A Survey of Medicinal Plants Used by Garo and Non-Garo Traditional Medicinal Practitioners in Two Villages of Tangail District, Bangladesh (original) (raw)

Folk medicine is a traditional form of medicinal practice in Bangladesh, which is practiced by practitioners who exist both among the mainstream Bengali-speaking population as well as among the various tribes of Bangladesh. The mainstay of the folk medicinal formulations consist of medicinal plants, which are used directly or in the form of decoctions, juice, pastes and are administered either orally or topically, depending upon the ailments treated. The objective of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey among the traditional medicinal practitioners, otherwise known as Kavirajes of two villages of Madhupur sub-district in Tangail district of the country. One practitioner catered to the medicinal needs of the Bengali speaking population, while the other belonged to the Garo tribe and administered to the medicinal needs of the Garo village community. It was observed that a total of 53 plant species were prescribed by the two practitioners, of which 37 plants were prescribed by the non-Garo practitioner and 16 plants by the Garo practitioner. The various plant species belonged to 37 families. Major families included the Fabaceae family, which contributed 4 plants and the Acanthaceae, Combretaceae and Rutaceae families, which contributed 3 plants per family. Leaves formed the major plant part used (43.8%) in the formulations followed by stems and fruits at 14.1% each. Roots were used 12.5% of the time. Other plant parts used included sap, bark, flower, fruit, seed, oil and rhizome. Whole plants were not used at all by any of the two practitioners surveyed. The major ailments treated were gastrointestinal disorders (including diarrhea, dysentery and acidity) and sexual disorders (including loss of libido, infertility and passing of semen with urine). Nine plants were used for treatment of pain in various parts of the body and 8 plants were used for treatment of skin diseases. Four plants were used for treatment of jaundice and three plants each were used for treatment of fever, cholera, or urinary problems. Other diseases treated by the practitioners were helminthiasis, asthma, heart disorders and hemorrhoids, sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis and gonorrhea and chicken pox. Two plants were used for preventive purposes; Opuntia dillenii was advised to be taken for maintenance of health and mental strength, while Tinospora crispa was advised to be taken for prevention of intestinal disorders. The Kavirajes also prescribed Zanthoxylum simulans not for treatment of any disease but as a vitamin source. Plants have always formed an important source for discovery of modern allopathic medicines. It is expected that the plants observed to be used for treatment of various diseases by the Kavirajes can be subjected for further bio-activity studies, which studies can lead to discovery of better drugs.