae) with UV of 0.66 by 38 informant as decoction for viral fever, Tabernaemontana divericata (L.) R.Br. ex & Schults (Apocynaceae) and Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae) with UV of 0.49 by 42 informants which is used as flower soaked oil for skin diseases and juice for Jaundice was analyzed (Table 1).

In order to analyze the general usage pattern of plants, the informants consensus factor (Fic) was used to highlight the plant use in particular ailments categories and agreement with use of plants. This will helps in the selection of plants for pharmacological and phytochemical studies. Moreover, the Informant Consensus Factor (FIC) was analyzed with 31 diseases divided as 12 ailments categories among them highest value was observed in edible and general health, endocrinal disorders and fever/chronic fever as Fic value:1.00 at same the Lowest value was observed in determetalogical infection, liver disorders, hair fall & dandruff and wound healing as Fic value: 0.98 (Table 2).

Thereafter Fidelity level (FL) is useful for identifying the most preferred species used by informants for treating certain ailments of the reported fruit species. The highest fidelity level of 100% most of which were used in single ailments by the informants. The plant with highest Fidelity level was Coffea arabica L. (Rubiaceae) (94.11%), Followed by Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R.Br. (Periplocaceae) and Piper nigrum L. (Piperaceae) (91.76%) analysed. At the same, the lowest Fidelity level are observed in rarely used less known plant species like Tabernaemontana heyneana Wall. (Apocynaceae) (40.00%), Scoparia dulcis L. (Scrophulariaceae) (44.078%), Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae) (49.41%) and Tabernaemontana divericata (L.) R.Br. ex & Schults (Apocynaceae) (49.41%) values are observed. The same analysis were correlated and observed studied by 32 in the wild tuberous species used by tribals in Koraput District of Odisha, India 33 diversity and use of palms in Zahamena, Eastern Madagascar.

This is consistent with other general observations which have been reported earlier in relation to wild medicinal plants studies by the Indian system of medicines like Siddha, Ayurvedha and Unani 26, 27, 28. Different types of preparation made from medicinally important plants include decoction, juice, powder, paste, oil and plant extract. Drugs are prescribed either single or in a combination of more than one plant/parts of same or different plants to the people suffering from various diseases. In the Western Ghats of Munnar forest division, Kerala the local herbal healers and elder people rich in traditional knowledge depend on the natural resources of the area. Most of them still consider traditional herbal knowledge as traditional secrets. But through repeated contacts, and discussions, they shared their traditional herbal knowledge. The wild medicinal plants play an important role in providing knowledge to the researchers in the field of ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology and nutritional studies. The observation of present study shows that traditionally used wild medicinal plants plays a significant role in the life of tribal people.

Ailments Categories

1. Determatological Infection

• Inflammation

• Skin Diseases

• Leprosy

• Dark Spot

• Ring Worm

2. Edible and General Health

• Bleeding Piles

• Edible food (Stimulant)

3. Endocrinal Disorders

• Diabetic

4. Fever

• Viral Fever

5. Gastrointestinal Ailments

• Stomach Pain

• Stomach Ulcers

• Indigestion

• Constipation

• Intestinal Ulcer

• Flatulence

6. Haircare/Dandruff

• Hair fall

• Dandruff

7. Liver

• Jaundice

8. Respiratory System Disorders

• Cough and Cold

• Asthma

• Cough

9. Sexual Disorders/Genito Urinary Ailments

• Menstrual bleedings

• Kidney Stone

10. Skeleton - Muscular and Nervous System Disorders

• Neuro disease

• Paralysis

• Joint Pain

• Rheumatic Pain

11. Oral and Tooth Disorders

• Toothache

12. Wound Healing

• Wound Healing

• Burning injuries

• Foot Crack

CONCLUSION

The present study showed that traditional treatment systems using medicinal plants is still prevalent in the studied areas, and it underlines the importance in the documentation of traditional ethnomedicinal knowledge before losing this diverse resource. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first quantitative ethnomedicinal study in the study area indicating UV, ICF and FL. The present study records new ethnomedicinal species with their therapeutic uses, which can potentially lead to the development of new therapies and may represent novel bioresources for phytochemical and pharmacological studies, notably Helicteres isora L. for hair fall, Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R.Br. for Diabetic and Andrographis alata (Vahl) Nees., for asthma are claimed from the indigenous communities in the study area.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors are grateful to The Director General, Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), New Delhi for providing necessary facilities, and financial sanctions to conduct the study and Deputy Director, Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Chennai, for providing fund and other facilities. I also sincerely express my thanks to Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Kerala State. I extent my thanks to District Forest officers, Munnar Forest Division, Forest Range Officers, Foresters, Forest Guards and Forest Watchers of concern forest ranges of Munnar forest division for providing necessary guidelines and assistants in the forest areas during the survey tour programmes. I also thankful to tribal's and rural inhabitants for given valuable medicinal uses of Plants.

Ethics Statement

The study was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the Code of Ethics of the International Society of Ethnobiology. Ethics approval was not required by the Institutional Ethical Committee. Verbal informed consent was obtained from each informant prior to all interviews. During this discussion, the research objectives, interview procedure were explained to each informant and confidentiality was assured. Consent for photos was also taken and kept in the Herbarium of Survey of Medicinal Plants Unit, Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, No. 1, West Madha Church Road, Royapuram, Chennai-13.

Funding Support

The authors declare that they have no funding support for this study.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.