Validation of Indigenous Knowledge of Yanadi Tribe and Local Villagers of Veyilingalakona- A Sacred Grove Of Andhra Pradesh, India

Aim: An ethnomedicinal study was carried out to document the medicinal plants used by ethnic and local villagers around the Veyilingalakona sacred grove located in the eastern ghats of Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh, India. Methods: Ethnobotanical interviews were carried out on medicinal plants used to treat common ailments based on structural questionnaire with the local people and ethnic (Yanadi) traditional medical practitioners. Results: To document nearly 72 medicinal plants belonging to 41 families used to treat 36 types of common ailments. Out of 72 plant species the dominant life form is trees (31) followed by herbs (21), shrubs (11), climbers (02), creepers (02) and lianas (01). The ethnic people and local villagers using different plant parts and different forms of the drug. Among them leaf part and powder form and oral form of administration is occupied higher percentage. Conclusion: A rich diversity of medicinal plant species are used for treating different ailments in villages around Veyilingalakona sacred grove. The indigenous knowledge of traditional healers of these ethnic groups has been disappearing due to decreasing the number of ancestors as well as followers. Only few people are practicing with little knowledge which was transmitted orally from their elders. Hence the present study had been focused on the documentation of ethnic knowledge of villages around the Veyilingalakona sacred grove.