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Abstrato

Emic and Ethnomedicinal studies on important medicinal plants in two sacred groves at Pudukottai District Tamil Nadu

Ezhil Vani M, Velmurugan S and Ravikumar R

Sacred groves are the ‘Paradise’ for medicinal plants because this is the city of god; its important belief by humans since time immemorial. Every sacred grove carries its own legends, lore, and myths which form the integral part of the sacred grove. An inextricable link between present society and past in terms of biodiversity, culture, religious and ethnic heritage exists in sacred groves. Aim of the present study is to collect and document the detailed information of medicinal plants which is used by traditional healers since the time of their ancestor’s origin. Totally 20 plants were collected and the usage were documented from the traditional healers for their ailments. In which Pergularia daemia, Gymnema sylvestre, Cyanodan dactylon, Azadirachta indica, and Rauvolfia serpentine has occupied highest amount (100%) of fidelity level (FL) by the healers. This study concluded that still the sacred groves has much more amount of medicinal resources used by our communities since long time and those medicinal plants has still consistent amount of phyto constituents against pathogens or disease spreading particles and organisms. The more care should needed by scientific communities to avoid pollution and eruption of sacred groves on in situ conservation basis.