Medicinal values of leafy greens grown in the Rajshahi division, Bangladesh

Abstract

Leafy vegetables have great importance with their high nutrient and medicinal values. The research aimed to document the medicinally important leafy greens. The present research was focused on fresh materials collected from the Rajshahi division of Bangladesh to cover the seasonal variations. The collected plant parts with flowers or fruits using traditional herbarium techniques. Semi-structured interviewees, observation and guided field walk with informants were employed to obtain medicinal data in the study area. In this study, ninety-five leafy vegetables were documented which are applied for the cure of 49 diseases. Out of 95 investigated species, Digera muricata (L.) Mart., Enhydra fluctuans Lour., Glinus oppositifolius (L.) Aug. DC., Lasia spinosa (L.) Thw., Malva verticilata L., Rumex vesicarius L. was rare. The current research will be useful in identifying the major leafy greens for further investigation and also beneficial to develop herbal medicines.