Kavirajes or traditional medicinal practitioners form the primary healthcare providers of the predominantly rural population of Bangladesh. Kavirajes use a variety of medicinal plants for treatment of different ailments. The formulations prepared from medicinal plants vary considerably between Kavirajes of different regions of the country. The objective of this study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey amongst the Kavirajes of Chalna area, Khulna district, Bangladesh. That area is known to contain a diversity of medicinal plants. Information on 50 plant species was obtained. These medicinal plants belonged to 49 genera and 33 families. Twenty five plants were used to treat skin diseases and twenty three plants for treatment of intestinal tract disorders, which included constipation, indigestion, stomachache, diarrhea, and dysentery. Fourteen plants were also used by the Kavirajes to treat cancer or tumor. Nine plants were used as insecticide, eight for rheumatoid arthritis, and seven for wounds. Five plants were used to treat jaundice. Five plants were also utilized to treat animal and snake bites, which included tiger bites. Six plants were used to treat diabetes, and two each for the treatment of leprosy, and sexually transmitted diseases like gonorrhea. Five plants were used to treat impotency, while one plant was used as an abortifacient. Three plants were used to treat helminthiasis, which we found to be quite common amongst the population, while four plants were used to treat heart disorders. Taken together, these plant species offer considerable potential for discovery of novel compounds of pharmacological interest.

The medicinal plants used by the Santals are worth detailed scientific studies because they are used to treat ailments such as cancer and paralysis.

Traditional healers are the primary health-care providers in the rural Bangladesh and the medicinal plants or plant parts administered by different traditional healers can vary widely. It is important to gather this information because both such knowledge as well as medicinal plants is getting lost as an influence of modernization. The present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal survey amongst the traditional healers in Gazipur district of Bangladesh. Extensive interviews were conducted of the traditional healers and medicinal plants as pointed out by them were photographed, collected, deposited and identified at the Bangladesh National Herbarium. Some of the medicinal plants utilized by the traditional healers for prevention of all forms of cancer [with parts used given in parenthesis] included Crataeva religiosa [leaf, fruit], Lepidagathis hyalina [leaf], Myristica fragrans [fruit], Nigella sativa [seed], Justicia gendarussa [leaf], Putranjiva roxburghii [seed], Mikania scandens [leaf], Santalum album [stem], Corchorus capsularis [leaf], Urena lobata [all parts], Centella asiatica [leaf], Aristolochia indica [tuber root], Hemidesmus indicus [tuber root], Cassia occidentalis [seed], Cuscuta reflexa [all parts], Mimosa pudica [root, flower], Acalypha indica [all parts], Achyranthes aspera [root, seed], Acorus calamus [tuber root], Aegle marmelos [fruit], Morinda citrifolia [fruit], Vitex negundo [leaf, flower], Scoparia dulcis [all parts], Punica granatum [fruit], Ipomoea mauritiana [tuber root], Plumbago indica [all parts], Piper longum [all parts], Mucuna pruriens [seed], Calotropis gigantea [petiole gum], Abroma augusta [leaf], Cymbopogon citrates [leaf], Glycosmis pentaphylla [stem, fruit], Pongamia pinnata [seed], Cyperus rotundus [tuber root], Randia dumetorum [seed], Datura metel [fruit], Lasia spinosa [tuber root], Ocimum tenuiflorum [leaf], Emblica officinalis [fruit], Azadirachta indica [all parts], Curcuma longa [tuber root], Withania somnifera [all parts], Xanthium italicum [leaf], Abrus precatorius [tuber root], Cardiospermum halicacabum [all parts], Cannabis sativa [all parts], Coix lacryma-jobi [seed], Eugenia jambos [fruit], Cocos nucifera [fruit], Typhonium giganteum [leaf, stem], Syzygium aromaticum [fruit], Euphorbia ingens [stem], Lathyrus sativus [seed], Peperomia pellucida [all parts], Terminalia belerica [seed, fruit], Piper cubeba [fruit], Dioscorea bulbifera [fruit], Indigofera tinctoria [all parts], Citrus acida [leaf, fruit], Terminalia chebula [seed, fruit], Catharanthus roseus [all parts], Pedilanthus tithymaloides [all parts], Aquilaria agallocha [all parts], Mesua ferrea [fruit], Tinospora crispa [leaf], Swertia chirata [all parts], Andrographis paniculata [leaf], Tamarindus indica [fruit, seed], and Zingiber officinale [tuber root]. It is important to conduct scientific studies on these medicinal plants towards discovery of lead compounds which can be used for prevention of all forms of cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(1 Suppl):A101.

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