local $/ = "****\n";
my $sth = dbd->prepare("INSERT INTO table VALUES ( ?, ?, ? );
open my $infile, "<", 'inputfile.txt' or die "Bleah.\n$!";
while ( my $rec = <$infile> ) {
    chomp $rec;
    my ( $freq, $desc ) = split /\s+=\s+/, $rec;
    $sth->execute( undef, $freq, $desc );
}
$sth->finish();
close $infile;
$dbh->disconnect();