A Study of Four Ethnobotanical Medicinal Plant Usage for Ailments among the Tribals of Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India and its Extraction Methods
Author(s): Dhanabalan Rangasamy*, Lavanya Gunasekaran and Dhiviya Jeyarajan
Abstract
This article addresses the issue of fungal spore dissemination, which can lead to allergic pulmonary diseases, particularly Aspergilli infections. These infections are frequently observed in tropical regions such as India and can result in chronic and potentially fatal consequences if not treated promptly. Given the rise of multidrug-resistant fungal infections, alternative antifungal agents have become vital. Phototherapy, which involves using natural antifungal compounds such as polyphenolics, essential oils, and proteins, is one such alternative. Traditional healers have been using this technique to treat various ailments, including fungal
infections.
In the Coimbatore district, tribals such as the Malasars, Irulas, and Konars utilize herbal sources such as Solanum trilobatum, Spathodea campanulata, Syzygium jambos, and Tylophora indica to prepare decoctions that help combat fungal infections. The text also highlights the therapeutic properties of all four plants, which have been traditionally used to treat several ailments such as pyrexia, antidote, cough, diabetes, vomiting with blood, and leprosy. These herbs are rich in phytochemical constituents like alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, sterols, saponins, and glycosides, which possess potent medicinal properties. Additionally, the
plant has been reported to have mosquitocidal and larvicidal properties against various mosquito species. It has also been found to inhibit the growth of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria.
Overall, these findings suggest that these plants hold great potential as alternative sources of antifungal agents and should be further explored for their therapeutic benefits. The use of natural antifungal compounds and traditional remedies could provide an effective and sustainable approach to combat fungal infections, particularly in regions where access to modern medicine is limited. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct further research in this area to identify and validate the therapeutic benefits of these natural remedies.
