Survey and documentation on ethnomedicinal plants used for the treatment of osteoporosis by traditional healers in Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

Medicinal plants are nature's gift to mankind and are rich heritage of India. India is well known as an “Emporium of medicinal plants”. About 70% of the rural folk depend on medicinal plants for their health care. Osteoporosis is a disorder in which the bones and joints become degenerated, less dense, brittle, porous, weak and could be easily damaged/ broken. The Eastern Ghats are a long chain of broken hills that pass mainly through three states viz., Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana they situated between 120 38’ – 22o N latitudes and 780 50’ – 840 46’ E longitudes. Several field trips have been conducted during 2014-2019 in the tribal pockets of Eastern Ghats of A. P. The methodology were adopted which were described by earlier scientists. A total of 77 species belonging to 66 genera and 49 species have been recorded which are being potentially exploited by the tribal and non-tribal groups in treating osteoporosis. Pharmacognostic studies are to be conducted for ascertaining the active ingredients, alkaloids, flavonoids for the species which are not yet covered hitherto.