Abstract

OBSERVATION ON THE TRADITIONAL HERBAL REMEDIES OF PAIN FROM KOCH BIHAR DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL

*Subhajit Bandyopadhyay

Abstract

The district of Koch bihar is inhabited by five major ethnic communities viz. Kheria, Oraon, Rabha, Rajbanshi and Santal and traditionally they are dependent on herbal drugs for the treatment of different ailments including pain. During the present study 45 herbal formulations have been recorded from the ethnic medicine men and other resource persons of the villages which are effectively used for the treatment of seven categories of pain namely, body-ache, ear-ache, head-ache, rheumatism and gout, sprain, stomach-ache and tooth-ache. For the preparation of these formulations 47 species of Angiosperms belonging to 43 genera under 32 families are utilized and some of the species have more than one use. The formulations which are given for the treatment of patient are prepared either from a single plant (38 nos.) or in combination of other plants (7 nos.). A maximum of 11 formulations have been recorded for rheumatism & gout and 9 for stomach-ache. In the present communication scientific and vernacular name of the plants, the modes of preparation of medicine and doses have been provided.

Keywords: Ethnic communities, Herbal Formulations, Pain, Koch Bihar, West Bengal.