An ethnobotanical survey of plants used by Yanadi tribe of Kavali, Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

An ethno botanical survey was undertaken to collect information from Yanadi tribe of Cheruvukattasangham, Kavali, Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Kavali is a part of Eastern Ghats Mobile Belt which is a Precambrian fold belt extending over 600 km along the east coast of India from the North of Cuttack in Orissa to Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. Yanadi tribe is most prevalent in this region. Besides other usages of plants the practice of oral tradition for healthcare management of human and domesticated animals using herbal medicines is still prevalent among the inhabitants of the area. The study revealed that, the Yanadi tribe used 30 plant species belonging to 20 families to treat scorpion sting, snake bite, cold, helminthic diseases, body pains after delivery in women, dysentery etc. This paper reports the uses of medicinal plants used by tribal people in the form of juices, extracts, decoctions, pastes and powders. The information requires validation for clinical usage.