The Hindu : Promoting indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 23, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Promoting indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, MARCH 22. Bored by botany? Chew some leaves and then swallow them.

It may just do you some good. "Leaves, roots, stems, seeds and flowers of many plants hold the essence of medicine," says R.B. Rammoorthi, Siddha and herbal medicine expert, who documents indigenous medicinal plants. "The key is identifying them."

Around 100 of Dr. Rammoorthi's chosen plants are on display at the Government Museum, Egmore, along with 60 other special plants, which belong to the museum and rare specimens from its herbarium collection.

K. Lakshminarayanan, Assistant Director, Government Museum, says that promoting indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants is part of the museum's plan to disseminate knowledge.

Visitors to the exhibition are confronted by a roomful of plants. But the bland, ineffectual appearance is only a cover. "A few leaves from this plant, ground with raw rice, will stop a cough, however uncontrollable," says D. Sethuraman, an expert-visitor at the exhibition, pointing to a benign-looking potted plant labelled Erythrina stricta, which belongs to the Indian coral tree family.

For allergic asthma, he prescribes a few leaves of Tylophora indica, ground with black pepper. "It has the effect of a bronchial dilator," he says.

The wispy leaves of the fine-limbed Melia azerdarach (Malaivembu) can be used for female reproductive problems. Cassia auriculata for diabetes. The small black berries of Solanum nigram (Manathakkali) for ulcers. `Sundakai' for stomach problems and chronic diarrhoea. The woody Ixora coccinea can be used for its anti-cancer properties.

"Even plants which we consider unwanted weeds may have medicinal value," says Mr. Lakshminarayanan. "Indigenous systems of knowledge have already identified and classified this information. Now, its a matter of spreading awareness."

Awareness about herbal medicines has increased significantly, according to Dr. Rammoorthi, who has been working in the field for 40 years. He says that the best part of herbal medicine is that the ingredients can be found in everyday life and they are cheap enough for the ordinary person. "Our kitchens are nothing but medicine cabinets," he says. Mustard seeds, tamarind, salt, mint leaves, curry leaves and spinach are only some of the mundane food ingredients with medicinal properties. "The public only needs to educate itself about how to use what, when," he says.

The Museum now plans to start a different sort of exhibition: one that will require daily watering. But given the water situation in the city, the authorities plan to have only potted plants in the herbal garden at first. "If the situation improves, we will have a full-fledged garden in the ground," says Mr. Lakshminarayanan.

The exhibition will be open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. till March 24.

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