A Survey on Medicinal Plants Used by the Folk Medicinal Practitioners in Three Villages of Panchagarh and Thakurgaon District, Bangladesh

Folk medicinal practitioners, otherwise known as Kavirajes form the first tier of primary health-care providers to a substantial segment of the rural and urban population of Bangladesh. The Kavirajes rely mostly on administration of plants or plant parts for treatment of various ailments. Previous surveys have indicated that the medicinal plants used by the Kavirajes can vary considerably from one Kaviraj to another. The objective of the present study was to conduct a survey among the Kavirajes of three villages in Panchagarh and Thakurgaon districts, Bangladesh to find out about the medicinal plants used by them for treatment of different ailments. The survey was conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. It was observed that the Kavirajes used a total of 75 plants distributed into 45 families in their treatment of patients. Fabaceae family contributed 8 plants, followed by the Euphorbiaceae family with 5 plants. The Zingiberaceae family contributed 4 plants, while the Acanthaceae, Apocynaceae, and Combretaceae families contributed 3 plants each. Leaves constituted the major plant part used (37.8% of total uses), followed by fruits at 18.9%. Meho (local term used by the Kavirajes to describe urinary problem arising out from endocrinological disorder or diabetes) was the major ailment treated by the Kavirajes. 16 plants were used for treatment of meho. 12 plants were used for treatment of pain, and 7 plants each were used for the treatment of sexual disorders (loss of libido, infertility), skin disorders, and sexually transmitted diseases. Other ailments treated included fever, wasting away of body, burns, dizziness, jaundice gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, cuts and wounds, heart disorders, debility, bone fractures, kidney problems, puerperal fever, asthma, piles, paralysis, hypertension, insanity, and menstrual problems. Taken together, the medicinal plants used by the Kavirajes of these three villages possess enormous potential for scientific studies to be conducted towards discovery of novel drugs and lead compounds.