Ethnobotanical Study on Medicinal Plants Used by the Ethnic People of Khagrachhari District, Bangladesh

Abstract

The present study deals with important ethnopharmacological information, both in qualitative and
quantitative manners on medicinal plants of Khagrachhari district of Bangladesh. The survey was conducted in a
period of six months from January 2016 to June 2016 and was interviewed among 155 ethnic people including
tribal, Bengalis and 14 traditional health practitioners of eight upazillas in open and semi structured form. The most
of the interviewers were Chakma (82%), Marma (8%) and the rest were Tripura (2%) and Bengalis (8%). The total
ethnomedicinal plant species was 94, among them 92 were angiosperms, one was gymnosperm and one fern. The
plant species belonging to 44 families and 86 generas are used to treat about 53 types of ailments. The different life
forms among the species are 28 herbs, 25 trees, 24 shrubs and 17 climbers. The survey showed that the most
commonly used plant part was leaves (34.55%) and the most frequent method of preparation was extraction
(39.18%) against different ailments. The major treatment options of the medicinal plants of Khagrachhari hilly areas
are identified from the study and recommended to take immediate measures for conservation of traditional
knowledge of the area. This study showed a hopeful perception for future studies, flaking light on taking immediate
measures on inventory of medicinal plants of hilly areas, documentation of verbal information, conservation of
threatened plant species, sustainable management of risky areas and preservation of traditional knowledge of herbal
medicine in Khagrachhari district, Bangladesh.