Indigenous knowledge on the usage of medicinal plants all over the world precedes the origin of modern medicine in healthcare system. Plants have given many health benefits to humans since ancient times. Drynaria quercifolia commonly called Oak Leaf Fern, is used in traditional medicinal system by different groups of people to treat various kinds of health problems however, in Ayurvedic System of Medicine it is sold in the name of ‘Ashwakatri’. The present study aims to document the traditional medicinal knowledge on Drynaria quercifolia in the Kodagu district. The folk knowledge believes that the host specific Drynaria quercifolia has considered as strong and effective medicine. This ferns collected from only specific tree species can be extracted for its medicinal value. Paper also deals with the tradition information on the preparation and consumption of folk medicine. Though the medicinal uses of Drynaria quercifolia has been described by many workers, the practice of traditional medicines significantly varies from region to region and also in the similar location of the same region. The survey was conducted in the Kodagu district of Karnataka to document the traditional medicinal usage of fern Drynaria quercifolia. To generate the information on traditional knowledge, frequent discussions and semi-structured interviews with folk healers viz., natividyas, knowledgeable individuals and forest tribes. Based on the results of the study it is found that this species is used for curing jaundice as folk medicine and the medicinal value of the fern which is extracted only from those individuals growing on specific host trees viz., Artocarpus hirsutus, Ficus mysorensis, F. benghalensis and Mangifera indica have found the effective results than the species growing on other trees. Study concluded that the host specific trees of Drynaria quercifolia are more effective in treating ailments.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.