Ethnomedicine from Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, India

All the systems of medicine of the world had their origins in traditional or ethnomedicinal practices only. The present investigation is taken up in Srikakulam District of Andhra Pradesh, India with the objectives of collection, identification and inventorisation of plant species employed in ethnomedicinal practices by the tribal groups as part of their culture and way of life and to contribute to the development of modern medicine. The district lies between 18°50’ - 19°12’ of the Northern Latitude and 83°32’ - 84°47’ Eastern longitude with an altitude range of 50-1120 m inhabited by major tribal communities like Savara and Jatapau followed by Kuttiya, Gadaba, Yerukula and Kondadora. The vegetation is mainly of dry-deciduous forest type. In the present study 386 plant species included in 309 genera and 111 families were recorded. 139 different ailments are cured by these plants with 1419 ethnomedicinal practices.