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Medicinal Plants and Formulations of the Goala Tribe of Moulvibazar, Bangladesh

Sadia Moun Mou
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Mostafi Jumrut Mahal
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Piplu Bhuiyan
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Abu Syed Muhammad Zakaria
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Bipul Datta
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Masud Rana
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Ariful Islam
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 Rahmatulla
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Recent anthropological researches conducted in Bangladesh have largely refuted the notion that the country has only a dozen or more tribes. A number of small tribes, some on the verge of disappearance, have been found. As a result, recent estimates put the number of tribes in Bangladesh as possibly more than hundred. The Goala tribe is among one of these small tribes on the verge of disappearance and which has been located in one of the tea estates in Moulvibazar district of Sylhet Division in the country. Since practically nothing is known about the tribe including their traditional medicinal practices, an ethnomedicinal survey was conducted among the tribe. The total tribal population is about 220 with only one practicing tribal medicinal practitioner. It was observed that the practitioner treats various common ailments with medicinal plants. Altogether 25 plants were observed to be used by the practitioner. These plants were distributed into 16 families. The Euphorbiaceae family contributed 4 plants followed by the Apocynaceae and Combretaceae family with 3 plants each. The various ailments treated included heart disorders, tooth infections, swelling of gums, irregular menstruation, pain, low sperm density, gastrointestinal disorders, hair loss, whitening of hair, jaundice, eczema, snake bite, sexual problems and burning sensations during urination. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first documentation of the traditional medicinal practices of the Goala tribe and so is of both anthropological and medicinal interest.

Keywords: Medicinal plants, Goala tribe, Moulvibazar, Bangladesh.

Location: Moulvibazar, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Medicinal Plants

Objectives:

During the course of one of these surveys, a small tribal group was observed in one of the tea estates of Moulvibazar district in Sylhet Division of Bangladesh. Documentation of the tribal medicinal practices of this small tribe (of about 220 members) known as the Goala tribe was the objective of this present ethnomedicinal study.

Methodology:

The Goala tribe was located in a tea estate (tea garden) of Moulvibazar district in Sylhet Division of Bangladesh. A preliminary survey indicated that existing tribal members were only about 220. The tribe had one TMP, namely Lobin Goala, age around 65 years, and who mentioned that he had been practicing for the last 40 years. Informed consent was obtained from the practitioners and the tribal Headman to interview the practitioner and also to disseminate any information provided both nationally as well as internationally. Interviews were conducted in Bengali, the language of the mainstream population of Bangladesh, and which was spoken by both the tribal community as well as the interviewers. Actual interviews were conducted with the help of a semistructured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method of Martin (1995) and Maundu (1995). In this method, the TMP took the interviewers on guided field-walks through areas from where he collected the medicinal plants, pointed out the plants and described their uses. Plant specimens were photographed, collected and dried and later brought back to Bangladesh National Herbarium for complete identification. Supplementary ethonographic information was collected from the tribal Headman, usually in evening sessions.

Source of Information: American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 6(4): 254-260, 2012 ISSN 1995-0748

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Overall, it can be said, that the Goala TMP did not treat a large number of ailments and his formulations have a close similarity to the Ayurvedic use of medicinal plants. The comparatively low number of formulations suggests that possibly the major part of the Goala traditional medicinal practice may have been lost or forgotten, which is not surprising considering that the Goala population has come down to less than 250 and then with only one aged tribal medicinal practitioner. Possibly this TMP is the last of his kind for we did not observe any young TMPs or any apprentices or trainees with the aged TMP. Nevertheless, the medicinal plants of the Goala TMP merit potential for further scientific studies, for even though the knowledge base is not broad, yet this small base can prove to be suitable enough for the discovery of novel, affordable and efficacious drugs.

Knowledge Management: Journal