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A Survey of Medicinal Plants Used by a Village Folk Medicinal Practitioner in Sreemangal Upazila of Maulvibazar District, Bangladesh

Md. Sohel Rana
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh

Md. Mahedul Islam
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh

Shahrear Nazim Bosunia
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh

Shah Riyad Mahmud
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh

Sarmin Akter Santa
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh

Sanjida Haque Snigdha
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh

Mostafi Jumrut Mahal
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh

Mohammed Rahmatullah*
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Folk medicinal practice is common in Bangladesh; the practitioners, otherwise known as Kavirajes, combine a unique blend of various traditional practices along with their individual preferences of medicinal plants. Their medicinal knowledge is usually generational being passed along from one generation to the next, where the practice and knowledge is enriched with every passing generation. As such, any individual Kaviraj may possess a vast knowledge on the medicinal properties of plants around his vicinity and possibly more. The objective of the present survey was to document the medicinal plants used and diseases treated by a Kaviraj practicing in Dalu chara village of Sreemangal Upazila (sub-district) in Maulvibazar district of Bangladesh. The Kaviraj was observed to use a total of 59 plants distributed into 42 families in his various formulations. The various diseases treated included sexual disorders, bed wetting, gastrointestinal disorders, malaria, helminthiasis, respiratory tract infections, anemia, pain, menstrual disorders, tooth and gum disorders, heart disorders, skin diseases, diabetes, malnutrition, burning sensations during urination, eye diseases, tuberculosis, swelling of hands or legs, jaundice, bone fracture, and cuts and wounds. Since plant kingdom has always proved a good source for newer and better drugs, it is expected that documentation of these plants can lead to more scientific research leading to better drug discovery.

Keywords: Folk medicine, Sreemangal, Maulvibazar, Medicinal plants, Bangladesh.

Location: Sreemangal Upazila of Maulvibazar District, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Medicinal Plants

Objectives:

Our studies so far clearly suggest that such ethnomedicinal surveys can lead not only in building up a comprehensive data base of medicinal plants of the country but also can lay the groundwork for further relevant scientific studies on various medicinal plants used by the Kavirajes. This is an important point towards conserving both medicinal plant and properly utilizing scientific resources. As such, the present survey was conducted in Dalu chara village of Sreemangal Upazila (sub-district) of Maulvibazar district in Bangladesh.

Methodology:

There was one practicing Kaviraj at Dalu chara village, named Motaleb Hossain, male by gender, age around 45 years, and practicing by his own admission for about 10 years. Prior Informed Consent was first obtained from the Kaviraj. The Kaviraj was explained the full purpose of our visit and consent obtained to disseminate any information provided in both national and international venues. Actual interviews were conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field walk method of Martin and Maundu. In this method, the Kaviraj took the interviewers on guided field walks through areas from where he collected his medicinal plants, pointed out the plants, and described their uses. Plant specimens were photographed and collected on the spot, pressed, dried and brought back to Dhaka to be identified at the Bangladesh National Herbarium. Detailed information was obtained from the Kaviraj in evening sessions when convenient with the help of the semi-structured questionnaire and open-ended interviews where the Kaviraj spoke at length on various medicinal plants and diseases treated.

Source of Information: American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 8(1), January, Pages: 1-9

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

It can be seen that a number of the medicinal plants used by the Kaviraj can be validated on the basis of pharmacological activity studies conducted with these plants. At the same time, other plants had similar ethnomedicinal uses in other regions. These two things in combination suggest a high probability of discovering newer and more efficacious drugs from these plants.

Knowledge Management: Journal