Published Paper Details:

This study aims to gather and document information on indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants used in rural areas of Mahabubnagar district of Telangana State. The survey identifies 40 species of 36 genera of medicinal plants belonging to 21 families by indigenous people in rural areas of Mahabubnagar district for the treatment of different illness. The indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants depends on the surrounding plants. During the process of civilization and urbanization many medicinal plant species have been lost. The majority of the medicinal plants are locally available and are cultivated by tribal and rural people. Leaves, flowers, fruits and roots are principal part of the plants used. The indigenous community of Mahabubnagar district such as konda reddy, koyas, nayak, savera, valmikies and vaideyas played an important role healing different diseases by using medicinal plants locally available. The indigenous knowledge of the medicinal plants of these ethnic people is mostly confined to older people. This knowledge is transferred to trial and error basis and still in use. The oral route was the most commonly used mode of administration of herbal medicine. Occimum sanctum, Aloe vera, Withania sonifera, Mucuna pruriens, Acorus calamus, Comiphora weighti, Veronia amygdalina, Cleodendron myricoides are most repeatedly claimed medicinal plants of these people. The indigenous knowledge of the medicinal plants should be restored and maintained, as this provides large data regarding the medicinal properties of plants not known to the modern men.