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Copyright © 2018 by Modern Scientific Press Company, Florida, USA
International Journal of Traditional and Natural Medicines, 2018, 8(1): 76-89
International Journal of Traditional and Natural Medicines
Journal homepage:www.ModernScientificPress.com/Journals/IJTNM.aspx
ISSN: 2167-1141
Florida, USA
Article
Strategies for Utilization of Wound Healing Herbals in and
around Mayiladuthurai, Nagapptinam District
*Kaliyamoorthy Jayakumar and M. Vinoth
Department of Botany, A.V.C College (Autonomous), Mannampandal 609 305, Mayiladuthurai Tamil
Nadu, India
Department of Microbiology, Bharathidasan University Constituent Arts & Science College,
Perambalur - 621 717, Tamil Nadu, India
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected]
Article history: Received 22 June 2018, Revised 6 December 2018, Accepted 15 December 2018,
Published 24 December 2018.
Abstract: The present investigation deals with utilization of wound healing herbals in and
around Mayiladuthurai, Nagapptinam district. Wound is very critical problem in human
beings; the healing is a process of restoring normal structure functions of damaged tissue.
The damage of tissues irritated to the wound healers. Medicinal plants have been used as
traditional treatment for thousands of years in India. It is used for several medicinal plants
cure various types wounds in the internal and external application.
Keywords: Wound Healings, Medicinal plants, Curative process
1. Introduction
India has a rich flora that is widely distributed throughout the country. Herbal medicines have
been the basis of treatment and cure for various diseases and physiological conditions in traditional
methods practiced such as Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha. Medicinal components from plants play an
important role in conventional as well as western medicine. Plant derived drugs have been a part of the
evolution of human, healthcare for thousands of years. Plant based drugs were commonly used in India
and china. Today a substantial number of drugs are developed from plants which are active against a
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number of diseases (Jayakumar, 2013b). The majority of these involve the isolation of the active
ingredient found in a particular medicinal plant and its subsequent modification. One of the survey
conducted by the WHO reports that more than 80% of the world`s population still depends upon the
traditional medicines for various diseases. In the developed countries 25 percent of the medical drugs
are based on plants and their derivatives and the use of medicinal plants is well known among the
indigenous people in rural areas of many developing countries (Jayakumar, 2013a and Jayakumar,
2015).
Plants have been used in traditional medicine for a long time. Plant diversity has a very rich of
the Indian sub continent in a wide range of ecosystem. Several thousand plant species have been
reported to posse`s medicinal properties and around 2,000 species are referred in literature. It is
estimated that around 8,000 plant species are used in Indian system of medicine and around 25,000
effective plant species based on formulation used in folk medicine. Eighty percent of world population
relies on the plant based drugs for their primary health care needs as estimated by world health
organization. (Jayakumar et al., 2013 and Jayakumar et al., 2015).
Wound may be defined as a disruption of the cellular and anatomic continuity of a tissue, with
or without microbial infection and is produced due to any accident or cut with sharp edged things. It
may be produced due to physical, chemical, thermal, microbial or immunological exploitation to the
tissues. Healing is a natural phenomenon by which body itself overcome the damaged to the tissue but
the rate of healing is very slow and chance of microbial infection is high. This creates demand of a
substance that speeds up the rate of healing. Wound healers are one of the most critical requirement in
the essential medicaments for soldier and may help in putting injured soldier back on the war field as
quickly as possible. A wound healer also minimizes demand of other drugs like antibiotics and also
their probable size effects by their use (Lazarus, et al., 1994). India has a rich tradition of plant-based
knowledge on healthcare. A large number of plants/plant extracts/decoctions or pastes are equally used
by tribals and folklore traditions in India for treatment of cuts, wounds, and burns.
Besides this, there is not a single synthetic drug formulation in the market which can claims for
its wound healing properties. The drugs available are either bacteriostatic or bactericidal and in these
cases healing is by a natural phenomenon only (Lawrence et al., 1994; Nguyen et al., 2009).
1.1. Classification of Wounds
Wounds may be classified by several methods; their location, type of injury or presenting
symptoms, wound depth and tissue loss or clinical appearance of the wound. Wounds are classified as
open and closed wound on the underlying cause of wound creation and acute and chronic wounds on
the basis of physiology of wound healing.
1.1.1. Open wounds
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In this case blood escapes the body and bleeding is clearly visible. It is further classified as:
Incised wound, Laceration or tear wound, Abrasions or superficial wounds, Puncture wounds,
Penetration wounds and gunshot wounds (Strodt beck et al., 2001).
1.1.2. Closed wounds
In closed wounds blood escapes the circulatory system but remains in the body. It includes
contusion or bruises, hematomas or blood tumor, crush injury etc.
1.1.3. Acute wounds
Acute wound is a tissue injury that normally precedes through an orderly and timely reparative
process those results in sustained restoration of anatomic and functional integrity. Acute wounds are
usually caused by cuts or surgical incisions and complete the wound healing process within the
expected time frame (Kumar et al., 2007).
1.1.4. Chronic wounds
Chronic wounds are wound that have failed to progress through the normal stage of healing of
pathologic inflammation chronic wounds either require a prolonged time to heal or recur frequently
(Kumar et al., 2007; Robert et al., 1998).
The aim of the present studies is to list the traditional medicinal uses of plants in the
Mayiladuthurai, the Nagai district. In this district human life and culture have directly or indirectly
been associated with and influenced by the surrounding environment. People live partly on leaves,
tubers and fruits of terrestrial forest plants and use plant drugs as medicines, thereby offering much
scope for Ethno botanical studies. The objective is to establish a documentation of the plants used by
Mayiladuthurai people of Nagai district Tamil Nadu with create awareness to the local communities
about the conservation strategies of these valuable genetic resources.
Wound healing is a normal biological response to the injury that sets into motion a sequence of
events. Although wound healing is a familiar process but its underlying biology is very complex and it
is still only partially understood. (Sherratt and Dallon, 2002).
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Description of the Study Area
Tamil Nadu is the eleven largest states in India with a geographical area of 13005 sq.kms and
lies between 11˚00' to 12˚00' North latitudes and 77˚28’ ̕ to 78˚50' East longitudes. Mayiladuthurai is
situated at a distance of 281kilometres (175 mi) from Chennai and 130kilometres (81 mi) from
Tiruchirappalli. The town is located at 11.10˚ N 79.65˚E. Situated at a distance of 24kilometres (15
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mi) from the Bay of Bengal coast, the town is situated at an altitude of barely 10metres (33 ft) above
mean sea level. The Cauvery River runs through the town bisecting it into uttaramayuram and
mayuram proper. Most of the town lays to the north off the while the Mayuranathaswami. Temple lies
a mile to its south. There is a bathing Ghat on the Cauvery River. Agriculture is the most widely
practiced occupation.
The climate of Mayiladuthurai is similar to the climate prevailing in the rest of the Cauvery
Delta. The average maximum temperature is 39.4 degrees Celsius while the average minimum
temperature is 32.8 degrees Celsius. The average annual rainfall is 1,125mm. The plants were
collected with the help of traditional healers and the information regarding the use of plants was
recorded in the field note book.
Local plants are used for nourishment, dyeing and medical purposes (Baytop, 1999). Like in the
other countries of the world, in recent years, the plants - used traditionally for curative purposes - have
attracted attention of the researches (Karigiogluet al., 2008; Kripper, 2003). Questionnaire method is
commonly used in these kinds of researches (Fochoet al., 2009). Local plants names are closely related
to the local language used by the people of that area. Local Tamil names for plants vary from one
region to another (Baytop, 1994). This variation is closely related to culture and, due to the cultural
richness of the Anatolia region, local names may vary even from one town or one village to another
(Akgul, 2008).
Documentation of the indigenous knowledge through ethnobotanical studies is important for
the conservation and utilization of biological resources (Muthu et al., 2006). Therefore, determining
the local names and indigenous uses of plants has significant potential societal benefits (Bagci, 2000).
The present study investigated the plants traditionally used in the treatment of specific diseases, and
the local names of these plants.
2.2. Identification of Plants
The information recorded was further ascertained or cross checked by consulting the
beneficiary`s villagers and other traditional physicians. The plant specimens were also identified
according to different references concerning the medicinal plants of South India. The medicinal
information given in this paper includes botanical term family local name parts used and their
therapeutic use.
3. Results and Discussion
Plants have been used as traditional medicine for several thousand years. The exploration of
ethno medicinal studies was carried out n Mayiladuthurai. There are 20 species belonging to 20
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families were recorded. The species are arranged in sequential order. A wound may be defined as a
break in the epithelial integrity of the skin or may also be defined as a loss or breaking of cellular and
anatomic or functional continuity of living tissue. According to the wound healing society, wounds are
physical injuries that result in an opening or break of the skin that cause disturbance in the normal skin
anatomy and function. They result in the herbals are cure and recovery of the wounds healings.
Herbal medicines as therapeutic agents of a paramount importance in addressing health
problems of traditional communities and third world countries as well as industrialized societies of the
reported plants. Acalypha indica, Anacardium occidentale, Areca catechu, Calotropis gigantea,
Cleome viscosa, Euphorbia hirta, Ficus racemosa, Morinda pubescens, Pongamia pinnata, Vitex
altissima were studied for wound healing, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity on the basis of their
use in traditional medicine as wound healers.
Acalypha indica L. (Family: Euphorbiaceae) is a weed widely distributed throughout the plains
of India. It has been reported to be useful in treating pneumonia, asthma, rheumatism and several other
ailments. The dried leaves of Acalypha indica was made into a poultice to treat bedsores and wounds
and the juice of Acalypha indica is added to oil or lime and used to treat a variety of skin disorders.
The leaves of Acalypha grandis have also been reported to possess contraceptive activity several
chemical and biological investigations have been carried out on this plant.
Azadiracta is a genus of two species of trees in the flowering plant family meliaceae.
Numerous species have been described in the genus but only two are currently recognized, Azadiracta
excelsa (Jack) Jacobs, and the economically important neem tree. The resins from the trees have been
attributed with medical benefits.
Wound infection is one of the most common diseases in developing countries because of poor
hygienic conditions (SenthilKumaret al., 2006). Healing of wounds starts from the moment of injury
and can continue for varying periods of time depending on the extent of wounding and the process can
be broadly categorized into three stages; inflammatory phase, proliferate phase, and finally the
remodeling phase which ultimately determines the strength and appearance of the healed tissue
(Sumitra et al., 2005).
Wound healing process holds several steps which involve coagulation, inflammation, formation
of granulation tissue, matrix formation, remodeling of connective tissue collagenization and aquisation
of wound strength (Suresh Reddy et al., 2002),
Kumar et al., (2007) and Biswas and Mukherjee (2003) reported that about 163 species of
plants were used as wound healing plants in Indian systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha,
Unani and folk medicine.
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S.NO TAMIL NAME BOTANICAL
NAME
FAMILY PHOTO
1 Kupppaimaeni Acalypha
indica
Euphorbiaceae
2 Adathodai Adathoda
vasica
Acanthaceae
3 Vedikkai Ruellia
tuberose
Acanthaceae
4 Veppalai Wrightia
tintoria
Apocynaceae
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5 Yerukku Calotropis
gigantean
Asclepiadaceae
6 Ammanpacharisi Euphorbia hitra Euphorbiaceae
7 Vadanarayanan Delonix eslata Fabaceae
8 Seethaa Annona
squqamosa
Annoaceae
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9 Arasu Ficus religiosa Moraceae
10 Sundaikkai Solanum
torvum
Solanaceae
11 Vaembu Azadirachta
indica
Meliaceae
12 Thumbai Leucas aspera Lamiaceae
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13 Mudakkathan Cardiospermum
halicacabum
Sapindaceae
14 Nayuruvi Achyranthus
aspera
Amaranthaceae
15 Manathakkaali Solanum
nigrum
Solanaceae
16 Oomathai Datura metal Solanaceae
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The plants such as Tridax procumbens, Trigonella foenum-graecu, Leucas lavandulaefolia,
Aloe vera and calotropis procera (Rasik et al., 1999). Heliotropium indicum, plumbago zeylanicia
and Acalypha indica (Suresh Reddy et al., 2002), Cassia fistula (Senthilkumar et al., 2006),
Hypericum (Ozturk et al., 2007), Cissus quadranularis, and Butyrosperm uparkii (Inngjerdingenet al.,
17 Pungan Pungamia
glabra
Fabaceae
18 Nochi Vitex nesgundo Lamiaceae
19 Chothu kathalai Aloe vera Aloeaceae
20 Vazai Musa
paradisiaca
Malvaceae
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2004), Napoleona imperialis, Ocium gratissimum and Ageratum conyzoides (Chah et al., 2006) have
long been used both orally and topically for healing of wounds and burns in the folk medicine by the
tribal communities of various countries ( Jayaprakash et al., 2017).
4. Conclusion
The traditional Medicine is used in all parts of the world and has a rapidly growing economic
importance, mainly by the use of medicinal plants that have a respectable position today, especially in
the developing countries, where the modern health service is limited and represent the only accessible
treatment. This knowledge of traditional healing practices mainly by the use of wild plants is now fast
disappearing due to modernization and the tendency to change their traditional for more actual
lifestyle. There is an urgent need to study and recorder this precious knowledge of the uses of plants as
herbal remedies that are declined due to scarcity of species, which is caused mainly by the human
activity coupled with the long period of the dry season. In this context, those conservation and
scientific verification of rare and lesser known medicinal plants assume greater significance.
Medicinal plants represent an important health and economic component of biodiversity and
also conservation and sustainable use. Information on the traditional knowledge or ethnic groups of
medicinal plants and their uses would represent a vital role in the discovery of novel products from
plants as chemotherapeutic agents. The surrounding plants form an integral part of culture of these
people and the information about plants is passed on from generation to generation.
Biological activities in skin are due to its interaction with various binding proteins. In the tissue
repair process, inflammatory cells promote the migration and proliferation of endothelial cells leading
to neovascularization of connective tissue cells which synthesize extracellular matrices including
collagen resulting in re-epithelialization of wounded tissue.
This survey of traditional knowledge and utility of 20 medicinal plants belonging to 14 familes
for the treatment of wound healing properties of in and around peoples in Mayiladuthurai is still a
major part of their life and culture.
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