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A Selection of Medicinal Plants Used as Blood Purifiers by Folk Medicinal Practitioners of Bangladesh

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

Protiva Rani Das
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Md. Tabibul Islam
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Mohammad Humayun Kabir
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Md. Megbahul Haque
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

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

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

Yong-kyu Lee
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju, Republic of Korea, 380-702

Rownak Jahan
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:

Traditional medicine even in the present century plays an important role in delivering necessary health-care to the people of particularly the developing countries. Traditional medicinal systems usually rely on medicinal plants for treatment, which plants are utilized by traditional medicinal practitioners for treatment of a diverse variety of diseases, against some of which allopathic medicine has no known cure. Folk medicine is the most widely used form of traditional medicine in Bangladesh. Folk medicinal practitioners believe that ailments can occur through accumulation of toxins in blood, which in turn results from undigested food or improper emptying of bowels on a regular basis. The various toxins that accumulate then pass through the blood to various organs of the body and if they pass a certain threshold, the body no longer can defend itself against diseases resulting in diseases occurring from both within and without causes. As a result, one of the most frequent remedies prescribed by the folk medicinal practitioners or Kavirajes of Bangladesh is medicinal plant, which can purify blood, i.e. enable the body to get rid of toxic wastes either through neutralization or through elimination. Such blood purifying medicinal plants may or may not be accompanied with other medicinal plants dealing with treatment of the disease itself or its symptoms. This suggests that blood purifiers at the very least produces a laxative effect and can at the same time or independently boost up the immune system of the body. In fact, the Kavirajes advise even healthy people to take these blood purifying medicinal plants or plant parts on a regular basis such that toxins cannot accumulate within the body. The objective of the present study was to conduct ethnomedicinal surveys among the Kavirajes of various districts of Bangladesh to document their use of blood purifying medicinal plants. A total of 149 plants were found to be used by the 203 Kavirajes interviewed, of which 47 plant species are presented in this report. The plant species belonged to 30 families. Fabaceae family plants appeared to be the dominant species used by the Kavirajes contributing a total of 8 plants within the 47 plants reported. The Apocynaceae and the Zingiberaceae family contributed three plants each. Since prevention is always better than cure of any disease, the plants presented in this report can form the basis of further studies towards discovery of their possible immune-boosting and disease-preventing effects.

Keywords: Medicinal plants, Folk medicine, Blood purifier, Bangladesh

Location: Various randomly selected villages of Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-02-2010

End Date: 00-04-2012

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Medicinal Plants

Objectives:

The objective of the present study was to conduct a search among Kavirajes of randomly selected villages of different districts of the country to document the plants used by the Kavirajes for the purification of blood.

Methodology:

The present study was conducted between February 2010 and April 2012. Kavirajes of various randomly selected villages were interviewed as to the medicinal plants they used for treatment of various diseases, including plants that they advise or administer for purifying blood. The various villages selected were from 56 of the 64 districts of the country. Informed consent was initially obtained from the Kavirajes following an explanation of the purpose of our visit. Consent was further obtained to disseminate any information provided to be published both nationally and internationally. Actual interviews were conducted with the help of a semistructured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method of Martin (1995) and Maundu (1995). Information on all diseases treated by the Kavirajes was collected; however, information pertaining to the use of plants for blood purification will only be presented here. Even among this information, plants which fall under the alphabetical category of A-I will be presented because of the huge number of plants that are used by the Kavirajes for the purpose of blood purification. In the guided field-walk method, the Kavirajes took the interviewers on field-walks through areas from where they collected their medicinal plants, pointed out the plants, and described their uses. Plant specimens were collected from the spot, photographed, dried, and brought back to the Bangladesh National Herbarium at Dhaka for complete identification. Voucher specimens were deposited with the Medicinal Plant Collection Wing of the University of Development Alternative.

Source of Information: American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 6(3): 188-194, 2012 ISSN 1995-0748

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Accumulation of toxins in blood and consequential appearance of diseases, as well as the necessity for blood purification through medicinal plants, is also an Ayurvedic concept, first formulated possibly around 3,500 years ago. Hundreds of plants are used in Ayurveda for blood purification, particularly plants which are also considered astringent or bitter, i.e. plants with pungent or sharp tastes. An example is Gentiana kurroo Royle (Gentianaceae) – a plant which is used both as an astringent and as a blood purifier (Behera and Raina, 2012). People who need to balance pitta and kapha generally need to eat more bitter and astringent foods according to Ayurveda. The major concept behind the use of blood purifiers by the Kavirajes of Bangladesh is that toxins or toxic materials can be accumulated in the body through improper elimination of undigested foods and feces due to irregular bowel movement, from overeating, or from indigestion. These toxins, the following accumulation in the stomach pass to other organs of the body through circulating blood, causing diseases in these organs. As such, a person needs to take blood purifiers (plants are usually prescribed) for both therapeutic purposes as well as preventive purposes. Blood purifying plants can also be important from the allopathic medicinal point of view in that they can serve as agents for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, other disorders of other body organs or as a general immune-boosting substance. Greater scientific research is therefore necessary to obtain more information on blood purifying plants and learn the exact pharmacological effects that they have on human and animal bodies.

Knowledge Management: Journal