ABSTRACT
Mangroves are world’s most productive ecosystems and support genetically diverse community of terrestrial
and aquatic flora and fauna. They provide innumerable direct and indirect benefits to human beings. The
ethnobotanical informations of true mangroves and mangrove associates were collected from the surrounding
villages of mangrove forest of Pitchavaram, Tamil Nadu. The medicinal uses of twelve species of true
mangroves and six species of mangrove associates were recorded from the present study. All the species
documented in this study being used for treating number of diseases like, flatulence; epilepsy, small pox,
asthma, diabetes, rheumatism, stomach pains, fevers, malaria, cholera. hepatitis etc. The collected
informations were discussed with previous authentic report on antimicrobial activities of mangroves.