Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Ethnomedicinal Wisdom of a Tonchongya Tribal Healer Practicing in Rangamati District, Bangladesh

Abdul Wahab
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Sourav Roy
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Ahsan Habib
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Md. Rifat Ahmed Bhuiyan
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Piya Roy
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Md. Golam Sorwar Khan
Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Development Alternative, Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh

Abul Kalam Azad
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:

Bangladesh has over a hundred indigenous communities or tribal groups. A number of tribal communities are present in the southeastern portion of Bangladesh, which is known as the Chittagong Hill Tracts region. These communities include the Chaks, Chakmas, Marmas, Murongs, Rakhains, Tripuras, Pankhos, Bawms, Tonchongyas, and the Mros, to name only a few. Although these tribal communities and their various clans have their own tribal medicinal practitioners, sometimes tribal medicinal practitioners from a particular tribe may practice among communities of a different tribe. The objective of this study was to document the medicinal plants and formulations of a Tonchongya tribal medicinal practitioner who practiced among communities of Chakma and Pankho tribal groups in Bilaichari sub-district of Rangamati district, which falls within the Chittagong Hill Tracts region. The practitioner was observed to use a total of 24 plants in his formulations, which plant species were distributed into 14 families. The various plant species were used for treatment of ailments like respiratory disorders, urinary problems, snake or insect bite, excessive bleeding during menstruation, gastrointestinal disorders, high blood pressure, abscess, pain, measles, allergy, cataract, rheumatic fever, and chicken pox. The forests of Chittagong Hill Tracts region are yet to be thoroughly explored regarding the plant species present in the region, and the Tonchongya healer used a number of plants not used by the mainstream folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh. The plant species used by the Tonchongya healer deserves scientific attention with regard to their potential for new drug discoveries from these plants.

Keywords: Medicinal plants, Tribal medicine, Tonchongya, Bangladesh

Location: Rangamati district, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Medicinal Plants

Objectives:

The objective of this present survey was to document the ethnomedicinal practices of a Tonchongya tribal healer, who very unusually, practiced among Chakma and Pankho tribal communities in Bilaichari sub-district, which falls within Rangamati district of Bangladesh. Notably, Rangamati district is within the Chittagong Hill Tracts. The Tonchongyas are a separate tribal community and have their own tribal healers. However, this TMP mainly practiced in the town of Rangamati, and his patients, according to him, came mostly from the Chakma and Pankho communities residing in the town of Rangamati.

Methodology:

Informed consent was initially obtained from the TMP, Shompun Tonchongya, who was 79 years in age, and Buddhist by religion. The TMP practiced among the Chakma and Pankho communities who reside in Bilaichari sub-district of Rangamati, but his main practice center was the town of Rangamati. The town has a number of tribal community members in residence, and the patients of the TMP, according to him, came usually from the Chakma and the Pankho tribal communities, the Chakma community being the largest tribal group residing in Rangamati. The TMP was apprised of the nature of our visit and consent obtained to disseminate any information obtained both nationally and internationally. Rangamati town also has a large group of mainstream Bengali-speaking residents, and the Kaviraj could speak fluent Bengali, which was also the language of the interviewers.

Interviews were conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method of Martin (1995) and Maundu (1995). In this method, the TMP took the interviewers on guided fieldwalks through areas from where he collected his medicinal plants, pointed out the plants, and described their uses. Plant specimens were collected on the spot, photographed, and dried. Following drying, the specimens were brought to Dhaka to be identified by Mr. Manjur-Ul-Kadir Mia, ex-Curator 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.

Source of Information: American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 7(3): 227-234, 2013 ISSN 1995-0748

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

A comparative ethnomedicinal analysis of the use of a particular plant species by different indigenous communities in various parts of the world combined with scientific reports on phytochemical constituents and pharmacological properties of the same species can be a good indicator of the possibility of finding a new drug from that plant species or use of the plant for treatment of a given disease. From that view point, the plants used by the Tonchongya TMP merits further studies for a number of plants are validated in their uses on the basis of scientific reports on their pharmacognostic profiles or ethnomedicinal uses. The forests of Chittagong Hill Tracts region are yet to be thoroughly explored regarding the plant species present in the region, and the Tonchongya healer used a number of plants not used by the mainstream folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh. Many of the plant species mentioned are on the point of endangerment. Scientific recognition of these endangered species as possible sources of new and better drugs can spur conservation efforts of these plants and at the same time lead to more efficient health-care among not only the tribal people but the population as a whole.

Knowledge Management: Journal