Studies on conservation and domestication of endangered and threatened medicinal plant species in India - A review

MEENAKSHI NEGI; KAVITA TYAGI; M S RAWAT; SHAHID ULKHAIR

doi:10.56093/ijas.v85i3.47060

Authors

MEENAKSHI NEGI Deputy CEO, National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, AYUSH Bhawan, B Block, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi 110 023
KAVITA TYAGI Consultant (Agronomy), National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, AYUSH Bhawan, B Block, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi 110 023
M S RAWAT Research Officer (Botany), National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, AYUSH Bhawan, B Block, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi 110 023
SHAHID ULKHAIR National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, AYUSH Bhawan, B Block, GPO Complex, INA, New Delhi 110 023

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v85i3.47060

Keywords:

Conservation, Cultivation, Herbal garden, JFMCs, MPCAs, R&D, RET plants

Abstract

The studies were undertaken under the aegis of the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), New Delhi during 2002 - 2013, comprising in-situ and ex-situ conservation projects implemented through different State Forest Departments. Besides, R&D projects carried out by the ICAR, ICFRE, CSIR, DBT, SAUs have been taken. The contribution of NMPB in conservation and cultivation of endangered and threatened medicinal plant species in India is highlighted. There are several factors which are responsible for endangering these species in their natural habitat such as habitat loss due to diversion of forest land, biotic and abiotic interference in forest areas, unsustainable harvesting of medicinal and aromatic plants. The NMPB has supported several projects for conservation and cultivation of endangered and threatened medicinal plant species, viz.Commiphora wightii (A.) Bhandari,Saraca asoca (Roxb.) de Wilde, Swertia chirayita (Roxb. ex Fleming), Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex Royle., Aquilaria malaccensis Lamk., Gloriosasuperba L.Nardostachys grandiflora DC., Picrorhizakurroa Royle ex Benth., Podophyllumhexandrum Royle, Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb., Pterocarpus santalinus L. f., Taxus wallichiana Zucc., Dashmool species etc in different states of the country. The NMPB has funded the establishment of 66 Medicinal Plant Conservation Areas (MPCAs) and 368 herbal gardens in different states. To encourage conservation, domestication and R&D activities, all the stakeholders need to be sensitized as to the cause of loss of species and the ways to address the problem. Make it more informative and attractive.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Anonymous. 2014. India’s fifth National report to the convention on biological diversity. Environment & Forests, Government of India, New Delhi.

Anonymous. 2009. The use of herbal medicinesin primary health care. WHO, Report of the Regional Meeting, Yangon, Myanmar.

Dikshit V K. 1999. Export of medicinal plants from India: Need for resource management. (In) Biodiversity - Northeast India Perspective: People’s participation in Biodiversity conservation pp 85-8. Kharbuli B, Syem D and Kayang H (Eds.) NEBRC, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong.

Gupta R and Chadha K L. 1995. Medicinal and aromatic plants in India. Advances in Horticulture, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, pp 1-14. Malhotra Publishing House, New Delhi.

IUCN, SSC. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 1994- 2009 versions. http://www.iucnredlist.org/

Kala C P. 2000. Status and conservation of rare and Endangered Medicinal Plants in the Indian trans-Himalaya. Conservation Biology 93: 371–9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(99)00128-7

Kala C P. 2005. Ethnomedicinal botany of the Apatani in the Eastern Himalayan region of India. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 1(11):1-8. http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/pdf/1746-4269-1-11.pdf DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4269-1-11

Kala C P and Sajwan B S. 2007. Revitalizing Indian systems of herbal medicine by the National Medicinal Plants Board through institutional networking and capacity building. Current Science 93: 797–806.

Laloo R C, Kharlukhi L, JeevaS and Mishra B P. 2000. Status of medicinal plants in the disturbed and the undisturbed sacred forests of Meghalaya, northeast India: population structure and regeneration efficacy of some important species Current Science 90 (2): 225–32.

Mayers N, Mittermeier R, Mittermeler C, Fonseca G and Kent J N. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403: 853–5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501

Marichamy K, Yasoth Kumar N and Ganesan A.2014. Sustainable development in exports of Herbals and Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani And Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in India. Science Park Research Journal 1(27):1–6.

Menon S and Bawa K S. 1997. Applications of geographic information systems, remote-sensing and a landscape ecology approach to biodiversity conservation in the Western Ghats. Current Science 73: 134–45.

Munisamy A and Anbarashan P. 2010. Ethno-medicinal plants in five sacred groves in Cuddalore District,Tamilnadu, India, Ethnobotanical Leaflets 14: 774–80.

Oostermeijer J G B, Luitjen S H and Nijs J C M. 2003. Integrating demographic and genetic approaches in plant conservation. Conservation Biology 113: 389–98. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(03)00127-7

Planning Commission. 2000. Report of the Task Force on Conservation and Sustainable use of Medicinal Plants. Planning Commission, Government of India.

Rawat M S and Shankar Rama.1998. Conservation and cultivation of some rare and threatened Medicinal plants in Arunachal Pradesh. Bull. Med. Eth. Bot. Res. 19(3-4): 151–9.

Shankar Rama and Rawat M S. 2013. Conservation and cultivation of threatened and high value Medicinal plants of North East India. Int.J. Biodiver. and Cons.5(9): 572–9.

Singh J S. 2002. The biodiversity crisis: A multifaceted review. Current Science 82: 638–47.

Singh P. 2012.Final Report of the Working Group on Agro-Climatic Zonal Planning Including Agriculture Developmentin North- Eastern IndiaForXI Five Year Plan (2007-12).Volume I – Main Report. Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi.

Tyagi K. 2006. Ph D thesis, CCS, University. Weekley C W and Race T. 2001. The breeding system of Zizyphus celata Judd & DW. Hall (Rhamnaceae), a rare, endemic plant of the lake Wales Ridge, Florida, USA: Implications for Recovery. Conservation Biology 100: 207–13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(01)00024-6

Ved D K and Goraya G S.2007.Demand and Supply of Medicinal Plants in India. Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT), Bangalore.