A Comparative Analysis of Medicinal Plants used by Several Tribes of Chittagong Hill Tracts Region, Bangladesh to Treat Helminthic Infections

Abstract

Chittagong Hill Tracts region is largely a forested region in the south-eastern part of Bangladesh. A number of tribes are settled in this region. Helminthiasis (infestation of intestine with parasitic worms) is fairly prevalent within the tribes because of poor sanitary conditions. The tribal people visit their own traditional medicinal practitioners to treat helminthic infections, more so because modern medicinal facilities are absent within the forested areas. Tribal traditional medicinal practitioners rely on medicinal plants for treatment of helminthiasis. The objective of the present survey was to conduct a survey among the Chak, Chakma, Marma, Murong, Rakhain and Tonchonga tribal traditional medicinal practitioners to learn more about medicinal plants used by them for treatment of helminthic infections. Helminthic infections are prevalent worldwide and medicinal plants can be a potential source for discovery of more efficacious drugs. A total of 10 plant species distributed into 8 families were observed to be used by the surveyed tribes to treat helminthiasis. The number of medicinal plants used by the Chak, Chakma, Marma, Murong, Rakhain and Tonchonga tribes to treat helminthic infections were respectively, 1, 4, 1, 3, 3, and 3. Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. was used in common by the Chak, Chakma, Rakhain, and Tonchonga tribes. Cassia alata L. was used in common by the Chakma and Murong tribes. Erythrina variegata L. was used in common by the Chakma, Marma, and Murong tribes. The various plant parts used included leaves, roots, barks, flowers, and fruits. The percent use of these plant parts were, respectively, 52.6, 15.8, 21.1, 5.3 and 5.3%. Mostly, a single plant or plant part was used for treatment of helminthiasis, although use of combinations of plant parts was also observed in three instances. There was only one instance where a combination of plant species was used. The Chakma tribe used a combination of leaves of Ananas comosus along with roots of Areca catechu L. and bark of Erythrina variegata for treatment of helminthiasis. The medicinal plants used by the various tribes of Chittagong Hill Tracts present considerable potential for scientific studies towards discovery of more effective medicines to treat helminthiasis, which can be caused by a variety of parasitic worms and is endemic throughout the different countries of the world. Full Text Link: http://scinet.dost.gov.ph/union/Downloads/105-111_224634.pdf