Treatment of type II diabetes mellitus by indigenous plants in Bangladesh: An assessment

Background: The prevalence of diabetes is significantly higher in the urban than in the rural community of Bangladesh. Plants have always been an exemplary source of drugs, and ethnobotanical information reports about 800 plants that may possess anti-diabetic potential. Thus, a study was initiated, in collaboration with the Department of Nutritional Medicine, Technical University of Munich and Eminence to assess the status of treating type II diabetes using traditional plants in Bangladesh. Methods : The study followed cross-sectional design using qualitative method for data collection covering rural and urban areas and conducted 65 interviews with relevant stakeholders. The study also followed review of relevant literature's from relevant national & international journals and used search engines, i.e. pub-med. Results: The findings revealed that the use of traditional plants was a widespread phenomenon in both urban and rural areas in Bangladesh. Plants prescribed by street-healers, private practitioners, and qualified indigenous medical graduates were similar to some extent. Highly used plants were Swietenia mahagoni (popularly known as Mehogony), Tinospora cordifolia Hook (popularly known as Gulancha Lota), Syzygium cumini Linn (Black Berry or Kalo Jaam), Coccinia indica Cogn (Ivy Grourd or Telekucha), Azadirachta indica A Juss (Neem). Poor and long duration patients are main consumers for these herbal drugs. Plants and medicines are similar in China, India, and other developed countries. Conclusions: The use of traditional plants seems to be a widespread practice in Bangladesh, and many practices match with those from developed world.