Ethnobotanical inventory and therapeutic applications of medicinal plants used by tribal communities of Chintapalle Mandal, Southern Eastern Ghats, India

The Southern Eastern Ghats of India is a floristically diverse but ethnomedicinally poorly explored area. This study highlights the knowledge of traditional medicinal plants of tribal communities in Chintapalle Mandal, Alluri Sitharama Raju District, Andhra Pradesh. During field survey conducted during January–February 2026, 78 informants from 18 villages were surveyed through semi-structured interview and participatory rural appraisal methods. A dominant family of 118 plant species belonging to 48 families was recorded. Fabaceae was the topmost family. The major life form were herbs with 39% while trees, shrubs and climbers registered 28, 24 and 9% respectively. The components most commonly used were leaves (25%), and whole plants or mixed parts (30%). The species reported were for treating various diseases including gastrointestinal, respiratory, dermatological, metabolic and inflammatory ailments. Nearly 49% of species has multiple uses. Analysis of plant metabolites showed that it contained alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins and glycosides. The documented usage with its biological implementation is validated by literature. According to the research work, the indigenous knowledge has therapeutic potential, and there is a need for conservation, phytochemical validation and bio-activity guided drug discovery.