A survey of medicinal plants used by folk medicinal practitioners in two villages of Tangail district, Bangladesh

Folk medicinal practitioners (Kavirajes) of Bangladesh are consulted for treatment of various ailments by a substantial segment of the rural and urban population of the country. The major element that distinguishes the folk medicinal practitioners from other forms of medical practices is their use of simple formulations of medicinal plants for treatment. The plant(s) used by the Kavirajes for treatment of any specific ailment vary considerably in the various parts of the country, and such differences exist even among Kavirajes of adjoining villages. The objective of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey among the Kavirajes of two villages, namely Babla and Terbaria, which lies in Tangail district in the central portion of the country. Each village had one practicing Kaviraj. After obtaining informed consent from the Kavirajes, interviews were conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and the guided field-walk method. It was observed that the Kavirajes of the two villages used a total of 28 plants distributed into 22 families for treatment of various ailments. Leaves constituted the major plant part used, being used 48.7% of the time. From the number of plants used, it appeared that gastrointestinal tract disorders formed the major complaint of the patients with 5 plants used for treatment of various complaints like constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, and loss of appetite. Four plants each were used for treatment of pain, and skin disorders (scabies, eczema), and as blood purifier. Four plants were used for treatment of diseases in cattle. Among other ailments treated by the Kavirajes were tuberculosis, sexual disorders, urinary problems, infections, fever, hepatic disorders, kidney problems, pneumonia, stomach stones, diabetes, swellings, debility, helminthiasis, hypertension, vitamin C deficiency, tumor, and poisoning. One plant was used to maintain the body in good health and so served as a preventive measure instead of a curative effect. Since a number of allopathic medicines have been derived from medicinal plants, the plants reported in the present survey can, following scientific inquiry, form novel sources of newer drugs.