Ethnomedicinal and Ethnobotanical Uses of Aquatic Flora by Local Inhabitants of Gopalganj District, Bangladesh
Ethnomedicinal and Ethnobotanical Uses of Aquatic Flora by Local Inhabitants of Gopalganj District, Bangladesh
Ethnomedicinal and Ethnobotanical Uses of Aquatic Flora by Local Inhabitants of Gopalganj District, Bangladesh
1. Introduction
Bangladesh is surrounded by the Buriganga river which is a tide‐influenced river forming the
western and southern boundaries of Dhaka City. It is home to a vast expanse of wetlands,
which include freshwater lakes, marshes, rivers, streams, flooded agricultural fields, estuarine
systems with large mangrove swamps, haors, baors, and beels. Moreover, a district of
Bangladesh called Gopalganj is part of the Dhaka Division [1]. This district is situated at
23°00’47.67" N 89°49’21.41" and located alongside the Madhumati river. It is 1,490 km2 in
size and residence to 1,172,415 people [2]. This area lies in southern part of Bangladesh which
is also blessed with a plenty of freshwater wetlands such as riverine, lacustrine and palustrine
along with man-made wetlands. These wetlands are rich in hydrophytes, which make up one
of the most abundant natural vegetation types.
Hydrophytes also known as aquatic macrophytes, are plants that are visible to the naked eye
and have the ability to grow and survive both on the surface and beneath the water bodies.
These plants have pigments called chlorophylls so that hydrophytes are able to synthesize food
for themselves [3]. Hydrophytes play a crucial role in the ecosystem of wetlands, preserving
species diversity and providing food, shelter, and traditional treatments for a variety of aquatic
and waterfowl species [4].
Almost 80% of the world population depends on the traditional system for health care [5]. The
people from rural communities depends on traditional remedies for ailments such as cough,
cold, fever, headache, dysentery etc. without any adverse effects. The local community of
Gopalganj district has gathered knowledge about the ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal use of
aquatic plants through observations, intuition, and experimentation. They enriched the
knowledge through selection and rejection and transferred it from generation to generation
Corresponding Author:
through various channels such as talks, documents and teaching.
Masnun Homaira Maisha Numerous authors have emphasized the potential of aquatic plants as food and feed [6, 7]. In
Department of Botany, addition, aquatic plants are an intriguing source of a variety of biologically active compounds
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur with anticancer, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory properties along with
Rahman Science and Technology novel functional food ingredients [8]. Several authors have thoroughly recorded observations on
University, Gopalganj, Dhaka,
Bangladesh
the aquatic and marsh plants of Bangladesh [9, 10, 11].
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But in this region, aquatic plants and their ethnobotanical and belonging to 33 families frequently utilized by local folklore
ethnomedicinal studies were not enough documented. medicinal practitioners and indigenous people in the study
Comprehending the conventional uses of aquatic plants by the area (Table 2). Amongst the taxonomic families, Asteraceae
people of Gopalganj district for ethnobotanical and (6 plant species) followed by Araceae (4 plant species),
ethnomedicinal purposes is essential not only for the Cyperaceae (3 plant species), Scrophulariaceae (3 plant
preservation of traditional systems of knowledge but also for species) and Poaceae (2 plant species) were found to be
exploring possible pharmacological applications and utilized frequently as traditional remedies, nutritional support
sustainable utilization of natural resources. as well as for other various commercial and agricultural
Therefore, the major objectives of this study are to identify purposes by ethnic communities of Gopalganj district (Table
and to document aquatic flora as well as to preserve 2). Different vegetative and reproductive parts of hydrophytes
traditional herbal knowledge of this research territory, such as leaves, stems, petioles, seeds, roots, flowers and fruits
Gopalganj before any of them are lost forever. It is especially were found in use for the preparation of indigenous
alarming because the water bodies of this region are at risk medications, human food and fodder for domestic animals as
and the diversity of aquatic plants is disappearing due to well as fish and poultry feed. This ethnobotanical survey
expanding urbanization. showed that leaves occupied the major plant part used (35%)
followed by whole plant (33%), seeds (8%) and flower (7%)
2. Materials and Methods (Figure 1). Even sometimes underground plant parts such as
2.1 Surveys and collection of plant materials tubers, rhizomes and roots were also reported to be utilized
For the study, several sites in Gopalganj district, including the for the preparation of herbal medicines by traditional healers
wetlands of Kashiyani, Mokshudpur, Kotalipara, Ghonapara, (Table 2).
Gobra, Mollarhat and Tungipara were surveyed throughout
November 2022 - November 2023. The hydrophytes were
collected from the wetlands such as slow-running water,
ponds, sides of stagnant ponds, paddy fields, monsoon rainy
waterways, marshy lands, bogs, small water bodies as well as
surrounding regions of Madhumati river. The collected
samples of hydrophytes were identified with the help of
literature i.e. encyclopedia and flora books etc. [12, 13].
3. Results
The comprehensive investigation on wetland and marsh flora
available in Gopalganj revealed the identification and Fig 2: Percentages of the most treated ailments using hydrophytes by
documentation of 60 species of plants distributed in 54 genera traditional healers.
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Fig 4: One of the interviewers was enquiring about the uses of Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr. and Mikania micrantha kunth in a personal interview
with local people of the study area.
Fig 5: Enhydra flactuans Lour. was being sold at market of Gopalganj, a vegetable vendor was caught in camera selling hydrophytes which are
edible as leafy vegetables.
Along with the ethnomedicinal functions, local hydrophytes known as 'Vasoman Chash'- meaning floating cultivation on
were found to have enormous demand in agricultural floating bed. This age-old traditional practice of floating seed
purposes, pollution management and in various commercial bed is used for seedling production of many vegetables such
and economic fields as these are sold as vegetables in local as tomato, cauliflower, okra, amaranth, spinach, chili, bottle
markets by traditional dealers (Figure 5). The folk people of gourd and brinjal etc. (Figure 6).
Gopalganj have adopted indigenous wetland farming, locally
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Fig 6: A floating seed bed composed of Eichhornia crassipes for the cultivation of cauliflower.
Table 2: List of ethnomedicinal uses of the hydrophytes along with their ethnobotanical purposes available in Gopalganj district, Bangladesh.
S.N. Scientific Name Common Name Local Name Family Parts Used Ethnomedicinal use(s) Ethnobotanical use(s)
Acmella paniculata Toothache plant, Current ful, Leaves,
1 Asteraceae Used for healing toothache. -
(DC.) R.K. Jansen Electric daisy Nak ful Flowers
Used for wound dressing, curing
Ageratum Fulkuri, Whole
2 Goat weed Asteraceae skin infections, dysentery, Used as insecticide.
conyzoides L. Ochunti plant
diarrhea and killing lice.
Alocasia Rhizome,
Edible as leafy
3 macrorrhizos (L.) Giant Taro Mankochu Araceae Petiole, -
vegetable.
G.Don Leaf
Alternanthera Used as haemostat in cut
Malancha Amaranthacea Tender
4 philoxeroides Alligator weed wounds, stomach and liver Used as leafy vegetable.
Shak e shoots
(Mart.) Griseb. problems.
Used for the treatment of cough,
Alternanthera Malancha Amaranthacea Whole Edible as leafy
5 Sessile Joy weed skin and eye irritation and act as
sessilis (L.) DC. Shak e plant vegetable.
diuretic.
Ammannia Daadmari, Used for the treatment of
6 Monarch redstem Lythraceae Leaves -
baccifera L. Jongli-mendi typhoid, skin itching.
Azolla pinnata Whole Used as fish and poultry
7 Mosquito ferns Kutipana Azollaceae -
R.Br. plant food, as biofertilizer.
Used for the treatment of
Bacopa monnieri Scrophulariac Whole Edible as leafy
8 Water hyssop Brahmi lota constipation, epilepsy, cough,
(L.) Pennell eae plant vegetable.
cataract and act as brain tonic.
Centella asiatica Used for the treatment of Edible as leafy
9 Asiatic pennywort Thankuni Apiaceae Shoots
(L.) Urban dysentery. vegetable.
Ceratophyllum Ceratophyllac Whole Used for the treatment of
10 Coontail Kata-jhanjhi Used as fodder.
demersum L. eae plant scorpion string and biliousness.
Whole Food and cover for
11 Chara sp. Stonewort Pat-sheola Characeae -
plant fishes.
Colocasia Rhizome,
Used for the treatment of iron
12 esculenta (L.) Arum Kochu Araceae Petiole, Edible as vegetables.
deficiency.
Schott. Leaves
Used for the treatment of
Kanashira,
Commelina Benghal Commelinace earache, leprosy, skin Edible as leafy vegetable
13 Dholpata, Leaves
benghalensis L. dayflower ae inflammations and rheumatic and fodder.
Kanaibashi
pain.
Cyperus rotundus Used as brain tonic and for Used in religious rituals
14 Purple nut sedge Mutha ghash Cyperaceae Root tubers
L. digestive problems. and perfumery.
Used for the treatment of liver Used for hair growth and
Eclipta prostrata Kalokeshi,
15 False daisy Asteraceae Leaves disorder, scorpion sting and as hair dye for black
(L.) L. Bhringaraj
eczema. color.
Used as fish feed,
biofertilizer, water
Eichhornia Whole
Pontederiacea Sap of flowers is used to treat purifier and medium for
16 crassipes (Mart.) Water hyacinth Kochuripana plant,
e eczema and skin irritations. floating seed bed and
Solms-Laub. Flower
Flowers are fried and
eaten as snacks.
Eleocharis
Common spike- Root and
17 palustris (L.) Pani-chech Cyperaceae Used in abdominal problems. Edible as curry.
rush Stem
Roem. & Schult.
Enhydra fluctuans Water Spinach, Used for the treatment of Edible as leafy
18 Helencha shak Asteraceae Leaves
Lour. Water cress dysentery. vegetable.
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