Professor Rownak Jahan - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Professor Rownak Jahan

Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies, May 1, 2020

Zingiber montanum or cassumunar zinger is a common ginger species in Asia, which has ethnic uses ... more Zingiber montanum or cassumunar zinger is a common ginger species in Asia, which has ethnic uses against various ailments like headache, dysentery, constipation, skin diseases, inflammation, jaundice, dyspepsia, pain, ulcer, fever and common cold. The objective of the study was to evaluate the antihyperglycemic effect of methanol extract of flowers of the plant, which is used by the Marma tribe in the Bandarban area of Bangladesh to keep high blood glucose level under control. Antihyperglycemic activity was determined through oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with methanol extract of Zingiber montanum flower. The extract (MEZM) at doses of 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg per kg body weight each to glucose-loaded mice reduced blood glucose levels by 13.6, 21.8, 27.9, and 32.3%, respectively, compared to control (untreated) mice. By comparison, a standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight, reduced blood glucose level by40.8%. Our results validate the use of flowers by the Marma tribe to lower elevated blood glucose levels.

Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies

Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies, 2019

Even following the advent of allopathic medicine, folk medicine still plays an important role in ... more Even following the advent of allopathic medicine, folk medicine still plays an important role in the health-care of humans and animals in Bangladesh. Folk medicine is often called herbal medicine, because the practitioners mainly rely on phytotherapeutic treatments. The present study documents the use of three formulations to treat three human and one cattle disease by a folk herbalist in Jamalpur district, Bangladesh. The human diseases treated were leucorrhea, chronic dysentery, and hemorrhoids (piles), while the cattle disease treated was swelling of cow’s udder. Various aspects of the treatments including scientific validations, if any, are discussed.

Diarrhea occurs when stools are passed out in liquid form frequently. Dysentery can be considered... more Diarrhea occurs when stools are passed out in liquid form frequently. Dysentery can be considered as severe diarrhea with mucus or blood in the feces accompanied by stomach cramps. Because of unhygienic living conditions and scarcity of potable water supply, diarrhea and dysentery are common problems in Bangladesh. The unripe fruits of Musa paradisiaca L. (plantain) are taken in mashed form following boiling or in the cooked form to assuage diarrhea and dysentery, which is a common remedy in Bangladesh going back possibly hundreds or even thousands of years. This review will deal with the anti-diarrheal and anti-dysentery uses of the plant in home remedies, folk medicine (FM) and tribal medicine (TM) of various countries, along with the phytochemicals present in the plant, and pharmacological studies on its anti-diarrheal and anti-dysentery properties.

American Journal of Ethnomedicine, 2017

Background: Bangladesh is possibly unique in that many different traditional medicinal systems ar... more Background: Bangladesh is possibly unique in that many different traditional medicinal systems are present like Ayurveda, Unani, homeopathy, and folk medicine. The objective of the present study was to document the novel therapeutic practices of a folk medicinal practitioner (FMP) in Nilphamari district, who used a combination of phytotherapy and zootherapy practices, and whose formulations further included his own modifications of standard Ayurvedic formulations. Interviews of the FMP regarding his ethnomedicinal practices were carried out with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method from August 2016 till February 2017. The FMP used a total of 44 plants distributed into 29 families in his formulations. The total number of formulations used was 25 for treatment of a diverse group of ailments like respiratory tract disorders, eye disorders, filariasis, diabetes, weakening of immune system, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, tuberculosis, heart disorders, puerperal fever, and jaundice. The FMP also used parts from seven animals (fish, insect, bird -all are classified as animal) alone or in conjunction with plants in his treatment. The FMP used a number of plants in his treatment, the ethnomedicinal uses of which plants being hitherto not reported from Bangladesh. The combination of phytotherapy and zootherapy is unique as well as modifications of Ayurvedic formulations, and if scientifically validated, may prove useful for treatment of a number of diseases. Overall, the FMP's treatment methods merit further scientific attention especially towards development of an effective method to treat diabetes, hypertension, and filariasis.

American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture

The Tonchongyas are a small tribe residing in particularly the Roangchaari Upazila (sub-district)... more The Tonchongyas are a small tribe residing in particularly the Roangchaari Upazila (sub-district) of the Bandarban district in Chittagong Hill Tracts Region of Bangladesh. They have many things in common with the predominant tribe of the region, the Chakmas, and it is sometimes said that the Tonchongyas are an off shoot of the Chakma tribe. The Tonchongyas, however, claim themselves to be a different tribe. We have previously conducted an ethnomedicinal survey of the tribal practitioners of the Tonchongya tribe residing in Keyaju Para in Bandarban district in Bangladesh. Another community of this tribe was located in Roangchaari Upazila and more precisely in the villages of Bottoli Bazaar, Faruk Para, and Roangchaari Bazaar. It was of interest to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey among the tribal healers of this community to get a more complete coverage of the medicinal practices of this tribe, as well as to compare the medicinal practices of the two communities of the same tribe but...

Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, Jan 30, 2015

Garo Hills represents one of earliest human habitation in Bangladesh preserving its ancient cultu... more Garo Hills represents one of earliest human habitation in Bangladesh preserving its ancient cultures due to the geographic location. It is situated in the most northern part of Durgapur sub-district having border with Meghalaya of India. Durgapur is rich in ethnic diversity with Garo and Hajong as the major ethnic groups along with Bangalee settlers from the mainstream population. Thus the ethnomedicinal practice in Garo Hills is considered rich as it encompasses three different groups. Present survey was undertaken to compile the medicinal plant usage among the various communities of the Garo Hills. The ethnomedicinal data was collected through open and focussed group discussions, and personal interviews using semi-structured questionnaire. A total of 185 people were interviewed, including the three community people and their traditional health practitioners (THPs). The usage of the plants were further analysed and are presented as use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF) a...

The medicinal uses of Centella asiatica goes back to pre-historic times. Discovery of any new dru... more The medicinal uses of Centella asiatica goes back to pre-historic times. Discovery of any new drug from a plant can benefit a lot if ethnomedicinal uses of the plant from various sources are documented and compared, and relevant scientific studies are conducted on the plant's pharmacological properties. In this review, we have attempted to compile a list of ethnomedicinal uses of Centella asiatica and have searched the scientific literature for reported constituents from the plant, which can scientifically validate the plant's traditional uses for cure of many ailments. The study clearly demonstrates that the various constituents present in different parts of the plant and the reported pharmacological properties agree well, and as such, validate many of the traditional uses of this plant. Numerous ethnomedicinal studies are published every year without any discussion of the chemical constituents of the medicinal plants reported, and scientific validations of their traditional medicinal uses. It is believed that the present approach of study of a medicinal plant can prove more valuable in not only identifying which diseases the plant may prove beneficial for but also provide a rational basis for any plant's given traditional uses, and lead to the discovery of new drugs.

The Bongshi tribe is one of the smallest tribes of Bangladesh and just inhabits two adjacent vill... more The Bongshi tribe is one of the smallest tribes of Bangladesh and just inhabits two adjacent villages in Tangail district of the country, namely, Mahanandapur and Dondonia. An ethnomedicinal survey was carried out among the healers of the tribe. Interviews were conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. It was observed that the Bongshi healers used a total of 44 plant species for treatment of a diverse variety of ailments. Although most of the ailments were common ailments, the Bongshi healers used several plants for treatment of diabetes, a disease which cannot be cured with modern medicine. As such, the plants used by the Bongshi healers for treatment of diabetes merit special scientific studies for their possible curative effects. The Bongshi healers also used several plants for treatment of pain. The common pain killing drugs like aspirin and paracetamol have side-effects like gastric ulceration and hepatotoxicity resulting from prolonged use of these drugs. As such, scientific studies needs to undertaken on the plants mentioned by the healers towards the development of more efficacious drugs. Several plants used by the healers have been validated by scientific findings on their relevant pharmacological activities.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014

Background: Alternanthera sessilis is used by folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh for alle... more Background: Alternanthera sessilis is used by folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh for alleviation of severe pain. The objective of this study was to scientifically analyze the analgesic (non-narcotic) property of aerial parts of the plant along with antihyperglycemic activity. Methods: Antihyperglycemic activity was measured by oral glucose tolerance tests. Analgesic (non-narcotic) activity was determined by observed decreases in abdominal writhings in intraperitoneally administered acetic acid-induced pain model in mice. Results: Administration of methanol extract of aerial parts led to dose-dependent and significant reductions in blood glucose levels in glucose-loaded mice. At doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight, the extract reduced blood sugar levels by 22.9, 30.7, 45.4 and 46.1%, respectively compared to control animals. By comparison, a standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight, reduced blood glucose level by 48.9%. In analgesic activity tests, the extract at the above four doses reduced the number of abdominal writhings by 27.6, 37.9, 41.4, and 44.8%, respectively. A standard analgesic drug, aspirin, reduced the number of writhings by 31.0 and 51.7%, respectively, when administered at doses of 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight. The results validate the folk medicinal use of the plant to alleviate pain. At the same time, the antihyperglycemic activity result suggests that the plant may be a potential source for blood sugar lowering drug(s).

International Scholarly Research Notices, 2014

Mangrove plants are specialized woody plants growing in the swamps of tidal-coastal areas and riv... more Mangrove plants are specialized woody plants growing in the swamps of tidal-coastal areas and river deltas of tropical and subtropical parts of the world. They have been utilized for medicinal and other purposes by the coastal people over the years. Heritiera fomes Buch. Ham. (family: Sterculiaceae) commonly known as Sundari (Bengali) is a preeminent mangrove plant occurring in the Sundarbans forest located in the southern part of Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal province of India. The plant has applications in traditional folk medicine as evidenced by its extensive use for treating diabetes, hepatic disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, goiter, and skin diseases by the local people and traditional health practitioners. A number of investigations indicated that the plant possesses significant antioxidant, antinociceptive, antihyperglycemic, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. Phytochemical analyses have revealed the presence of important chemical constituents like saponin...

International Scholarly Research Notices, 2014

Eclipta alba can be found growing wild in fallow lands of Bangladesh where it is considered as a ... more Eclipta alba can be found growing wild in fallow lands of Bangladesh where it is considered as a weed by farmers. Traditional medicinal systems of the Indian subcontinent countries as well as tribal practitioners consider the plant to have diverse medicinal values and use it commonly for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory tract disorders (including asthma), fever, hair loss and graying of hair, liver disorders (including jaundice), skin disorders, spleen enlargement, and cuts and wounds. The plant has several phytoconstituents like wedelolactone, eclalbasaponins, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, luteolin, and apigenin. Pharmacological activities of plant extracts and individual phytoconstituents have revealed anticancer, hepatoprotective, snake venom neutralizing, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Phytoconstituents like wedelolactone and ursolic and oleanolic acids as well as luteolin and apigenin can form the basis of new drugs against cancer, arthriti...

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2014

Background The number of tribes present within Bangladesh has been estimated to approximate one h... more Background The number of tribes present within Bangladesh has been estimated to approximate one hundred and fifty. Information on traditional medicinal practices, particularly of the smaller tribes and their clans is lacking. It was the objective of the study to document the tribal medicinal practices of the Deb barma clan of the Tripura tribe, which clan can be found residing in Dolusora Tripura Palli of Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh. A further objective was to determine the extent of the community households who still prefer traditional treatment to other forms of treatment, particularly allopathic treatment. Methods Interviews of the tribal healer and the tribal community regarding their ethnomedicinal practices were carried out with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. All together 67 clan members were interviewed including the Headman, tribal healer, 19 Heads of households and 46 other adult members of the clan. Information on numbe...

… Eurasian Journal of …, 2009

American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 3(4): 881-888, 2009 ISSN 1995-0748 © 2009, ... more American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 3(4): 881-888, 2009 ISSN 1995-0748 © 2009, American-Eurasian Network for Scientific Information This is a refereed journal and all articles are professionally screened and reviewed ... Corresponding Author: Professor ...

… Eurasian Journal of …, 2009

Advances in Natural …, 2010

Abstract Folk medicinal healers (Kavirajes) form the primary health-care providers to the predomi... more Abstract Folk medicinal healers (Kavirajes) form the primary health-care providers to the predominantly rural population residing in over 86,000 villages throughout Bangladesh. The Kavirajes treat various ailments with whole plants or plant parts from which they make ...

American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, Oct 1, 2012

Traditional medicine even in the present century plays an important role in delivering necessary ... more 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 ...

American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 2012

Folk medicine is an integral part of the various traditional medicinal practices of Bangladesh. T... more Folk medicine is an integral part of the various traditional medicinal practices of Bangladesh. The folk medicinal practitioners, otherwise known as Kavirajes, mainly rely on medicinal plant decoctions, juices, or paste, which are administered topically or orally for treatment of various ailments. Vast numbers of rural and urban people of Bangladesh rely on Kavirajes for treatment of ailments; in fact Kavirajes often are the primary health-care providers, at least to the rural population. The selection of medicinal plant for treatment of ...

... Farzana Begum Chowdhury, FM Safiul Azam, Md. ... et al., 2005; Nguyen-Pouplin et al., 2007); ... more ... Farzana Begum Chowdhury, FM Safiul Azam, Md. ... et al., 2005; Nguyen-Pouplin et al., 2007); anti-bacterial (Samy et al., 1998); anti-fungal (Guleria and Kumar, 2006; Sathiamoorthy et al., 2007; Aswar et al., 2009); insecticidal (Paneru and Shivakoti, 2001; Raja et al., 2000 ...

Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies, May 1, 2020

Zingiber montanum or cassumunar zinger is a common ginger species in Asia, which has ethnic uses ... more Zingiber montanum or cassumunar zinger is a common ginger species in Asia, which has ethnic uses against various ailments like headache, dysentery, constipation, skin diseases, inflammation, jaundice, dyspepsia, pain, ulcer, fever and common cold. The objective of the study was to evaluate the antihyperglycemic effect of methanol extract of flowers of the plant, which is used by the Marma tribe in the Bandarban area of Bangladesh to keep high blood glucose level under control. Antihyperglycemic activity was determined through oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with methanol extract of Zingiber montanum flower. The extract (MEZM) at doses of 50, 100, 200, and 400 mg per kg body weight each to glucose-loaded mice reduced blood glucose levels by 13.6, 21.8, 27.9, and 32.3%, respectively, compared to control (untreated) mice. By comparison, a standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight, reduced blood glucose level by40.8%. Our results validate the use of flowers by the Marma tribe to lower elevated blood glucose levels.

Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies

Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies, 2019

Even following the advent of allopathic medicine, folk medicine still plays an important role in ... more Even following the advent of allopathic medicine, folk medicine still plays an important role in the health-care of humans and animals in Bangladesh. Folk medicine is often called herbal medicine, because the practitioners mainly rely on phytotherapeutic treatments. The present study documents the use of three formulations to treat three human and one cattle disease by a folk herbalist in Jamalpur district, Bangladesh. The human diseases treated were leucorrhea, chronic dysentery, and hemorrhoids (piles), while the cattle disease treated was swelling of cow’s udder. Various aspects of the treatments including scientific validations, if any, are discussed.

Diarrhea occurs when stools are passed out in liquid form frequently. Dysentery can be considered... more Diarrhea occurs when stools are passed out in liquid form frequently. Dysentery can be considered as severe diarrhea with mucus or blood in the feces accompanied by stomach cramps. Because of unhygienic living conditions and scarcity of potable water supply, diarrhea and dysentery are common problems in Bangladesh. The unripe fruits of Musa paradisiaca L. (plantain) are taken in mashed form following boiling or in the cooked form to assuage diarrhea and dysentery, which is a common remedy in Bangladesh going back possibly hundreds or even thousands of years. This review will deal with the anti-diarrheal and anti-dysentery uses of the plant in home remedies, folk medicine (FM) and tribal medicine (TM) of various countries, along with the phytochemicals present in the plant, and pharmacological studies on its anti-diarrheal and anti-dysentery properties.

American Journal of Ethnomedicine, 2017

Background: Bangladesh is possibly unique in that many different traditional medicinal systems ar... more Background: Bangladesh is possibly unique in that many different traditional medicinal systems are present like Ayurveda, Unani, homeopathy, and folk medicine. The objective of the present study was to document the novel therapeutic practices of a folk medicinal practitioner (FMP) in Nilphamari district, who used a combination of phytotherapy and zootherapy practices, and whose formulations further included his own modifications of standard Ayurvedic formulations. Interviews of the FMP regarding his ethnomedicinal practices were carried out with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method from August 2016 till February 2017. The FMP used a total of 44 plants distributed into 29 families in his formulations. The total number of formulations used was 25 for treatment of a diverse group of ailments like respiratory tract disorders, eye disorders, filariasis, diabetes, weakening of immune system, erectile dysfunction, hypertension, tuberculosis, heart disorders, puerperal fever, and jaundice. The FMP also used parts from seven animals (fish, insect, bird -all are classified as animal) alone or in conjunction with plants in his treatment. The FMP used a number of plants in his treatment, the ethnomedicinal uses of which plants being hitherto not reported from Bangladesh. The combination of phytotherapy and zootherapy is unique as well as modifications of Ayurvedic formulations, and if scientifically validated, may prove useful for treatment of a number of diseases. Overall, the FMP's treatment methods merit further scientific attention especially towards development of an effective method to treat diabetes, hypertension, and filariasis.

American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture

The Tonchongyas are a small tribe residing in particularly the Roangchaari Upazila (sub-district)... more The Tonchongyas are a small tribe residing in particularly the Roangchaari Upazila (sub-district) of the Bandarban district in Chittagong Hill Tracts Region of Bangladesh. They have many things in common with the predominant tribe of the region, the Chakmas, and it is sometimes said that the Tonchongyas are an off shoot of the Chakma tribe. The Tonchongyas, however, claim themselves to be a different tribe. We have previously conducted an ethnomedicinal survey of the tribal practitioners of the Tonchongya tribe residing in Keyaju Para in Bandarban district in Bangladesh. Another community of this tribe was located in Roangchaari Upazila and more precisely in the villages of Bottoli Bazaar, Faruk Para, and Roangchaari Bazaar. It was of interest to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey among the tribal healers of this community to get a more complete coverage of the medicinal practices of this tribe, as well as to compare the medicinal practices of the two communities of the same tribe but...

Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, Jan 30, 2015

Garo Hills represents one of earliest human habitation in Bangladesh preserving its ancient cultu... more Garo Hills represents one of earliest human habitation in Bangladesh preserving its ancient cultures due to the geographic location. It is situated in the most northern part of Durgapur sub-district having border with Meghalaya of India. Durgapur is rich in ethnic diversity with Garo and Hajong as the major ethnic groups along with Bangalee settlers from the mainstream population. Thus the ethnomedicinal practice in Garo Hills is considered rich as it encompasses three different groups. Present survey was undertaken to compile the medicinal plant usage among the various communities of the Garo Hills. The ethnomedicinal data was collected through open and focussed group discussions, and personal interviews using semi-structured questionnaire. A total of 185 people were interviewed, including the three community people and their traditional health practitioners (THPs). The usage of the plants were further analysed and are presented as use value (UV), informant consensus factor (ICF) a...

The medicinal uses of Centella asiatica goes back to pre-historic times. Discovery of any new dru... more The medicinal uses of Centella asiatica goes back to pre-historic times. Discovery of any new drug from a plant can benefit a lot if ethnomedicinal uses of the plant from various sources are documented and compared, and relevant scientific studies are conducted on the plant's pharmacological properties. In this review, we have attempted to compile a list of ethnomedicinal uses of Centella asiatica and have searched the scientific literature for reported constituents from the plant, which can scientifically validate the plant's traditional uses for cure of many ailments. The study clearly demonstrates that the various constituents present in different parts of the plant and the reported pharmacological properties agree well, and as such, validate many of the traditional uses of this plant. Numerous ethnomedicinal studies are published every year without any discussion of the chemical constituents of the medicinal plants reported, and scientific validations of their traditional medicinal uses. It is believed that the present approach of study of a medicinal plant can prove more valuable in not only identifying which diseases the plant may prove beneficial for but also provide a rational basis for any plant's given traditional uses, and lead to the discovery of new drugs.

The Bongshi tribe is one of the smallest tribes of Bangladesh and just inhabits two adjacent vill... more The Bongshi tribe is one of the smallest tribes of Bangladesh and just inhabits two adjacent villages in Tangail district of the country, namely, Mahanandapur and Dondonia. An ethnomedicinal survey was carried out among the healers of the tribe. Interviews were conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. It was observed that the Bongshi healers used a total of 44 plant species for treatment of a diverse variety of ailments. Although most of the ailments were common ailments, the Bongshi healers used several plants for treatment of diabetes, a disease which cannot be cured with modern medicine. As such, the plants used by the Bongshi healers for treatment of diabetes merit special scientific studies for their possible curative effects. The Bongshi healers also used several plants for treatment of pain. The common pain killing drugs like aspirin and paracetamol have side-effects like gastric ulceration and hepatotoxicity resulting from prolonged use of these drugs. As such, scientific studies needs to undertaken on the plants mentioned by the healers towards the development of more efficacious drugs. Several plants used by the healers have been validated by scientific findings on their relevant pharmacological activities.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014

Background: Alternanthera sessilis is used by folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh for alle... more Background: Alternanthera sessilis is used by folk medicinal practitioners of Bangladesh for alleviation of severe pain. The objective of this study was to scientifically analyze the analgesic (non-narcotic) property of aerial parts of the plant along with antihyperglycemic activity. Methods: Antihyperglycemic activity was measured by oral glucose tolerance tests. Analgesic (non-narcotic) activity was determined by observed decreases in abdominal writhings in intraperitoneally administered acetic acid-induced pain model in mice. Results: Administration of methanol extract of aerial parts led to dose-dependent and significant reductions in blood glucose levels in glucose-loaded mice. At doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight, the extract reduced blood sugar levels by 22.9, 30.7, 45.4 and 46.1%, respectively compared to control animals. By comparison, a standard antihyperglycemic drug, glibenclamide, when administered at a dose of 10 mg per kg body weight, reduced blood glucose level by 48.9%. In analgesic activity tests, the extract at the above four doses reduced the number of abdominal writhings by 27.6, 37.9, 41.4, and 44.8%, respectively. A standard analgesic drug, aspirin, reduced the number of writhings by 31.0 and 51.7%, respectively, when administered at doses of 200 and 400 mg per kg body weight. The results validate the folk medicinal use of the plant to alleviate pain. At the same time, the antihyperglycemic activity result suggests that the plant may be a potential source for blood sugar lowering drug(s).

International Scholarly Research Notices, 2014

Mangrove plants are specialized woody plants growing in the swamps of tidal-coastal areas and riv... more Mangrove plants are specialized woody plants growing in the swamps of tidal-coastal areas and river deltas of tropical and subtropical parts of the world. They have been utilized for medicinal and other purposes by the coastal people over the years. Heritiera fomes Buch. Ham. (family: Sterculiaceae) commonly known as Sundari (Bengali) is a preeminent mangrove plant occurring in the Sundarbans forest located in the southern part of Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal province of India. The plant has applications in traditional folk medicine as evidenced by its extensive use for treating diabetes, hepatic disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, goiter, and skin diseases by the local people and traditional health practitioners. A number of investigations indicated that the plant possesses significant antioxidant, antinociceptive, antihyperglycemic, antimicrobial, and anticancer activities. Phytochemical analyses have revealed the presence of important chemical constituents like saponin...

International Scholarly Research Notices, 2014

Eclipta alba can be found growing wild in fallow lands of Bangladesh where it is considered as a ... more Eclipta alba can be found growing wild in fallow lands of Bangladesh where it is considered as a weed by farmers. Traditional medicinal systems of the Indian subcontinent countries as well as tribal practitioners consider the plant to have diverse medicinal values and use it commonly for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory tract disorders (including asthma), fever, hair loss and graying of hair, liver disorders (including jaundice), skin disorders, spleen enlargement, and cuts and wounds. The plant has several phytoconstituents like wedelolactone, eclalbasaponins, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, luteolin, and apigenin. Pharmacological activities of plant extracts and individual phytoconstituents have revealed anticancer, hepatoprotective, snake venom neutralizing, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Phytoconstituents like wedelolactone and ursolic and oleanolic acids as well as luteolin and apigenin can form the basis of new drugs against cancer, arthriti...

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2014

Background The number of tribes present within Bangladesh has been estimated to approximate one h... more Background The number of tribes present within Bangladesh has been estimated to approximate one hundred and fifty. Information on traditional medicinal practices, particularly of the smaller tribes and their clans is lacking. It was the objective of the study to document the tribal medicinal practices of the Deb barma clan of the Tripura tribe, which clan can be found residing in Dolusora Tripura Palli of Moulvibazar district of Bangladesh. A further objective was to determine the extent of the community households who still prefer traditional treatment to other forms of treatment, particularly allopathic treatment. Methods Interviews of the tribal healer and the tribal community regarding their ethnomedicinal practices were carried out with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. All together 67 clan members were interviewed including the Headman, tribal healer, 19 Heads of households and 46 other adult members of the clan. Information on numbe...

… Eurasian Journal of …, 2009

American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 3(4): 881-888, 2009 ISSN 1995-0748 © 2009, ... more American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 3(4): 881-888, 2009 ISSN 1995-0748 © 2009, American-Eurasian Network for Scientific Information This is a refereed journal and all articles are professionally screened and reviewed ... Corresponding Author: Professor ...

… Eurasian Journal of …, 2009

Advances in Natural …, 2010

Abstract Folk medicinal healers (Kavirajes) form the primary health-care providers to the predomi... more Abstract Folk medicinal healers (Kavirajes) form the primary health-care providers to the predominantly rural population residing in over 86,000 villages throughout Bangladesh. The Kavirajes treat various ailments with whole plants or plant parts from which they make ...

American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, Oct 1, 2012

Traditional medicine even in the present century plays an important role in delivering necessary ... more 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 ...

American-Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 2012

Folk medicine is an integral part of the various traditional medicinal practices of Bangladesh. T... more Folk medicine is an integral part of the various traditional medicinal practices of Bangladesh. The folk medicinal practitioners, otherwise known as Kavirajes, mainly rely on medicinal plant decoctions, juices, or paste, which are administered topically or orally for treatment of various ailments. Vast numbers of rural and urban people of Bangladesh rely on Kavirajes for treatment of ailments; in fact Kavirajes often are the primary health-care providers, at least to the rural population. The selection of medicinal plant for treatment of ...

... Farzana Begum Chowdhury, FM Safiul Azam, Md. ... et al., 2005; Nguyen-Pouplin et al., 2007); ... more ... Farzana Begum Chowdhury, FM Safiul Azam, Md. ... et al., 2005; Nguyen-Pouplin et al., 2007); anti-bacterial (Samy et al., 1998); anti-fungal (Guleria and Kumar, 2006; Sathiamoorthy et al., 2007; Aswar et al., 2009); insecticidal (Paneru and Shivakoti, 2001; Raja et al., 2000 ...