Ethnobotanical studies of medicinal plants in Dhaka city, Bangladesh

Abstract

This ethnomedicinal study is mainly focused on the perception of the inhabitants of Dhaka City on the medicinal plants used to treat various ailments. The study was conducted between July 2023 and July 2024 using the semi-structured interview technique and supplemented by field interviews, checklist interviews, and market surveys. The study revealed 127 medicinal plant species belonging to 55 families with 376 formularies to treat 82 ailments. The most dominant families were Malvaceae, Fabaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Lamiaceae, Apocynaceae, Moraceae, Arecaceae and Asteraceae. Leaves, having 32% application in traditional medicinal recipes, are the most commonly utilized plant part followed by fruits (22%). According to citation frequency, the most cited medicinal plants were Ocimum tenuiflorum L. (7.8%), Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (5.5%), Terminalia arjuna (Roxb. ex DC.) Wight & Arn. (5.1%), Aloe vera L. (4.7%) and Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (3.8%). Out of 376 formularies 82% were of internal applications and the rest 18% were external applications. The ailments were recorded under 12 categories such as dermatological disorders, neurological disorders, diabetes, gastro-intestinal disorders, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory disorders, etc. Neurological disorders (0.93) showed the highest Informant consensus factor were values followed by diabetes (0.91) and respiratory disorders (0.90). Among the most cited species, 6 species scored Fl values of 100%. They are Lawsonia inermis L., Carissa carandas L., Piper nigrum L., Senna alata (L.) Roxb., Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal and Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa. Some novel modes of treatment in respect of earlier studies around this area were unravelled through this study such as the use of Urtica dioica L. in treatment of wounds; the combined consumption of Beta vulgaris L., Daucus carota L., Cucurbita moschata Duch. and Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl. against folliculitis; Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L. in fever; Cuminum cyminum L. in insomnia etc. Sale rates varied from nurseries to nurseries due to the difference in supply and demand rates of medicinal plants. Though the lack of promotion and inadequate breeding of native medicinal plants seemed to be a common problem in all nurseries, during the nursery interviews, in some of the nurseries where plant breeding was done, it was observed that they breed exotic ornamental species more than the native medicinal ones, saying that they were easier to breed.

Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 33(1): 29-52, 2026 (June)