TRADITIONAL HERBAL MEDICINES USED FOR RENAL CALCULI BY KATTUNAYAKAN TRIBALS OF SOUTH WAYANAD FOREST DIVISION, KERALA

Human civilization is facing the problem of kidney stones since ancient ages. Although mortality rate is not so high, yet it affects the victim's quality of life. The patient suffers from intense pain and many other symptoms modifying his life style and affecting his socioeconomic status. Many drugs and invasive methods have also been developed for the treatment, but these are highly costly and unaffordable for poor and rural people and the rate of reoccurrence is also high. The use of medicinal plants is both affordable and effective in this respect. In this article, 35 medicinal plants used by Tribals and rural inhabitant of south wayanad forest divisions of Kerala state and their crucial information have been enumerated The medicinal plants used by people are arranged alphabetically followed by Botanical name, Family, Voucher specimen number, Local name, Part used, Mode of preparation are discussed.