Observations on the traditional phytotherapy among the inhabitants of Betagi upazila in Barguna district, Bangladesh

Background/Question/Methods: Bangladesh is prone to natural disasters such as floods and cyclones that lead to outbreaks of communicable diseases. Traditional medicinal practitioners known commonly as Kavirajes fulfill the medical needs of most rural as well as a significant section of the urban population of Bangladesh. It is the objective of this ongoing study program to find out more information on plant usage amongst various Kavirajes, since such usage varies between Kavirajes of different upazilas. The present study was conducted amongst the Kavirajes of Betagi upazila in the southern district of Barguna, Bangladesh which area because of its proximity to the Sunderbans forest region contains a diversity of plants. Extensive interviews were conducted of the Kavirajes and information collected as to plant or plant parts used and the ailments treated. Plant specimens as pointed out by the Kavirajes were photographed, collected and identified at the Bangladesh National Herbarium.

Results/Conclusions: The plant names obtained in this study included Clerodendrum infortunatum L., Nymphaea nouchali Burm.f., Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene, Barringtonia acutangula (L.) Gaertn., Wrightia antidysenterica (L.) R.Br., Shorea robusta Gaertn., Vanda tessellata (Roxb.) Hook. ex G.Don, Callicarpa americana L., Phragmites karka (Retz.) Trin. ex Steud., Pongamia pinnata (L.) Pierre, Curculigo orchioides Gaertn., Xanthium italicum Moretti, Ludwigia hyssopifolia (G.Don) Exell, Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet, Sonneratia apetala Buch.-Ham., Melia azedarach L., Heritiera fomes Buch.-Ham., Persicaria minor (Huds.) Opiz, Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn., Asparagus racemosus Willd., Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Dillenia indica L., Terminalia chebula Retz., Swertia chirata Buch.-Ham. ex Wall., Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb., Ageratum conyzoides L., Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R.Br. ex DC., Dendrocnide sinuata (Blume) Chew, Zingiber officinale Roscoe, Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link, Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf, Bombax ceiba L., Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L., Acorus calamus L., Blumea lacera (Burm.f.) DC., Solanum virginianum L., Enydra fluctuans DC., Phyllanthus niruri L., Wedelia chinensis (Osbeck) Merr., Tamarindus indica L., Piper longum L., Nigella sativa L., Trema orientalis (L.) Blume, Agaricus campestris L., Olea europaea L., Ipomoea aquatica Forssk., and Vanda tessellata (Roxb.) Hook. ex G.Don. It is to be noted that the above plant names include mangrove species like Heritiera fomes Buch.-Ham., and Sonneratia apetala Buch.-Ham. the medicinal uses of which are very little available or known. Documenting the eroding plants and associated traditional knowledge can be used as a basis for developing management plans for conservation and sustainable use of plants in the upazila.