Trichopus zeylanicus

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Trichopus zeylanicus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Dioscoreales
Family: Dioscoreaceae
Genus: Trichopus
Species: Trichopus zeylanicus

Trichopus zeylanicus is a plant found in the Agastya Koodam ranges in Kerala, India. While rare, it has been in use for century by natives, ie, The Kanni, A Tribal Community Of Southern Kerala, thanks to its medicinal properties[1]

The properties of Trichopus zeylanicus was discovered accidentally. On a scientific expedition to the Agasthiar Hills in the Western Ghats in December 1987, scientists noticed that the guides, belonging to the Kani tribe, were very energetic in sharp contrast to themselves. They had walked for several hours with the scientists — the difference was that they ate the fruits of a wild plant (Trichopus zeylanicus) as they walked. It was found from the Kanni men that it was indeed the fruits they were eating that made them energetic, a fact about the plant well known to the tribe for ages.[citation needed] The malayalam name of the plant is "Arogya pacha" - literally meaning "the green that gives strength" Antimicrobial activities of T.zeylanicus was proved by Saj and Mansa (2007) University college, Thiruvavthapuram Kerala, {M.Phil thesis, University of Kerala}It showed high activity against 8strains of bacteria and 8strains of fungi studied.[citation needed]