Ethnobotanical Knowledge of Traditional Healers in Two Villages of Madhupur Upzila of Tangail District

Abstract

Traditional healers are key healthcare service providers for ethnic communities in Bangladesh. Most experienced healers are elderly, and unfortunately, much of their knowledge remains undocumented, putting centuries of ethnobotanical expertise at risk of being lost. The study aimed to identify and record the medicinal plants and associated knowledge possessed by traditional healers in Pirgacha Chunia and Botia villages of Madhupur Upzila, Tangail district, Bangladesh. A total of six traditional healers were purposefully selected for this study, representing two distinct ethnic groups: the Garo and the Koch. The ethnobotanical survey employed a semi-structured questionnaire with open-ended questions to gather field information. The interviews covered their training, the ailments treated, treatment techniques, and preparation methods. The healers reported 104 medicinal plant species across 93 genera and 52 families. This study documented their botanical and local names, family, habit, parts used, and traditional application. The dominant families are Leguminosae (nine species), Compositae and Zingiberaceae (six species each), Rutaceae (five species), and Lamiaceae and Myrtaceae (four species each). Leaves were the most commonly used plant part (47%), and juice was the primary preparation method (28%). Gastrointestinal disorders were treated with the most significant number of plant species (27), followed by dermatological problems (19). The findings highlight a rich yet vulnerable body of traditional knowledge, emphasizing the need for urgent documentation and preservation efforts.