Multiattribute Deep CNN-Based Approach for Detecting Medicinal Plants and Their Use for Skin Diseases

Abstract

Skin health is a critical concern for humans, especially in geographical areas where environmental conditions and lifestyle factors adversely affect their condition, leading to a prevalence of skin diseases. This issue is exacerbated in rural regions, like parts of India, where a notable dermatologist shortage exists, leading to overlooked skin diseases. In response, the use of medicinal plants for dermatological purposes has been a longstanding tradition. However, traditional plant identification often relies on a single attribute, such as leaves or flowers, which can be unreliable due to seasonal variations. This article introduces a novel approach for accurately identifying medicinal plants using a multiattribute deep convolutional neural network. This approach aims to bridge the gap in healthcare access by empowering individuals to recognize and utilize these plants effectively. Our objective is to develop a robust deep CNN model trained on a diverse dataset of images encompassing leaves, trunks, and seeds of medicinal plants associated with skin health. Our findings demonstrate that the model achieves high accuracy in plant identification, effectively addressing the limitations of single-attribute methods. This research not only contributes to the field of medicinal plant classification but also empowers individuals to make informed decisions about their skin health while preserving valuable traditional knowledge.