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Medicinal Plants Used by Folk Medicinal Practitioners of Four Adjoining Villages of Narail and Jessore Districts, Bangladesh

Kakoli Rani Biswas
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Tania Khan
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Mirza Nipa Monalisa
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Auditi Swarna
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Tasneema Ishika
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Mehreen Rahman
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Mohammed Rahmatullah
Department of Pharmacy, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A large segment of both the rural as well as the urban population of Bangladesh still relies on folk medicinal practitioners, otherwise known as Kavirajes, for treatment of various ailments. The Kavirajes rely on simple formulations of medicinal plants, which may be orally or topically administered for treatment. In our ongoing surveys on the medicinal plants used by Kavirajes throughout Bangladesh and the nature of formulations, we have observed considerable divergences in the use of plants and formulations. These differences exist up to the village level, which constitute the primary tier of human habitation in the country. The objective of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey among the Kavirajes of five adjoining villages in Narail and Jessore districts of Bangladesh. A total of six Kavirajes were interviewed with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. It was found that the Kavirajes between themselves used a total of 46 plant species distributed in to 29 families in their treatments. Unlike other areas that have been surveyed and published in our previous reports, the Poaceae family contributed the highest number of medicinal plants with four plants. The Poaceae family was followed by the Arecaceae family, with three plants. The Kavirajes used decoctions, juices, and pastes of plant parts in their formulations. Leaves constituted the major plant part used, forming 38.8% of total uses. Roots and stems, respectively, contributed to 16.3% and 12.2% of total uses, followed by fruits at 8.2%. The Kavirajes did not treat a wide variety of ailments. Among ailments treated were menstrual problems, prolapse of uterus, fistula, diphtheria, helminthiasis, snake bite, pain, paralysis, skin disorders, bone fracture, rheumatism, respiratory tract disorders, gastrointestinal problems, spermatorrhea, allergy, insanity, internal bleeding, fever, and meho. The last ailment was referred to by the Kavirajes as urinary problem arising out from endocrinological disorders, particularly diabetes. An interesting feature of the Kavirajes of the villages surveyed was the frequent use of multiple plants for treatment of any specific ailment. The reason behind the use of multiple plants appeared to be that the Kavirajes took a holistic approach behind their treatment of ailments, where not only the ailment and its symptoms were treated, but also any underlying causes for the occurrence of the ailment in the first place. As such, socio-economic factors, as well as any underlying physical or mental tensions leading to the appearance of the ailment was also taken into account while prescribing plants, although sometimes plants were used in combination to provide a synergistic effect, or to negate the side-effects of the main plant used for treatment of a given ailment. It is our conclusion that these combinations of plants can prove useful for further scientific studies in the discovery of newer and more efficacious allopathic drugs.

Keywords: Folk medicine, Medicinal plants, Narail, Jessore, Bangladesh

Location: Villages of Narail and Jessore Districts, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Medicinal Plants

Objectives:

Considering the divergent choice of the Kavirajes regarding medicinal plants for treatment of ailments, it was the objective of the present study to conduct a survey among the Kavirajes of five adjoining villages in Narail and Jessore districts of Bangladesh to document the folk medicinal uses of plants in this area.

Methodology:

Narail and Jessore are two adjoining districts within Khulna Division of Bangladesh. The present survey was conducted in four adjoining villages of Narail district, namely Maijpara, Bahirdanga, Poradanga and Banshvita, and another adjoining village, which falls in Jessore district, namely Joyrabad. A total of six Kavirajes were interviewed in the five villages. Of them Kavirajes Sundra Nath Bokshi, Gauranga Biswas, Anil Biswas, Bibhuti Bhusan Roy, and Mohitosh Biswas were from Narail district villages, and Kaviraj Madhusudhan Biswas was from Joyrabad in Jessore district. Kaviraj Sundra Nath Bokshi was aged 60 years and had been practicing for 38 years. Kaviraj Gauranga Biswas was aged 50 years and according to him was practicing for the last 20-25 years. Kaviraj Anil Biswas was aged 55 years and had been practicing for a long time as he could remember. Kaviraj Bibhuti Bhusan Roy was aged 60 years and had been practicing since age 40. Kaviraj Mohitosh Biswas was aged 45 years and was in practice for the last 16 years. Kaviraj Madhusudhan Biswas was aged 55 years and had been in practice for the last 35-36 years.

Informed consent was obtained from all Kavirajes prior to the interviews. The Kavirajes proved to be very cooperative in not only providing the names of medicinal plants that they used for treatment of ailments, but also in providing detailed information on formulations and dosages. Interviews were conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method of Martin (Martin, 1995) and Maundu (Maundu, 1995). Briefly, in this method, the Kavirajes took the interviewers on guided field-walks through areas from where they usually collected their medicinal plants, pointed out the plants and described their uses along with providing the local names. All interviews were conducted in the Bengali language, the same language being spoken by both Kavirajes and interviewers. Plant specimens were collected, photographed and dried in the field. All plant specimens were identified by Mr. Manjur-ul-Kadir Mia, ex-Curator and Principal Scientific Officer, Bangladesh National Herbarium at Dhaka. Voucher specimens were deposited at the Plant Collection Wing of the University of Development Alternative.

Source of Information: American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 5(1): 23-33, 2011 ISSN 1995-0748

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

In the present survey, it was observed that the Kavirajes mainly relied on leaves of plants in their treatment. Leaves constituted 38.8% of total uses, followed by roots at 16.3% and stems at 12.2%. Fruits constituted 8.2% of total uses. Flowers were not used at all. An interesting feature of plant parts used by the Kavirajes of the areas surveyed was the use of swollen base of plant, which they termed “motha”. This is the part of the plant which lies immediately above the soil and extends to immediately below the soil. The Kavirajes of the areas surveyed in the present study did not treat a large number of diseases as usually observed in our other studies. The various ailments treated were menstrual problems, prolapse of uterus, fistula, diphtheria, helminthiasis, snake bite, pain, paralysis, skin disorders, bone fracture, rheumatism, respiratory tract infections, gastrointestinal disorders, spermatorrhea, allergy, insanity, meho, internal bleeding, external bleeding, and fever. The number of plants used for treatment of any specific ailment was not indicative of the prevalence of the ailment, since combinations of plants were used in most cases for treatment of a specific ailment.

A comparison of the common plants used by the Kavirajes of Narail and Jessore district in the present study with that of plants used by Kavirajes of Kushtia district in an earlier study highlights the considerable differences between the natures of use of medicinal plants in different areas of Bangladesh. Notably, Jessore and Narail districts are not far from Kushtia district, and all three districts have almost identical vegetation cover. To cite a few instances, Aristolochia indica was used by the Kavirajes of Narail and Jessore districts to treat snake bite; the same plant was used by the Kavirajes of Kushtia district for treatment of gall bladder pain, skin infections, and as an antidote to poison. Bombax ceiba was used by the Kavirajes of the present study for treatment of bone fracture, but used by Kavirajes of Kushtia district to increase sperm count. Zingiber officinale was used by the Kavirajes in the present study for treatment of bone fracture and rheumatism, while it was used by the Kavirajes of Kushtia district for treatment of debility and as a digestive aid. It is to be noted that the same plant part (rhizome) of Zingiber officinale was used in all treatments, whether be at Narail and Jessore or Kushtia district. Medicinal plants used in the folk medicinal system of Bangladesh present opportunities for further scientific research from two points. The first relates to the diversity of plants. The second relates to the diversity of folk medicinal uses. On both these counts, modern scientific research can benefit as the plants present considerable opportunities for the discovery of a variety of drugs that can be efficaciously used for treatment of diverse ailments, for which modern allopathic medicine has no satisfactory cure.

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