title: Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used by traditional healers in Bangladesh for gastrointestinal disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal diseases are common worldwide, including Bangladesh where majority of the rural people depend on water from unprotected sources. The people from Bangladesh use medicinal plants as their first line of health care to cure and prevent different types of gastrointestinal disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compile plants used for the treatment of different gastrointestinal disorders in Bangladesh.
  
  
  METHODS
  The field survey was carried out in a period of 18 months. Fieldwork was undertaken in total of eleven districts of Bangladesh. Open-ended and semi structured questionnaire were used to interview a total of 1280 people including traditional healers, Ayurvedic/Unani drug manufacturers and local people.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 250 plant species of 93 families were listed. Leaves were the most cited plant part used against gastrointestinal disorders. Most of the reported species were tree in nature and decoction is the mode of preparation of major portions of the plant species. Most of the plant species were very common and were cultivated or planted in homestead or roadsides. The doses of the plants for different treatments varied widely.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In view of the fact that the plants were selected based on their medicinal usage for treating different kinds of gastrointestinal diseases including diarrhoea, the activities reported here need more works for validation and could be rationalised by the presence of active compounds found in those plants. The documentation represents the preliminary information in need of future phytochemical investigation and is important for the conservation of these plants.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh. fakaphdu@gmail.com
authors: Mohammad Fahim
authors: MF
authors: Kadir
authors: Muhammad Shahdaat
authors: MS
authors: Bin Sayeed
authors: M M K
authors: MM
authors: Mia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001459:Bangladesh; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005260:Female; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D019367:Medicine, Unani; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D028321:Plant Preparations