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A Survey of Medicinal Plants Used by the Deb Barma Clan of the Tripura Tribe of Moulvibazar District, Bangladesh

Mohammad Humayun Kabir
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh

Nur Hasan
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh

Md Mahfuzur Rahman
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh

Md Ashikur Rahman
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh

Jakia Alam Khan
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh

Nazia Tasnim Hoque
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh

Md Ruhul Quddus Bhuiyan
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh

Sadia Moin Mou
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh

Rownak Jahan
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh

Mohammed Rahmatullah*
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh. 2 Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, House No. 78, Road No. 11A (new), Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Background: The number of tribes present within Bangladesh has been estimated to approximate one hundred and fifty. Information on traditional medicinal practices, particularly of the smaller tribes and their clans is lacking. It was the objective of the study to document the tribal medicinal practices of the Deb barma clan of the Tripura tribe, which clan can be found residing in Dolusora Tripura Palli of Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh. A further objective was to determine the extent of the community households who still prefer traditional treatment to other forms of treatment, particularly allopathic treatment. Methods: Interviews of the tribal healer and the tribal community regarding their ethnomedicinal practices were carried out with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. All together 67 clan members were interviewed including the Headman, tribal healer, 19 Heads of households and 46 other adult members of the clan. Information on number of members of household, their age, gender, educational status, occupation of working household members and preferred mode of treatment was obtained through the semi-structured questionnaire. In the guided field-walk method, the healer took the interviewers on field-walks through areas from where he collected his medicinal plants, pointed out the plants, and described their uses. Results: The clan had a total of 135 people distributed into 20 households and had only one traditional healer. Use of medicinal plants, wearing of amulets, and worship of the evil god ‘Bura debta’ constituted the traditional medicinal practices of the clan for treatment of diseases. The healer used a total of 44 medicinal plants distributed into 34 families for treatment of various ailments like pain, coughs, cold, gastrointestinal disorders, cuts and wounds, diabetes, malaria, heart disorders, and paralysis. Conclusions: Available scientific reports validate the use of a number of plants by the traditional healer. A number of the plants used by the clan healer had reported similar uses in Ayurveda, but differ considerably in their therapeutic uses from that reported for other tribes in Bangladesh. The present survey also indicated that in recent years the Deb barma clan members are inclining more towards allopathic medicine.

Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, Allopathic medicine, Ethnomedicine, Bangladesh

Location: Moulvibazar district, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-08-2012

End Date: 00-05-2013

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Medicinal Plants

Objectives:

The primary objective of the present study was to document the hitherto unreported traditional medicinal practices of the Deb barma clan of the Tripura tribe. Secondary objectives were (I) to determine whether such medicinal practices have been influenced by the most ancient form of traditional medicine in Bangladesh, namely Ayurveda, (II) to determine whether the use of medicinal plants by the Deb barma healer could be scientifically validated on the basis of available scientific studies on pharmacological properties of any specific plant, (III) to analyze comparative uses of the medicinal plants by the Deb barma healer with other reported ethnomedicinal uses from Bangladesh, and (IV) to determine to what extent individual households of the Deb barma clan are still utilizing the services of their traditional healer or in the present age switching to other modes of treatment like allopathic medicine.

Methodology:

The survey was conducted between August 2012 and May 2013 at Dolusora Tripura Palli (Palli meaning village). A number of visits (8, each visit lasting 2-4 days) were made to the Deb barma clan to build up rapport with the Headman, healer, and members of the Deb barma clan. Prior Informed Consent was obtained from the Headman, healer, Heads of households and adult members of the clan to interview them as to their traditional medicinal practices (healer) and to their choice of traditional medicine versus allopathic medicine (rest of the persons interviewed). Essentially, the Headman, healer and Heads of households provided the answers with other adult members of households concurring with the opinions of the Head of each respective household. As such, although 67 members were interviewed, the actual number of actively responding members were 21, comprising of 1 healer [male], 1 Headman [also the Head of a household (male)], and 19 other Heads of households [13 males and 6 females]. With the exception of 2 Heads of households (both males) who mentioned their ages as 43 and 47 years, the rest of the Heads of households (including the Headman) and the healer were above 50 years old. Allopathic medicine was provided to them by an allopathic doctor, who belonged to a NGO (non-Governmental organization), which organization worked in the general area of Srimangal (where the Tripura Palli was located) among the rural people, including both mainstream Bengali-speaking people, as well as the Deb barma clan of the Tripuras. Actual interviews of all persons, and especially the traditional healer were conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method of Martin and Maundu. Through the semi-structured questionnaire, information was obtained from the healer and other clan members as to their age, gender, educational status, occupation and monthly income, number of family members, food habits, what they thought of diseases as well as medical preferences. The healer was further queried with the help of the semistructured questionnaire as to plants used, disease(s) treated, mode of collection and preservation of plants, formulations, mode of administration, and any precautions which needed to be followed during medication period together with any other details which the healer wanted to provide. Briefly, in the guided field-walk method, the healer took the interviewers on guided field-walks through areas from where he collected his medicinal plants, pointed out the plants, and mentioned their use(s).

The adult clan members, as well as a few young members (under 18 years of age), worked as agricultural laborers in a nearby tea estate, where the female members were engaged in plucking tea leaves, and the male members engaged in maintaining tea gardens (including plantation, fertilization, weeding, and watering). The socio-economic status of the clan households were poor and every household reported that their daily income was below the poverty level, which has been defined by the Government of Bangladesh as less than US$ 1 per day. The adult clan members were illiterate; a few children attended schools but were quickly taken out of school before they reached Grade VI so as to work in the tea estate and augment the family income. Housing and conditions of living were in a primitive state with poor hygienic conditions and lack of proper sanitation facilities.

It was observed that all plants used by the healer were collected within Dolusora Tripura Palli or from adjoining sites, i.e. within 10 km of Dolusora Tripura Palli. Plants or plant parts were collected free of cost. Most plants were perennial, i.e. available throughout the year. If any plant part was not available (e.g. fruits) throughout the year, the healer used dried fruits as in the cases of Phyllanthus emblica, Terminalia bellirica, and Terminalia chebula. Allium sativum, another plant used by the healer is also an annual plant, but bulbs of this plant (garlic) were used, which were available throughout the year in the dried form. However, if any plant or plant part necessary for a formulation was not found, the healer did not treat the disease that the plant or plant part was intended to be used. Plant specimens were photographed and collected on the spot. They were then pressed, dried and brought back to Dhaka. Identification of plants was done by Mr. Manjur-Ul-Kadir Mia, exCurator and Principal Scientific Officer of the Bangladesh National Herbarium. Voucher specimens were deposited with the Medicinal Plant Collection Wing of the University of Development Alternative. Interviews were conducted in the Bengali (Bangla) language; all Tripura community members were found to be quite fluent with this language of the mainstream population through long-term association with the mainstream people. The Bangladesh Government has opened a Bangla-medium primary school near the Tripura Palli and several students attended or are still attending the school.

Source of Information: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 2014, 10:19

Article Link (Online Journal): http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/10/1/19

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The Deb barma clan is a comparatively small clan of the Tripura tribe with its current total population at only 135 members in Srimangal of Moulvibazar district, Bangladesh. Their ethnomedicinal practices have not been previously reported although they have their own traditional medicinal system and their own traditional healer. Interviews with the healer and adult members of the clan indicated that they believed diseases to occur from the curses of a particular evil god, or caused by evil spirits and demons. Their traditional methods of curing included oral or topical use of medicinal plants, wearing of amulets, appeasement of the evil god through worship and offerings, and treatment of black magic-induced disease with counter-black magic.

A survey of the existing literature showed that the use of a number of plants by the traditional healer for treatment of specific ailments could be scientifically validated based on the reported pharmacological activities of the plants used. The tribal medicinal system of the Deb barma clan showed a notable similarity with Ayurvedic form of treatment (which is considered the most ancient form of treatment within the Indian sub-continent) in terms of plant used and ailments treated. Considering that the two systems had probably interacted with each other for at least two thousand years, it is very much plausible that each system could have influenced the other. However, medicinal uses of a number of the plants differed between the Deb barma clan and other tribes of Bangladesh, the medicinal practices of which have been documented. The differences indicate the importance of documenting the medicinal practices of as many tribes as possible to obtain an overall view of the diverse uses of any given plant species.

Our interviews further suggested that in recent years, the Deb barma clan members may have started to prefer allopathic system more than their traditional medicinal system. If this happens, the ethnomedicinal wisdom of the Deb barma clan may be lost forever, if not documented. Since already the usage of a number of their traditional medicinal plants has been validated through scientific research, it is important that the yet to be studied plants be examined scientifically as to their pharmacological properties and their phytochemical constituents. Such studies can be beneficial to human beings if new and more efficacious medicines can be discovered from these plants.

Knowledge Management: Journal