Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used by traditional healers and indigenous people in chittagong hill tracts, bangladesh, for the treatment of snakebite.

Snakebites are common in tropical countries like Bangladesh where most snakebite victims dwell in rural areas. Among the management options after snakebite in Bangladesh, snake charmers (Ozha in Bengali language) are the first contact following a snakebite for more than 80% of the victims and they are treated mostly with the help of some medicinal plants. Our aim of the study is to compile plants used for the treatment of snakebite occurrence in Bangladesh. The field survey was carried out in a period of almost 3 years. Fieldwork was undertaken in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh, including Chittagong, Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachari. Open-ended and semistructured questionnaire was used to interview a total of 110 people including traditional healers and local people. A total of 116 plant species of 48 families were listed. Leaves were the most cited plant part used against snake venom. Most of the reported species were herb in nature and paste mostly used externally is the mode of preparation. The survey represents the preliminary information of certain medicinal plants having neutralizing effects against snake venoms, though further phytochemical investigation, validation, and clinical trials should be conducted before using these plants as an alternative to popular antivenom.

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used by traditional health practitioners in Thanchi, Bandarban Hill Tracts, Bangladesh.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: There is very limited information regarding plants used by traditional healers in Bandarban Hill Tracts (BHT), Bangladesh for treating general as well as complex ailments. Current study provides significant ethnopharmacological information, both qualitative and quantitative on medical plants in BHT. Aim of the study This study aimed to collect, analyze and evaluate the rich ethnopharmacologic knowledge on medicinal plants in Thanchi, BHT and attempted to identify the important species used in traditional medicine. Further analysis was done by comparison of the traditional medicinal use of the plants with the available scientific literature data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The field survey was carried out in a period of several years in Thanchi upazilla of Bandarban districts, Bangladesh. A total of 53 Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) were interviewed through open-ended and semi structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. This ethnomedicinal knowledge was compared against the available scientific literature for reports of related uses and studies of phytochemical compounds responsible for respective ailments. RESULTS: A total of 84 species of plants, mostly herbs, belonging to 42 families were identified for the treatment of 70 types of ailments. These ailments were categorized into 16 categories. Leaves were the most frequently used plant parts and juice is the mode of preparation of major portions of the plant species. The most common mode of administration was oral ingestion and topical application. Informant consensus factor (Fic) values of the present study reflected the high agreement in the use of plants in the treatment of digestive system and respiratory system disorders among the informants. Diseases of the digestive system had highest use-reports and 3 species of plants, namely Centella asiatica (L.) Urban. (dysentery), Justicia gendarussa L. (asthma) and Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (coughing) had the highest fidelity level (FL) of 100%. Clerodendrum viscosum Vent., Achyranthes aspera L and Justicia gendarussa L. showed the highest relative importance (RI) value of 1.86. According to use value (UV) the most important species were Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (2.24) and Achyranthes aspera L. (2.15). CONCLUSION: Priority should be given for further phytochemical investigation to plants that scored highest FL, Fic, UV or RI values, as such values could be considered as good indicator of prospective plants for discovering new drugs. Since knowledge regarding traditional medicine being vulnerable day by day so traditional medicine in school curricula should be incorporated so that younger people could appreciate its usefulness. Also counseling of THPs and gardening of medicinal plants should be taken into consideration immediately in order to smooth continuance and extension of traditional medical knowledge and practice for ensuring safe and effective therapy.

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Bangladesh for gastrointestinal disorders.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gastrointestinal diseases are common worldwide, including Bangladesh where majority of the rural people depend on water from unprotected sources. The people from Bangladesh use medicinal plants as their first line of health care to cure and prevent different types of gastrointestinal disorders. AIM OF THE STUDY: To compile plants used for the treatment of different gastrointestinal disorders in Bangladesh. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The field survey was carried out in a period of 18 months. Fieldwork was undertaken in total of eleven districts of Bangladesh. Open-ended and semi structured questionnaire were used to interview a total of 1280 people including traditional healers, Ayurvedic/Unani drug manufacturers and local people. RESULTS: A total of 250 plant species of 93 families were listed. Leaves were the most cited plant part used against gastrointestinal disorders. Most of the reported species were tree in nature and decoction is the mode of preparation of major portions of the plant species. Most of the plant species were very common and were cultivated or planted in homestead or roadsides. The doses of the plants for different treatments varied widely. CONCLUSION: In view of the fact that the plants were selected based on their medicinal usage for treating different kinds of gastrointestinal diseases including diarrhoea, the activities reported here need more works for validation and could be rationalised by the presence of active compounds found in those plants. The documentation represents the preliminary information in need of future phytochemical investigation and is important for the conservation of these plants.

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by Bangladeshi traditional health practitioners in the management of diabetes mellitus.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: There is very limited information regarding plants used by traditional healers for treating diabetes in Bangladesh, let alone compilation on the use of those. This study aimed at collecting and documenting information on antidiabetic plants traditionally used in the treatment of diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The survey was carried out in a period of almost 2 years. Fieldwork was undertaken in total of 15 districts of Bangladesh. Open-ended and semi structured questionnaire were used to interview a total of 1060 people including traditional healers, Ayurvedic/Unani drug manufacturers and local people. RESULTS: A total of 83 plant species of 38 families were listed. Leaves were the most cited plant part used against diabetes. Most of the reported species were tree in nature and decoction is the mode of preparation of major portions of the plant species. Most of the plant species were very common and were cultivated or planted in homestead or roadsides. CONCLUSION: Conventional use of many antidiabetic plants of Bangladesh can be rationalized by the presence of active compounds found in those plants. The documentation could be important for the conservation of these plants and represent the preliminary information required for future phytochemical investigation.

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used by indigenous and tribal people in Rangamati, Bangladesh.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: There is very limited information regarding plants used by traditional healers in Rangamati, Bangladesh, for treating general ailments. Current study provides significant ethnopharmacological information, both qualitative and quantitative on medical plants in Rangamati. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to collect, analyze and evaluate the rich ethnopharmacologic knowledge on medicinal plants in Rangamati and attempted to identify the important species used in traditional medicine. Further analysis was done by comparison of the traditional medicinal use with the available scientific literature data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The field survey was carried out in a period of about one year in Rangamati, Bangladesh. A total of 152 people were interviewed, including Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) and indigenous people through open-ended and semistructured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. This ethnomedicinal knowledge was compared against the literature for reports of related uses and studies of phytochemical compounds responsible for respective ailments. RESULTS: A total of 144 species of plants, mostly trees, belonging to 52 families were identified for the treatment of more than 90 types of ailments. These ailments were categorized into 25 categories. Leaves were the most frequently used plant parts and decoction is the mode of preparation of major portions of the plant species. The most common mode of administration was oral ingestion and topical application. Informant consensus factor (Fic) values of the present study reflected the high agreement in the use of plants in the treatment of gastro-intestinal complaints and respiratory problems among the informants. Gastro-intestinal complaint had highest use-reports and 3 species of plants, namely Aegle marmelos (L.) Corr., Ananas comosus (L.) Merr., and Terminalia chebula (Gaertn.) Retz., had the highest fidelity level (FL) of 100%. Asparagus racemosus Willd. and Azadirachta indica A. Juss. showed the highest relative importance (RI) value of 1.86. According to use value (UV) the most important species were Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (2.48) and Ocimum sanctum L. (2.45). CONCLUSION: As a result of the present study, we recommend giving priority for further phytochemical investigation to plants that scored highest FL, Fic, UV or RI values, as such values could be considered as good indicator of prospective plants for discovering new drugs. Also counseling of THPs should be taken into consideration in order to smooth continuation and extension of traditional medical knowledge and practice for ensuring safe and effective therapy.