Ethnomedicinal plants used by Valmiki tribes of Munchingiputtu Mandal, Alluri Sitaramaraju District, Andhra Pradesh, India

An ethnomedicinal survey was carried out among the ethnic group of Valmiki tribes inhabited in Munchingaputtu Mandal, Alluri Sitaramaraju District, Andhra Pradesh during 2022-2023. A total of 68 plant species belonging to 60 genera and 34 families of ethnomedicinal plants were reported. All the plants need to be evaluated through phytochemical investigations to discover their potential as drugs. The study shows a high degree of novelty in the use of plants among the tribal people reflecting the revival of interest in traditional medicine.


Introduction
Ethnobotanical investigations have led to the documentation of a large number of wild plants used by tribals for meeting their multifarious requirements [1]. In 1960, Jain started intensive field studies among tribal areas of central India [2][3][4][5][6][7][8]. India is inhabited by over 80 million tribals belonging to about 550 tribal communities. It is estimated that about 17,500 angiosperm species alone are occurring in India [9]. The flora of India is very diverse on one hand and rich in endemic taxa on the other. These factors are of significance for the richness of ethnomedicine and also for its uniqueness [10]. Singh [11] published 29 medicinal plants which were commonly used by local tribes of the Mannanur forest and also studied their biological activity. Rama Rao [12] reported 7 unknown or less known medicinal plants which are exclusively used for various ailments by the Aboriginals. Hemadri [13] studied the medicinal wealth of the Chittoor district. Prakasa Rao and Harasreeramulu [14] presented authentic data on 52 selected medicinal plants along with their ethnobotanical uses and distribution in the Srikakulam district. Rama Rao and Henry [15] reported the ethnomedicinal practices of the Jatapu and Savara tribal communities of the Srikakulam district. Padal [16] reported ethnomedicinal plants used by tribal people of the Paderu division, Visakhapatnam district.

Study area
The majority of the people in the Munchingiputtu Mandal are Valmiki tribes, They are, as a class, more civilized and less excitable than the Bagatha. At least 80 percent of the total area of the Munchingiputtu Mandal is covered with forests, the rest being under either shifting cultivation on hillsides, or permanent cultivation on low grounds. In the hills, the forest consists of a mixed deciduous type, the predominating species being Annogeissus mixed with bamboo, Cleistanthus and softwoods. On the hilltops, a few crooked and stunted Dalbergia latifolia occur. On the slopes where the soil is shallow and poor, inferior species, such as Sterculias Cochlospermum, Odina Wodier and Bombax occur. There is a good sprinkling of tamarind trees on some of the hills, which seem to yield a fair crop. At the foot of the hills and in the "lankas" the growth consists generally of Xylia Xylocarpa and Terminalia with a few Pterocarpus marsupium. On the stream, banks are usually found a few large mango trees, Terminalia arjuna and Bambusa arundanacea.

Methodology
The approaches and methodologies for ethnomedicinal work, suggested by Jones [17], Schultes [18][19], Jain [20] were followed. Emphasis was given mainly on intensive fieldwork in selected tribal habitations. The ethnobotanical information was collected through interviews, discussions and own observations Jain and Rao [21], Jain [22]. The ethnomedicinal data presented here are the outcome of a series of intensive field studies conducted over one and a half years in 34 interior tribal pockets with good forest cover in the study area.

Results and discussion
During exploration trips, medicinally useful information have been recorded on 68 plant species belonging to 60 genera and 32 families were recorded which are exploited by the tribals for their day-to-day living.

Conclusion
The medicinal plants used in the local health traditions are gradually becoming extinct due to developmental activities, population explosion and other anthropogenic reasons. To reverse this trend, the domestication of wild medicinal plants is of utmost importance. Industrialization, urbanization, modernization and the consequent developmental activities on one side and acculturation of the ethnic societies on the other have set in motion causing destruction of forests and devastation of ethnobotanical knowledge. The natural vegetation of Alluri Sitaramaraju district is also being destroyed at an alarming rate as a direct consequence of human activities. In this context, it is suggested that medicinal plant cultivation or farming should be taken up in all the open forest areas by the tribals.