Medicinal plant biodiversity in India: Resource utilization and conservational aspects

Abstract

India  is  among  the  world's  richest countries in  terms of  plant biodiversity. Besides  the  abundant flora, containing some  17,500  taxa of  vascular  plants  (Angiosperms, Gymnosperms &  Pteridophytes), there is extraordinary ecosystem  diversity   as  well  as  large   pools  of  both  wild  and  cultivated  germplasms. India  is also  considered  as  one  of  the  main  centers of  origin   and  diversification for  plant  diversity  on  Earth. The great British   Botanist, Sir  J.D.Hooker  (1904)  remarked that   the  flora of  India   is  more  varied   than   any other country  of  the equal   area   in  the  eastern  hemisphere, if  not  on  the globe.  The  medicinal   plant biodiversity in India both,  indigenous   and  introduced has  been  put  at  about  7,500  species.  Out  of these  1100 plants   are  frequently  used  in  the Indian system  of medicines  and  500  plants   are   commonly  used  in  the preparation of  Ayurvedic,  Unani   and  Homeopathic drugs. A tremendous  increase  in  the production  of herbal   medicines  and  other products based  on Ayurvedic, Unani  and  other traditional systems   of  medicines has  also  been  witnessed in  India.  India  has  a  well  established natural drug  and  pharmaceutical  industry making  her  a major  exporter of  the  plant  based  products and  raw materials.  This  has  put a great pressure on  the  plant biodiversity of  the  country. There has  been  a gross depletion of the natural  population of many medicinal   plants. Quite   few  of  these   have  become  vulnerable while  at least  20  are  endangered. Although in  recent years, efforts  were  done  to  conserve the  plant   biodiversity in  India  by  various organizations at various   levels   but  much  work  remains   to  be  done.  Past  success  in  augmenting  the  resource through  large scale  cultivation of Sassurea costus, Rauwwolfia  serpentine,  Gloriosa superba and  many  others and  introduction of some  valuable exotic/substitutive species  are  the  inspiring steps  in  the  stride for  conservation of medicinal plant  biodiversity in  India.  Various features of  medicinal  plant biodiversity of  India, an  account of  resource utilization,  prospects, concerns   and  conservational aspects  are   discussed in  the  present communication.