An Ethnomedicinal Survey on the Medicinal Plants and their Unique Formulations used by the Santal Tribe in Naogaon District, Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: The Santals form the largest tribal community in northern Bangladesh and reside primarily in the different districts of Rajshahi division. The tribe has a long history of medicinal plant use and has its own medicinal practitioners, who usually administer medicinal plant formulations for treatment of various ailments. Objective: The objective of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey among the Santal communities residing in Naogaon district to collect information on their use of medicinal plants. Design: Interviews were conducted with the Santal traditional medicinal practitioners with the help of a semi-structured questionnaire and using the guided field-walk method. Plant specimens as pointed out by the practitioners were collected. Location: The location was the Joanpur village of the Naogaon district, Bangladesh. Subjects: Subjects of this study were the plants used to treat different ailments by the traditional medicinal practitioners of the Santals of Joanpur village. Results: Information on 60 medicinal plants distributed into 41 families was obtained in this survey. Ailments treated by these plants included skin disorders, respiratory tract disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, impotence, diabetes, tuberculosis, rheumatism, leprosy, cardiac problems, high blood pressure, snake bite, paralysis, mental disorder asthma and many others. Conclusions: The medicinal plants used by the Santals are worth detailed scientific studies because they are used to treat a wide range of ailments.