Dermatological Ailments Treated by the Non-Institutionally Trained Siddha Practitioners of Virudhunagar District, Tamil Nadu, India
Keywords:
Dermatological conditions, Siddha medicine, Ethnobotany, Medicinal plants, Virudhunagar district, Non-institutionally trained practitioners, Traditional knowledgeAbstract
Dermatological conditions are a significant yet often underestimated global healthcare concern, with increasing prevalence rates worldwide. In India, traditional medicine systems such as Siddha offer alternative treatments for skin ailments. This study aims to document the knowledge and practices of non-institutionally trained Siddha practitioners in Virudhunagar district, Tamil Nadu, focusing on their treatment of dermatological issues. Ethnobotanical data were collected from 63 practitioners using interviews conducted in Tamil, and plant species used in treatments were identified and analyzed. The study documented the use of 100 plant species in 60 medicinal formulations for treating various dermatological conditions, with a species accumulation curve indicating sufficient sampling. Illness categories such as wounds, psoriasis, and eczema showed the highest informant consensus factor (Fic), while formulations involving plants like Thespesia populnea, Terminalia chebula, and Curcuma longa had strong support from traditional literature. However, several plant-based treatments lacked documentation in Siddha Materia Medica, reflecting gaps in recorded knowledge. The findings highlight the rich traditional knowledge of non-institutionally trained Siddha practitioners and underscore the importance of integrating such practices into community healthcare. Further research is recommended to explore the pharmacological potential of the documented plant species and promote the conservation of ethnomedicinal knowledge.
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