Dindigul district

Dindigul district is located in the state of Tamilnadu (see map) in the southern part of India. Altitudes range from 220-2400 m above sea level. The annual rainfall in Dindigul district may be anywhere from 160 to 1230 mm, and temperatures range from 5 to 35 degrees centigrade. Parts of the district are covered in dry deciduous tropical forest, resulting in subtropical to temperate areas alternating with evergreen forests (Western Ghats).

The region is extremely rich in vegetation. There are two main types, depending on the climate and the altitude: the vegetation of the plains and the vegetation of the hills and mountains. On the plains we see mainly climbers, shrubs, and succulents. The most common trees are Egyptian thorn (Acacia nilotica); neem (Azadirachta indica); Indian rosewood (Dalbergia spinosa); and Indian jujube (Ziziphus mauritiana). The shrubs, most of which are characterized by straggly growth, include Cadaba farinosa; Capparis grandis; karanda (Carissa carandas); tanner's cassia (Cassia auriculata); and forest pepper (Toddalia asiatica). The most common climbers are heart pea (Cardiospermum helicacabum); quadrangular cissus (Cissus quadrangularis); velvet leaf (Cissampelos pareira); and potato yam (Dioscorea bulbifera). Common herbaceous plants include prickly chaff-flower (Achyranthes aspera); wild mustard (Cleome viscosa); Leucas aspera; Oldenlandia herbacea; giant milk weed (Calotropis gigantea); hindu datura (Datura metel); ground burnut (Tribulus terrestris); and cockroach berry (Solanum aculeatissimum, synonym: Solanum xanthocarpum).

The hills and mountains of Dindigul district are covered in three types of forest: dry deciduous, moist deciduous, and evergreen "sholas" covered with very dense natural vegetation throughout the year, while grasslands are also found. The natural communities include nella (Albizia amara); flame of the forest (Butea monosperma); Indian laburnum (Cassia fistula); Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica, syn.: Emblica officinalis); red sandalwood (Pterocarpus marsupium); hog plum (Spondias pinnata); snake wood (Strychnos nux-vomica); black myrobalan (Terminalia chebula); Hiptage bengalensis; Michelia nilagirica; downy mirtle (Rhodomyrtus tomentosa); Rhododendron nilagiricum; Berberis tinctora; and Mahonia leschenaultii.

Day-to-day practice

Various types of livestock play a vital role in the agriculture-based economy of Dindigul district. Goats, chickens, buffaloes, cows, dogs, and pigs are found throughout the entire district. No specific castes or ethnic groups are involved in the management and breeding of livestock. However, the people of Kurumba Gounder are considered expert goat breeders, while Kuravas are considered the best pig breeders.

Cattle breeders have to deal with various health problems among their animals, the most common of which are fractures and diseases like abdominal discomfort, flatulence and convulsions. Many of these ailments can be treated by the people who tend the cattle themselves, because the ingredients or materials required are easily available. In the case of broken bones, for example, the people use bamboo sticks to support the fractured bone. Often they make a fine paste of powdered black gram seeds and egg white, which they place on the site of the fracture. Or they apply gingelly oil to the spot twice daily.

If a cow is suffering from a cataract, the people sprinkle plain sugar (Saccharum officinarum) directly into the affected eye, repeating the treatment twice daily until the condition has been corrected.

A well-known cure for abdominal discomfort and flatulence in cattle is a mixture of 30 g of asafoetida and 300 ml of groundnut oil, administered orally. To treat rectal disorders in cattle, a powder is made up based on turmeric, black myrobalan (Terminalia chebula Retz.) and banana flowers in a dry state, which is then applied to the affected area.

The knowledge required

Data

The interviews took place during field visits to various rural areas of Dindigul district (see map), including Pudupatti, Sedapatti, Sithayankottai, Narasingapuram and Alagarnayakanpatti. These data were supplemented by Western scientific knowledge which will also be presented here in order to facilitate a discussion of practices otherwise not recorded.

The following alphabetical list contains the correct botanical name (genus and species) of each entry, with family name (in brackets and italics) and, when known, name in common English [in square brackets]. The local name (in inverted commas) is followed by a brief botanical description. Finally, the therapeutic uses for specific livestock diseases are given.

Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa (Rutaceae) [bael or bel fruit]
'Vilvam', 'Vilva'. A deciduous, armed tree. Flowers white, fruit immature green, mature yellow; commonly cultivated.
The fruit is roasted and the contents carefully removed. A paste is prepared with water and used as a poultice to treat swollen and painful joints in cattle.

Allium cepa L. cv. group Common Onion (Liliaceae or Alliaceae) [onion]
'Vengayam'. An erect bulbous herb with white flowers; cultivated for its edible bulbs.
A mixture of 250 g onion bulbs and 250 g solidified jaggery (unrefined brown sugar made of palmwine derived from fruit of the toddy palm Borassus flabelifer L.) is pounded into a dry paste. This is administered orally each morning for ten consecutive days, to stimulate the virility and reproductive performance of bulls.

Ceiba pentandra (L.) Geartn. (Bombacaceae) [kapok, white silk-cotton tree]
'Elavam', 'Ilavamaram'. A large, branched deciduous tree; cultivated.
The leaves are pounded together with fermented boiled rice water and the extract is administered to cows orally as a remedy for reproductive problems. Dose: approx. 500 ml three times a day for three consecutive days.

Calotropis gigantea (L.) Dryander (Asclepiadaceae) [gigantic swallow root, ginat milk weed, swallow wort]
'Erukku'. An erect, branched herb or subshrub with milky latex. Flowers purple; common in waste places.
A handful of leaves are crushed and given orally to cattle to make them more alert and active.

Cissus quadrangularis L. (Vitaceae) [quadrangular cissus]
'Perandai'. A climbing shrub with tendrils. Stem quadrangular. Flowers greenish-yellow; common along hedges in fields.
The whole plant is crushed into paste and given orally to newborn calves to facilitate removal of the placenta: after swallowing the paste, the calf will start to vomit.

Datura metel L. (Solanaceae) [hindu datura]
'Karu-oomathai', 'Oomathai'. An erect herb or subshrub. Flowers white; common in waste places.
A seed paste mixed with water is applied to the patella (knee cap) area in cattle, to relieve pain and swelling.
The paste is also used to treat eczema and other skin problems.

Erythrina suberosa Roxb. (Leguminosae)
'Mullu Murungai'. An armed, deciduous tree with trifoliate leaves. Flowers dark red; cultivated.
The leaf paste is mixed with water and given orally to cattle as a cure for severe coughing and bronchitis.

Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet (Leguminosae) [hyacinth bean]
'Avarai'. A climbing herb with trifoliate leaves. Flowers pinkish violet; cultivated.
The leaf paste is applied to boils and sores to draw out the pus.

Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link (Labiatae)
'Thumbai'. An erect, hirsute herb. Flowers white; common on wasteland.
The leaf paste is applied to wounds to promote healing.

Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae) [Chinese okra]
'Pekenkai'. A climber with tendrils. Flowers yellow; cultivated for its edible fruits.
The leaf paste is applied to the neck region of cattle to treat the swelling and sores of yoke gall.

Musa xparadisiaca L. or Musa (AAB group) (Musaceae) [French plantain]
'Vazhai'. An erect, tree-like herb, with large leaves. Inflorescence paniculate, bract spathaceous, large and green; cultivated.
The flowers and fruits are crushed and made into a paste with dry ginger (Zingiber officinale), pepper (Piper nigrum), black myrobalan (Terminalia chebula), nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) and karanda (Carissa carandas); this is given orally to cattle for all forms of severe diarrhoea.

Piper betle L. (Piperaceae) [betel pepper]
'Vethalai'. A climbing herb with cordate leaves; cultivated.
Ten betel leaves and 20 g of dry black pepper are made into a paste and given orally to cattle as a cure for digestive disorders and flatulence. This is repeated two to three times.

In addition, in the treatment of cataracts, the person tending the cattle will often chew a mouthful of betel leaves and then spit directly into the animal's eye. This treatment is given in the morning, and repeated on three consecutive days.

Solanum surattense Burm. f. (Solanaceae) [nightshade]
'Kandakathiri'. A diffuse, prostrate, armed herb. Flowers purple, fruits globose, immature green; common.
The leaves of this plant are made into a paste with thuthuvalai (Solanum trilobatum) and hot water. The extract is mixed in neem oil (Azadirachta indica) and given orally to cattle as a remedy for all types of chronic cough.

Tamarindus indica L. (Leguminosae) [Indian tamarind]
'Puli'. A large, branched tree. Flowers light-yellow; cultivated.
The leaf paste is applied as a poultice, to reduce pain and swelling in the joints of cattle.

Tribulus terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae) [ground burnut]
'Nerunji'. A prostrate herb with yellow flowers; common on wasteland.
The seed paste is given orally to newborn calves to facilitate removal of the placenta (cf above, Cissus quadrangularis).

Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberacea) [ginger]
'Ingi'. An erect herb with rhizome; cultivated.
A paste is made up which consists of 10 g each of dry ginger, pepper, asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida), and sweet flag (Acorus calamus) in hot water. This extract is administered orally to cattle as a cure for gastric problems.

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Conclusion

In analyzing the indigenous veterinary remedies based on the 16 plants described above, we see that many of them are used to treat swellings or pain, wounds or sores, all of which may benefit from the application of a poultice or a paste. Together, these two categories account for four and three of the eighteen treatments respectively. Next come the remedies for gastro-intestinal diseases (three) and coughs, colds, and bronchitis (two). The other practices deal with ailments related to reproduction and birth, or are based on the conviction that cattle can be stimulated to become more active. If we compare these with the earlier cited day-to-day practices, we see a difference: the plant-based indigenous veterinary remedies are applied in the case of internal diseases—apart from the treatment of cataracts--whereas the day-to-day practices are generally used for the treatment of external symptoms. These highly interesting findings require further research, while the efficacy of the various indigenous veterinary practices will need to be subjected to pharmacological validation.

S. Rajan
Survey of Medicinal Plants & Collection Unit
Central Council for Research in Homeopathy
112, Govt. Arts College Campus
Udhagamandalam - 643 002
Tamilnadu
India

References

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De, J.N. (1969) 'Further observations on the ethnobotany of Purulia District in West Bengal', Indian Forestor 95(8):551-559.

Jain, S.K. (1991) Dictionary of Indian folk medicine and ethnobotany. New Delhi: Deep publishers.

Holland, B.K. (1994) 'Prospecting for drugs in ancient texts', Nature 369:702.

Maheshwari, J.K., B.S. Kalakoti and L. Brij (1986) 'Ethnomedicine of Bhil tribe of Jhabua district, M.P.', Ancient Science of Life 5(4): 255-261.

Mc Corkle, C.M. (1986) 'An introduction to ethnoveterinary research and development', Journal for Ethnobiology 6(1):129-149.

Pal, D.C. (1980) 'Observations on folklore about plants used in veterinary medicine in Bengal, Orissa and Bihar', Bulletin Botanical Survey of India 22(1-4): 96-99.

Priyadarsan, S.S. (1991) 'Herbal veterinary medicines in an Ancient Sanskrit work - The Garuda Purana', Ethnobotany 3:83-87.

Reddy, K.J. and G. Sudersanam (1987) 'Plants used as veterinary medicine in Chittor district of Andhra Pradesh, India', International Journal of Crude Drug Research 25:145-152.

Sebastine, M.K. (1984) 'Plants used as veterinary medicines, galactogogues and fodder in forest areas of Rajasthan', Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany 5:785-788.

Sebastine, M.K. and M.M. Bhandari (1984) 'Some plants used as veterinary medicine by Bhils', International Journal of Tropical Agriculture 2:307-310.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Dr D.P. Rastogi, Director, Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, New Delhi, and Dr Avvai Natarajan, Vice Chancellor, Tamil University, Thanjavur, for their encouragement, and Prof. M. Basavlingam, Department of English, Government Arts College, Udhagamandalam, for the linguistic corrections to the manuscript.

The authors also thank the indigenous veterinary practitioner Mr V. Subaiyah Alias Potty, and Mr S. Palanisamy, livestock inspector, for his help in collecting data and for some technical discussion.

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