ABSTRACT
A qualitative ethanobotanical survey was carried out among the local Irula tribals of Kalavai village, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, to study the various medicinal plants that are used by the people for the treatment of common ailments such as fever, cold, cough, diabetes, jaundice, diarrhea, rheumatism, snake bite, and headache, in order to evaluate the potential medicinal uses of local plants. 250 respondents were interviewed. A total of 50 species of plants used by the local tribes of Kalavai are described in this study based on questionnaire, interviews and discussions with the local people. Several plants were found to be effective in curing asthma, skin disease, headache, wound healing, cough, cancer, fever, cold, rheumatism, hepatitis, diarrhea, paralysis, dyspepsia, ulcers, dysentery, tumors, some viral infections and scorpion bite. Conservation and cultivation of these plants is essential for sustaing the medicinal and cultural resource of mankind.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of intermittent administration of clobazam to prevent hot water epilepsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten adults with 1:1 ratio of hot water epilepsy were administered 10 mg of clobazam about one and half hour before each hot water head bath. They were followed up for nine months. RESULTS: Nine out of 10 patients did not develop recurrence of seizure following regular hot water head bath during nine month follow up period. One continued to get mild giddiness. The adverse effects observed were sleepiness in two and fall in memory in one on the day of drug intake. CONCLUSION: Intermittent oral administration of clobazam before hot water bath alone is effective in preventing hot water epilepsy with 1:1 ratio.