Results
The results of the survey are presented in Table 1 and the families of the plants are arranged in alphabetical order. The present investigation comprises 85 species of ethnomedicinal plants distributed in 76 genera belonging to 41 families. For each species botanical name, family, local name, parts used, methods of preparation, administration and ailments treated are provided. Traditional healers are using these plants to cure diseases related to skin problems, cold, fever, cough, headache, diarrhoea, fertility problems, toothache, stomach ache, wounds, diabetes, rheumatism, asthma, dysentery, small pox, bone fractures, earache, hair loss and poison (snake, scorpion and insect) bites (Figure 4).
Table 1  Medicinal plants used by traditional healers from Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu   Herbs (39 species) were found to be the most used plants (Figure 2) followed by trees (21 species), shrubs (14 species) and climbers (11 species) in descending order. The most dominant families in the study were Euphorbiaceae (7 species), Verbenaceae (5 species), Caesalpiniaceae, Solanaceae and Apocynaceae (4 species), Acanthaceae, Asclepiadaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, Moraceae, Rubiaceae and Rutaceae (3 species). Other families with low number are listed below: Amaranthaceae, Anacardiaceae, Boraginaceae, Capparaceae, Liliaceae and Cucurbitaceae (2 species), Aizoaceae, Annonaceae, Araceae, Combretaceae, Convolvulaceae, Cyperaceae, Lauraceae, Lythraceae, Meliaceae, Menispermaceae, Sapindaceae, Rhamnaceae, Poaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Myrtaceae, Moringaceae, Mimosaceae, Sterculiaceae, Violaceae, Vitaceae and Zygophyllaceae (1 species).
Figure 2  Habit.   Local traditional healers are commonly using the following plants to treat more number of diseases. They are: Vitex negundo, Wedelia calendulacea, Ocimum gratissimum, Cynodon dactylon, Solanum nigrum, Azadirachta indica, Pongamia pinnata, Aristolochia indica, Solanum trilobatum, Adhatoda vasica, Phyllanthus emblica, Ocimum sanctum, Murraya koenigii, Ficus benghalensis and Cassia auriculata. Preference for their use may be related to their availability.