AN ETHNOBOTANICAL SURVEY OF SHAPAHAR AREA, NAOGAON DISTRICT, BANGLADESH

Abstract

The primarily rural population of Bangladesh relies on traditional medicinal practitioners (Kavirajes) for treatment of their various ailments. Although in general the Kavirajes practice the Ayurvedic system of medicine, eack Kaviraj nevertheless has his own special knowledge of indigenous medicinal plants, which they use to treat patients. As such, the use of medicinal plants may vary between different areas and different Kavirajes. We conducted an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by Kavirajes of Shapahar area at Naogaon district, Bangladesh. A total of 52 plant species were collected, which were used to treat common ailments like diarrhea, colds, coughs, fevers, wounds and helmintic infections as well as a number of other diseases like leprosy, tuberculosis, jaundice, spleen enlargement, rheumatoid arthritis, anemia, alopecia, sexually transmitted diseases, anorexia and hepatitis. These plant species included Aloe vera, Achyranthes aspera, Spondias dulcis, Alstonia scholaris, Catharanthus roseus, Hemidesmus indicus, Holarrhena antidysenterica, Rauwolfia serpentina, Alocasia macrorrhizos, Areca catechu, Cocos nucifera, Carica papaya, Mesua ferrea, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia chebula, Coccinia cordifolia, Dillenia indica, Phyllanthus emblica, Acacia catechu, Butea monosperma, Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Mimosa pudica, Saraca indica, Sesbania grandiflora, Tamarindus indica, Leonurus sibiricus, Mentha spicata, Ocimum gratissimum, Cinnamomum iners, Cinnamomum tamala, Cinnamomum verum, Asparagus racemosus, Lawsonia inermis, Punica granatum, Hibiscus rosa sinensis, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Ficus religiosa, Moringa oleifera, Averrhoa carambola, Piper nigrum, Cynodon dactylon, Zizyphus mauritiana, Anthocephalus chinensis, Paederia foetida, Aegle marmelos, Mimusops elengi, Smilax zeylanica, Datura metel, Withania somnifera, Aquilaria agallocha, Nyctanthes arbor tristis, and Curcuma zedoaria