An ethnomedicinal survey of several regions of Pabna district, Bangladesh

Abstract

The predominantly rural population of Bangladesh relies on traditional medicinal practitioners (Kavirajes) for primary treatment of their various ailments. The medicinal plants used by the Kavirajes for treatment can vary considerably from region to region. We accordingly conducted an ethnomedicinal survey of several areas within Pabna district, Bangladesh to learn more about medicinal plants used by the Kavirajes. Interviews were conducted with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and plant specimens as pointed by the Kavirajes were collected and identified at the Bangladesh National Herbarium. Some of these plant species (with ailments treated given in parentheses) included Tecoma stans (pain, piles), Asteracantha longifolia (insomnia, kidney stones), Holarrhena antidysenterica (rheumatism), Trigonella foenum-graecum (to ease delivery pain, chicken pox), Lectuca sativa (rheumatism, sprain, asthma), Butea monosperma (to increase skin brightness), Bixa orellana (to stop menstruation), Brassica orellana (filariasis), Nigella sativa (helminthiasis), Uraria picta (coughs, pain), Mimosa pudica (waist pain), Fumaria indica (irregular menstruation), Cynodon dactylon (sex stimulant), Musa sapientum (irregular menstruation), Abrus precatorius (hair loss), Guizotia abyssinica (hair loss, skin infections), Thespesia populnea (skin infections, scabies, eczema), Piper cubeba (sex stimulant, asthma), Arachis hypogaea (diabetes, weakness), Pterocarpus santalinus (fever, blood in urine), Luffa cylindrica (headache, sinusitis), Rauwolfia serpentina (hypertension), Mucuna pruriens (erectile dysfunction, rheumatic pain), Acacia nilotica (to increase semen count, breast infections), Zingiber officinale (to increase memory, headache), Morinda citrifolia (snake bite), Azadirachta indica (skin diseases, chicken pox, strengthen gums and teeth), Artocarpus heterophyllus (to increase fetal safety), and Plumbago rosea (to increase memory).