P05.69. Removal of one or more arsenic related infections by using medicinal plants: findings from a rapid assessment study in Satkhira district of Bangladesh

Purpose One of the more perplexing ground water problems currently facing Bangladesh is the high concentration of arsenic in drinking water, which poses a relatively large risk to human health of this region. Traditional health practitioners (THPs) of Bangladesh primarily use medicinal plants for treatment of various ailments. The selection of any medicinal plant is a closely guarded secret and is usually kept within the family. As a result, the use of medicinal plants varies widely between THPs of different areas within the country, and is based on both medicinal plant availability and the THP’s unique knowledge derived from practice. The aim of this present study was to conduct a survey amongst the THPs to learn more about the medicinal plants used to treat one or more arsenic related infections in the Satkhira district of Bangladesh. This area is unique in its proximity to the Sunderbans forest region and contains quite different medicinal plants compared to other parts of the country because of high salinity in the soil and water.