Ethnobotanical Study of Traditional Medicinal Plants Used by the Santal Tribal Practitioners at the Village Jamtala of Chapai Nawabganj District, Bangladesh

Abstract

Ethnobotanical study of traditional medicinal plants used by the Santal tribal practitioners at the village Jamtala of Chapai Nawabganj district, Bangladesh was recorded. Frequent field trips were made during July 2013 to June 2015 to record ethno-medicinal data by interviewing Santal tribal practitioners of various age groups, mostly ranging between 22 to 84 years, including medicinal healers (herbalists/hakims). A total of 146 plant species under 126 genera of 64 families have been documented which are used for the treatment of 102 categories aliments/diseases. Out of these plants species, 59 belonged to herbs, 45 trees, 24 shrubs, and 18 climbers. In majority cases, leaves of the medicinal plants were found leading in terms of their use followed by 29.80% fruits, 36.42% roots, 19.20% bark, 24.50% whole plant, 9.93% stem, 2.65% latex, 1.32% bulb, 10.60% rhizomes, 9.27% seed, 4.63% gum, 1.32 % leaf stalks,1.32% petiole, 9.93% flower, 2.65% juice, 1.99% cotton, 0.67% pericarp, 2.65% young buds, 0.67% pods, 1.32% grain, 0.67% central tender part. For each species scientific name, local name, habit, family, ailments to be treated, mode of treatment and part(s) used are documented. Collected information depicts that Santal  tribes largely depend on medicinal plants to meet their primary health care needs.