Ethnomedicinal Survey of Plants in the Southern District Noakhali, Bangladesh

Abstract

Many modern medicines used today were discovered by extracting active chemicals from plants used in traditional medicine. To identify and locate any new and potential therapeutic aaplications of commonly used medicinal plants by the folk medicinal practitioners of Noakhali, Bangladesh, we conducted a survery with a semi-structured questionnaire using the guided field-walk method. Detailed information was obtained on 143 plants belonging to 62 families. Leaves were mostly used (52%) followed by roots (30.55%) and whole plants (18.74%) along with fruits, barks, seeds, stems and flowers. Gastrointestinal disorders were the most common diseases treated followed by respiratory tract infections, weakness, fever, diabetes, skin disorders, sexually transmitted diseases, hepatic disorders, pain and rheumatism. Some plants were also used for the treatment of cancer, hypertension, nerve disorders, helmenthiasis, urinary tract infections, tuberculosis, leucorrhea, edema and chicken pox. The findings of this study may help the scientists to get a comprehensive view of the folk medicinal practices in Bangladesh and can use the results to identify medicinal plants of therapeutic interests.

Traditional Herbal Medicines Against CNS Disorders from Bangladesh

“…Wall. Kalomegh Herb Leaves Vertigo Increase cognitive functions [ 86 , 87 ] Justicia gendarussa Burm.f. Nilnishinda Undershrub Leaves Paralysis NRE [ 88 ] Staurogyne argentea Wall.…”

Bufadienolides of Kalanchoe species: an overview of chemical structure, biological activity and prospects for pharmacological use

“…(Life plant, air plant, love plant, Canterbury bells, Cathedral bells) In the treatment of urinary bladder stones (India, Trinidad and Tobago) (Lans 2006 ; Sen et al 2008 ) Leaf extract is used to cure amoebic dysentery (North Bengal) (Mitra and Mukherjee 2010 ) Wounds, bruises, swellings and insect bite (Himalaya) (Hussain and Hore 2007 ) Diarrhea (India) (Dash and Padhy 2006 ) Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory remedy (Vietnam) (Nguyen et al 2004 ) Internally: to cure acute and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia and others respiratory tract infections, fever; externally: to treat dermatomycosis (Nigieria) (Okwu and Nnamdi 2011 ) Leaves are recommended for treatment of cough in adults and children (Kibale National Park, Uganda) (Namukobe et al 2011 ) Inflammation, dermatosis, skin problems, wound healing, arthritis, asthma, bruises, diabetes, infections, tumours and ulcers—worlwide (Quazi Majaz et al 2011a , b ) Paste from macerated leaves is used externally for muscle and joint pain (Bangaldesh) (Tumpa et al 2014 ) Preparations from leaves are used to treat digestive disorders (India) (Barukial and Sarmah 2011 ) Decoction from leaves is administered to remove kidney stones (Bangladesh) (Afroz et al 2013 ) Leaves are chewed with salt as a remedy for dissolving of gall bladder stones (Bangladesh) (Rahmatullah et al 2011 ) Herbal preparation from roots and leaves is administered to women for recovering after childbirth (West Java) (Sihotang 2011 ) Leaf paste is applied externally to treat scorpion bite (India) (Vaidyanathan et al 2013 ) Leaf juice is recommended to treat cholera, diarrhea and dysentery (Bangladesh) (Khan et al 2015 ) Leaves are used to treat urinary problems, incl. kidney and gall bladder stones (Bangladesh) (Bhowmik et al 2014 ) Raw laves are chewed with sugar to treat dysentery and diarrhea; leaf juice is recommended to cure jaundice; leaf paste is used externally to heal skin infections and pimples (Bangladesh) (Das and Choudhury 2012 ) Kalanchoe tubiflora Raym.-Hamet, syn. Bryophyllum delagoense (Eckl.…”

An Insight into the Prophylactic Effects of the Leguminosae Family Plants against Oxidative Stress-Induced Pathophysiological Conditions

“…Pharmacological studies have revealed the antibacterial, antifungal, antihypertensive, anti-oxidant, antiviral, anti-feedant, insecticidal, diuretic, and hypoglycemic properties, as well as hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, and cytotoxic effects (activities) of the plants of the leguminosae family [120][121][122]. Some Leguminosae species are used to treat polymenorrhagia, anemia, ulcers, and during pregnancy [123,124]. Moreover, they also help in the treatment of diarrhea, in overcoming the protein deficiency disease, Kwashiorkor, and can also impact on the hypercholesterolemic conditions and thyroxineinduced hyperglycemia [125].…”