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Traditional Use of Medicinal Plants in Bangladesh to Treat Urinary Tract Infections and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Md. Shahadat Hossan
Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, BANGLADESH

Abu Hanif
Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, BANGLADESH

Bipasha Agarwala
Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, BANGLADESH

Md. Shahnawaz Sarwar
Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, BANGLADESH

Mohammed Rahmatullah
Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, BANGLADESH

Masud Karim
Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, BANGLADESH

Rownak Jahan
Department of Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, BANGLADESH

M. Taufiq-Ur-Rahman
Department of Pharmacology, Univer-sity of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1PD, Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The rural population of Bangladesh has traditionally depended on folk medicinal healers for treatment of their ailments. These healers use medicinal plants as their primary source of medicinal formulations. Rural patients are more dependent on traditional or folk medicinal healers for treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) for a number of reasons including lack of access to modern medical facilities, clinging to traditional approaches, and finally, hesitancy to relate this form of illnesses in front of unknown doctors. Since the traditional healer usually resides in the same village or in an adjoining area, the patient is more comfortable in seeking them for treatment. We conducted an ethnomedicinal survey among the traditional healers of various ethnic groups and in several regions of the country to obtain information on medicinal plants used to treat UTIs and STDs. Interviews were conducted in the local dialect or language about plant parts used, ailments treated, formulations, and dosages. Thirty-one species were reported by traditional healers as being used for UTIs, including leucorrhea, frequent or infrequent urination, cloudy urination and burning sensations during urination. Ten species were reported to be used against STDs like syphilis and gonorrhea

Keywords: Medicinal Plants, Bangladesh, Urinary Tract Infections, Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Location: In Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Medicinal Plants

Objectives:

The objective of the present study was to learn more about medicinal plants that have been utilized for hundreds of years and so have demonstrated their potential efficacies, even though such efficacies may not have been thus far validated through modern scientific methods. We, therefore, undertook an ethnomedicinal survey of traditional medicinal healers (known generally as kavirajes or vaidyas by the mainstream community) in several districts and tribal groups to sample information on medicinal plants used to treat UTIs and STDs. A further objective of the research was to compare the use of these plants in traditional medicine with scientific reports on the efficacy of these plants.

Methodology:

The mode of information collection information was learned from healers using semi-structured interviews with a questionnaire. The basic method followed was a guided field interview (Martin 1995, Maun-du 1995). Traditional healers were taken during the daytime on field trips to areas where they usually collected plants, while at the same time survey interview questions were asked and information noted. The information collected included formulations, ailments for which the formulations were used, and dosages dispensed. Information was also collected about any particular season for collecting plants, plant parts used and whether the combination of plants was used to treat any particular ailment or if any single plant was used to treat multiple ailments. For the latter, additional questions were asked about if any specific plant part(s) are used for the ailment(s) concerned. The information was noted while in the field and later cross-checked with the healers in evening or night-time meetings. Evening or night-time meetings were usually conducted as group interviews in the presence of the healer, tribal or village elders and any other interested local persons (usually 10-15 people altogether). Informed consent was obtained from every healer prior to the interview. For the tribal healers, interviews were conducted with the help of an interpreter. In the cases of village healers, interviews were conducted in the Bangla language, which is spoken throughout Bangladesh (apart from the tribes). Plant specimens were photographed and voucher samples were collected, pressed and dried in the field. Local names of the plants were obtained from the informant and double-checked with randomly selected other members of the community (on average three persons). Plant specimens were identified and then deposited at the Bangladesh National Herbarium, Dhaka (DACB).

Location and selection of Kavirajes or VaidyasInformation was collected from either tribal or village kavirajes. As a result of lack of modern medicinal facilities (clinics, hospitals), kavirajes form the primary health care providers to tribal or village populations of Bangladesh. As such, they are important sources of ethnomedicinal knowledge. Ethnomedicinal information was collected from the Chak, Chakma, Garo, Marma, Murong, Rakhain, Tonchonga and Tripura tribes. Apart from the tribes, ethnomedicinal information was also obtained from kavirajes of villages in Bogra, Jessore, and Pabna districts. Bangladesh is a small country with 86,000 villages. It is believed that a typical village population consists of approximately 1600 persons. In general every village has 2-3 traditional medicinal practitioners, i.e., one kavirajper 500-800 persons. However, our survey indicated that there is one kaviraj per approximately 200-300 persons in each tribe (highest number of kavirajes was among the Rakhain tribe with one kaviraj per 70 persons and the lowest among the Tripura tribe with one kaviraj per approximately 700 persons). With the exception of the Garos, the rest of the tribes are settled in three districts in the southeast region of Bangladesh. The Garos are settled in the north-central part of Bangladesh. With the exception of the Chakmas (where four communities were visited), one community each was visited for all the other tribes. The number of kavirajes in any particular tribal community or village. For each of these tribal communities or villages, each practicing kaviraj was interviewed independently. It should be pointed out that all kavirajes of any particular tribe or village did not name the same plant for treatment of the same ailment. The number of plants and the number of ailments treated varied between kavirajes indicating that there is some specialization among them in use of plants and in the treatment of diverse ailments

Source of Information: Ethnobotany Research & Applications 8:061-074 (2010)

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases are prevalent throughout the world. Since most people, particularly in the underdeveloped countries do not go to allopathic doctors for treatment, either because they lack access to modern medical facilities or are too shy to discuss these diseases with unknown doctors, they rely primarily on traditional healers and medicinal plants for the treatment of such diseases. It is therefore important to collate information from all parts of the world regarding medicinal plants that are used as treatments for these ailments. A number of plants used in Bangladesh for treatment of STDs are in use in other regions of the world for similar purposes. Thus these plants have a basis to be investigated by modern scientific methods for possible discovery of novel antimicrobial or other compounds. A direct result of the present survey was that information on a number of plant species used to treat urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases have been collected that can form the basis for further scientific studies. A comparison of the survey results with published scientific reports indicate that a number of the plants have validity in their uses in traditional medicine.

Knowledge Management: Journal