Received: 7 th May-2014 Revised: 10 th June-2014 Accepted: 11 th June-2014 Research article STUDIES ON THE FOLKLORE MEDICINAL USES OF SOME INDIGENOUS PLANTS AMONG THE TRIBES OF THIASHOLA, MANJOOR, NILGIRIS SOUTH DIVISION, WESTERN GHATS. S. Sharmila* 1 , K. Kalaichelvi 1, M. Rajeswari 1 and N. Anjanadevi 1 1 PG and Research Department of Botany, Vellalar College for Women, Thindal, Erode - 638012, Tamil Nadu, India. * Corresponding Author: Tel: +91 98426 18030 Correspondence to Author: E-mail: drsharmilas@yahoo.com ABSTRACT: Popular knowledge of plants used by humans is based on thousands of years experience. By “trial and error”, people learnt how to recognize and use plants, including those with a magic-religious function. Knowledge of plant use was widespread in ancient civilizations. Until the middle of the 19th century, plants were the main therapeutic agents used by humans, and even today their role in medicine is still relevant. In the present paper an attempt has been made to explore and record the folklore medically important plants frequently used to treat different ailments by Toda tribe living in Thiashola, Manjoor, Western Ghats. During survey, the experienced old folk of these communities were interacted for gathering information. A total of 57 herbaceous medicinal plants from 54 genera under 29 families were enumerated. The above enumerated species are being practiced by the Tribals for treatment of various diseases like skin diseases (Centella asiatica, Erigeron karvinskianus, Helichrysum hookeriana), cancer (Cayratia pedata var. glabra), rheumatism (Anemone rivularis, Toddalia asiatica var. floribunda), jaundice (Physalis peruviana, Cynoglossum zeylanicum) and so on. The treatment given by them is found to be effective. Plants of Asteraceae (10 species) was largely represented followed by Poaceae and Urticaceae (5 species). The plants may be useful under rural healthcare system and for herbal drug industry. Key words: Folkmedicine, Thiashola, Ailments, Toda. INTRODUCTION In the last few decades eco-friendly, bio-friendly, cost-effective and relatively safe herbal medicines have moved from the fringe to the mainstream with increased research in the field of traditional medicine. Medicinal plants are an integral component of alternative medical care. For millennia, Indian people traditionally played an important role in the management of biological resources and were custodians of related knowledge that they acquired through trial and error over centuries. India has a rich wealth of medicinal plants and the potential to accept the challenge to meet the global demand for them. Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and folk medicine are the major healthcare systems in Indian society, which fully depend upon natural resources. The market for herbal drugs has grown at an impressive rate due to a global resurgence in traditional and alternative healthcare systems, and therefore medicinal plants have great economic importance. However loss of biodiversity, over-exploitation and unscientific use of medicinal plants, industrialization, biopiracy, together with lack of regulation and infrastructure are the major impediments to the growth of herbal medicine. Conservation, proper research based on traditional knowledge, quality control of herbal medicine and proper documentation are essential in the 21st century for the growth of herbal medicine usage [1,2]. India is rich in ethnic diversity and indigenous knowledge that has resulted in exhaustive ethnobotanical studies. There are over 537 different aboriginal groups in India with extensive knowledge of plants [3]. Many quantitative and qualitative field surveys have documented on detailed utility of specific plants for many aboriginal groups such as Kadars, Kanikars, Irulars, Malasars, Todas and Kotas [4]. Folklore and traditional knowledge is in the process of degeneration due to disruption of forest covers, uprooting of tribal population due to industrialization. So there is urgent need to document the available information in detail for future application and scientific investigation [5,6]. International Journal of Plant, Animal and Environmental Sciences Page: 14 Available online at www.ijpaes.com