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A Cross-sectional Study of Ethnopharmacology in the Noakhali District of Bangladesh and Exploring Potential Ocular Immunostimulatory Activity of the Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Eye Infections

Azam, Md.N.K.
Ethnobotany & Ethnomedicine Division, TechB Herbal Solution, Bheramara, Kushtia-7040, Bangladesh

Biswas, S.
Medical College for Women & Hospital (MCW&H), Uttara Model Town, Dhaka-1230, Bangladesh

Ahmed, Md.N.*
Ethnobotany & Ethnomedicine Division, TechB Herbal Solution, Bheramara, Kushtia-7040, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The authors aimed to document the medicinal plants used by the traditional healers (TH) of Noakhali district in the treatment of eye infections, as well as to include their scientific evidence relevant to the immunopharmacology towards further exploring of potential natural medicine based ocular immune system development; their question being: Do these plants have the potential for further exploration of ocular immune-modulatory activities against eye infections? And if so, is their consumption safe? This empirical ethnopharmacological study was carried out among the TH of Noakhali district, Bangladesh, with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field walk method. In-depth information regarding medicinal plant type, preparation of medicines and parts used were obtained from the TH. Plant samples were later identified at the Bangladesh National Herbarium and a number of scientific literature were reviewed for immunostimulating activities that were frequently found in the reported plant species. The collected information indicates that the following 12 medicinal plants, Spondias dulcis, Croton caudatus, Tagetes erecta, Ervatamia divaricata, Sesbania grandiflora, Curcuma longa, Mangifera indica, Asparagus racemosus, Centalla asiatica, Terminalia chebula, Ocimum gratissimum and Lawsonia inermis are commonly used by TH to treat eye infections. A review study on several available scientific evidences attributed to the in vivo and in vitro immunomodulation properties of these species. No relevant information was found regarding the immunostimulatory activity of Croton caudatus and Ervatamia divaricata. Toxicological studies of the remaining plants (except L. inermis, S. dulcis, E. divaricata) were done to evaluate the safety index for human consumption. The rural inhabitants of Bangladesh mostly depend on the medicinal plants for the treatment of various bacteria, virus and fungus associated eye infections i.e., conjunctivitis, keratitis, endopthalmitis etc. Plant based Immunomodulators can become a better choice to enhance ocular immune system because of their minimal or no side effects. So, as the body of existing ethnomedicinal knowledge can be a thriving source for natural immunomodulatory bioactive compounds, it is very important to evaluate further scientific research for the exploration of new compounds that could act as ocular immunostimulatory drugs in the future treatment of eye infections.

Keywords: Ocular immunology, Medicinal plants, Immunomodulation, Ethnomedicine, Eye infections, Traditional healers, Ethnopharmacology, Bangladesh

Location: Baikunthopur and Ulupara village of Noakhali district, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Development of Host and Medicinal Plants

Commodity: Medicinal Plants, Diseases

Objectives:

In our present study, we have undertaken the documentation of the application of medicinal plants, that are used by the traditional healers in Noakhali district, Bangladesh in the treatment of ocular infections, as well as the review of scientific evidences of variously reported immunostimulatory activities of these plant species, so that they can be evaluated for further scientific studies to discover new compound of drugs for developing the ocular immunostimulatory system against eye infections.

Methodology:

F or this ethnopharmacological study, survey was conducted in Baikunthopur and Ulupara village of Noakhali district, Bangladesh. cal study, survey was conducted in The district has an area of 3601 km² with a population of 3,108,083 and is subdivided into nine Upazilas. Our selected study areas, Baikunthopur and Ulupara village is covered by Chatkhil Upazila and Begumganj Upazila respectively. The study area for this specific ethnomedicinal survey was selected by the authors themselves regarding information on the noted traditional medicinal plant practices. We are conducting systematic ethnomedicinal survey in Bangladesh since 2011 so as to know how and why medicinal plants are suggested by the traditional healers (TH), that can lead the way towards a better linking of traditional knowledge with biomedical science and how the TH of Bangladesh select medicinal plants for boosting up the immune system of human body. Moreover, Immunostimulation and immunosuppression both need to be tackled in order to regulate the normal immunological functioning. Hence both immunostimulating agents and immunosuppressing agents have their own standing and the search for better agents exerting these activities becoming the field of interest all over the world.

Interviews were conducted among the TH in the Bangla language with the help of a semi structured questionnaire and guided open filed walk method. Interview protocols and field observations all followed standard ethnobotanical methods In this method, The TH took the authors to the areas where they collected their medicinal plants, pointed out the plants and mentioned their name and mode of use. Prior informed consent was obtained conducting interviews and researchers adhered to the ethical guidelines of the International Society of Ethnobiology and the final work was then submitted to and approved by the Institutional Ethnomedicine Ethical committee of TechB Herbal Solution, Bheramara, Kushita, Bangladesh. At the end of each interview plant specimens shown by the TH were collected, dried and later brought back to Dhaka for identification at the Bangladesh National Herbarium and all the voucher specimens were deposited there.

Nomenclature of the identified species was collected from the plant list database. Later meanwhile research articles, books and relevant web pages were also studied to accumulate data of immunostimulating activity of the plant species those were used by our respected traditional healers in the treatment of eye infections.

Source of Information: Pharmacology online Archives • 2015 • vol.1 • 77-89

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

This preliminary study reports that extracts and isolated compounds of the 12 plants used by the traditional healers contain phytochemicals ie., alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, saponins, glycosides, etc., with immunostimulatory activities, that promote both cellular and humoral immunities, as evidenced by result of this survey. 5 of these plants have high safety indexes whereas 2 plants have moderate safety index, as revealed by the toxicological studies. Our study could be used to guide pharmacological and therapeutic evaluation by research on these plants at a molecular level and all these studies are backed up by supporting reports obtained from various research papers, books and websites, thus to an extent answering the questions asked in the introduction of this paper and supporting the use of Bangladeshi medicinal plants for treating eye infections and claiming them to be safe. Moreover, since Bangladesh is a rich and thriving source of different natural medicinal plants, research could be undertaken for the exploration of newer bioactive compounds from other plants and to safely use these plant-based immunomodulatory drugs to improve the ocular immune system and for the future treatment of ocular infections as plant-based drugs have minimal or no side effects in comparison to that of synthetic drugs.

Knowledge Management: Journal, Online Circulation