An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken to collect information from traditional healers on the
use of medicinal plants in Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu during October 2003 to April 2004.
The indigenous knowledge of local traditional healers and the native plants used for medicinal
purposes were collected through questionnaire and personal interviews during field trips.
The investigation revealed that, the traditional healers used 85 species of plants distributed in 76
genera belonging to 41 families to treat various diseases. The documented medicinal plants were
mostly used to cure skin diseases, poison bites, stomachache and nervous disorders. In this study
the most dominant family was Euphorbiaceae and leaves were most frequently used for the
treatment of diseases.
This study showed that many people in the studied parts of Kancheepuram district still continue to
depend on medicinal plants at least for the treatment of primary healthcare. The traditional healers
are dwindling in number and there is a grave danger of traditional knowledge disappearing soon
since the younger generation is not interested to carry on this tradition.