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Variations in Selection of Medicinal Plants by Tribal Healers of the Soren Clan of the Santal Tribe: a Study of the Santals in Rajshahi District, Bangladesh

Md. Ehasanul Hasan
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Shakila Akter
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Nargis Sultana Piya
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Palash Kumar Nath
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Umme Sawda Rahman Nova
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Himoti Roy Chowdhury
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Nusrat Fairooz Anjoom
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Zubaida Khatun
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Mohammed Rahmatullah*
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The Santals are one of the largest indigenous communities or tribes in Bangladesh. They mainly inhabit the north-western districts of the country including Rajshahi district, where Santals can be found scattered in a number of villages of the district. The tribe has a number of clans. We have previously conducted an ethnomedicinal survey of the Soren clan of the Santals residing in Kannapara and Mondumala villages of Rajshahi district. During a further survey, another group of the Soren clan was found to inhabit Nobogram village of the same district. A preliminary survey revealed that the tribal healer of this clan used medicinal plants, which were quite different from the plants observed to be used by the healers in our previous survey. As such, a full survey was carried out. The tribal healer of Nobogram village was observed to use a total of 25 medicinal plants for treatment of diverse ailments versus the 52 medicinal plants used by the healers as observed in our previous survey in Kannapara and Mondumala villages. Of the various plants used by the healers in our two surveys, only six plants were found to be in common. Even those six plants were used for treatment of different ailments by the healers of the two areas. The results clearly indicate major differences in the selection of medicinal plants by healers within the Soren clan of the Santals residing in different villages, and which differences may indicate outside influences, possibly arising from contact with mainstream folk medicinal practitioners. The formulations used by the healer of the present survey were also much simpler than the formulations of medicinal plants obtained in our previous survey. The number of ailments treated by the healer of the present survey was lesser, and included abscess, pain, itches, irregular menstruation, lack of milk in nursing mother, being touched by ‘evil’ wind, snake bite, dysentery, diarrhea, rheumatism, flatulency, eczema, goiter, cuts and wounds, infections of skin, and diabetes. Two formulations were also used for purification of blood. A total of 19 medicinal formulations were obtained in the present survey versus the 34 formulations obtained in the previous survey. The results highlight the importance of conducting surveys among as many traditional healers of different tribal habitats as possible to get a comprehensive account of the medicinal plants and formulations of any particular tribe.

Keywords: Medicinal plants, Santal, Soren, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Location: Rajshahi district, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Medicinal Plants

Objectives:

Towards getting a comprehensive picture of the traditional medicinal plants and formulations of the Soren clan of the Santals, it was the objective of the present study to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey of the healer of the Soren clan of Nobogram village of Rajshahi district.

Methodology:

The Soren clan of Nobogram village in Rajshahi district had one tribal medicinal practitioner or healer named Selina Putul Soren. Only 23 households of the clan resided in this Soren community. The tribal healer had converted to Christianity. The Soren community was surrounded by villagers who spoke Bengali and belonged to the mainstream population of Bangladesh. The Sorens also spoke fluent Bengali; however, some of the medicinal plant names as obtained from the Soren healer differed from Bengali names of the plants. Informed consent was first obtained from the healer. The healer was explained the purpose of our visit and particular consent obtained to disseminate the information both nationally and internationally. Actual interviews were conducted in the Bengali language with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire. Medicinal plants were collected and detailed information obtained following the guided field-walk method of Martin (1995) and Maundu (1995). In this method, the healer took the interviewers on guided field-walk through areas where the healer collected the plants, pointed out the plants, and described their uses. Notes were taken on the spot. Plant specimens were photographed and also collected on the spot. The dried plant specimens were later brought back to Dhaka for identification by Mr. Manjur-Ul-Kadir Mia, ex-Curator and Principal Scientific Officer of the Bangladesh National Herbarium.

Source of Information: American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 6(4): 315-324, 2012 ISSN 1995-0748

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Where common ailments were seen to be treated in both the present and previous reports, there still showed enormous differences in the plant species used. Snake bite was treated by the previous healers with Acorus calamus or Premna integrifolia or Vitis trifolia but by the present healer with Jatropha curcas. Diabetes was treated by the present healer with Andrographis paniculata, but by the previous healers with Coccinia grandis. Dysentery was treated by the previous healers with Oldenlandia corymbosa but by the present healers with Jatropha curcas. Whether these differences reflect any interactions with other traditional medicinal practitioners remain to be determined. However, the results highlight the importance of conducting surveys among as many traditional healers of different tribal habitats of any given tribe as much as possible to get a comprehensive account of the medicinal plants and formulations of any particular tribe.

Knowledge Management: Journal