Peace N. Eneh
Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, USA, 901 8th St. S., Moorhead, MN, 56562, USA.
Corey L. Horien
Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, USA, 901 8th St. S., Moorhead, MN, 56562, USA.
Warda Ashraf
Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Baridhara, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Amanda J. Bakken
Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, USA, 901 8th St. S., Moorhead, MN, 56562, USA.
Jennifer L. Bath*
Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, USA, 901 8th St. S., Moorhead, MN, 56562, USA.
Parasites, Traditional medicine, Soil-transmitted helminthes, Bangladesh, Manikganj, Anthelminthic, Neglected tropical diseases.
Manikganj district of Bangladesh
Development of Host and Medicinal Plants
Medicinal Plants
Surveys were conducted in the Manikganj district over a six days period in both May, 2010 and May, 2012. The Manikganj district is in central Bangladesh, in the division of Dhaka. The district is confined within 23.80° to 23.90° N latitudes, and 89.95° to 90.05° E longitudes, approximately 70 km northwest of the capital city of Dhaka, and covers an area of 1,379 km2 (Shamsudduha, 2007). The surface geology of Manikganj is alluvial silt and clay, alluvial silt, and marsh peat and clay units, and is mostly within GangesBrahmaputra floodplain deposits (Shamsudduha, 2007; Shamsudduha et al., 2008). Numerous floodplains are spread throughout the district. Similar to other parts of Bangladesh, few extensive forests remain in the region. Deciduous trees, including acacia and banyan, are common in the drier plains areas (Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia, 2012). The surface elevation of the district varies from 2 to 12 m. The total annual rainfall in Manikganj is approximately 237.6 cm (Shamsudduha, 2007). The climate, landscape, and water systems in the region are conducive to STH spread and prevalence (Hotez, 2008), thus making the area an attractive region to study.
In the study, eleven interviewers were responsible for collecting data. The survey was conducted orally in Bengali and translated into English through four student interpreters from the Independent University of Bangladesh (IUB) in Dhaka. This study was conducted with the approval of the Concordia College Institutional Review Board, approval #05072010. Informed consent was obtained orally Eneh et al. 545 from each of the individuals prior to initiation of the survey. The study sample included only one person per household, and individuals who were present during the survey of another person were no longer considered eligible for the study. Also to avoid bias, responses from only the interviewee were accepted, and no one was permitted to assist the individual being interviewed with answers. Adults were allowed to answer applicable questions for other members of their household.
The sample consisted of randomly selected men and women, both married and unmarried, older than 12. The 423 participants were from the villages of Koitta, East Burundi, West Burundi, Hindu Para Village, and Galora. In addition to demographic information, participants were asked to list any known medicinal plants for STH infection; how they heard of these medicinal plants; if they used medicinal plants themselves or for family members; (if yes to the previous question, which medicinal plants did they use and how often); did they use medicinal plants alone or in combination with modern medicine; and, finally, how are these medicinal plants prepared. If available, photographs were taken of the plants and specimens were properly stored and transported to aid in the identification process. Identification and scientific classification of the plants was then conducted by the researchers, and the scientific names of the reported plants were used to identify previously reported medicinal uses of the plants as well as potentially relevant chemical properties.
Journal of Medicinal Plants Research Vol. 7(9), pp. 543-550, 3 March, 2013
Journal