A preliminary survey of ethno-medicinal plants used by the Chakma community of Rangamati and Khagrachari Hill District, Bangladesh

Abstract

Preliminary survey work was done in Rangamati and Khagracharihill district in the Chakma community. The study was carried out on medicinal plants used by the Chakma community. Chakma people are mostly residing in the deep forest and depend on their own traditional health care system. Information was collected by interviewing traditional herbal healers (locally called Baddhya ) and various elderly men and women. All the plants were listed along with their scientific name, family, chakma name, habit, used parts and mode of preparation. A total of 125 plant species under 46 families have been identified which are used to treat different diseases by the traditional herbal healers. Fabaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae are the most frequently used family to the number of species used by the Chakma Community. Mostly leaves are used for the preparation of folk medicine.