Medicinal Plant Biodiversity in India: Harnessing Opportunities …
137
India.
11 About 960 species of medicinal plants are estimated to be in trade of which
178 species have annual consumption levels in excess of 100 metric tonnes. According to the Botanical Survey of India, at least two third out of 45,000 plant species
recorded are potentially of medicinal value (Subrat 2002; Hegde 2003; Nautiyal et al.
2015).
Particularly the region of Himalayas
12 and North-eastern region
13 is widely known
for its rich medicinal and aromatic plant biodiversity consisting of 2500 (213%)
medicinal species (Hegde 2003; Maiti 2004; Kala et al. 2006; GoI 2011; Uniyal
2015). Indian medicinal plants
14 are rich source of traditional medicine
15 and herb
industry providing livelihood and health security for large Indian population.
16 In
fact, medicinal plants form the basis of socio-cultural, spiritual, traditional or indigenous health care system from local medicines and herbal practices in hilly regions
and among tribal and folk communities
17 in India. Ayurvedic
18 formulations use
combinations from around 1200 species out of which 500 are commercially traded
(Subrat 2002; Hegde 2003). It is estimated that there are over 6 lakh licensed and
registered alternative medicine practioners in India (Hegde 2003). But, today Indian
medicinal plants face the threat of extinction due to habitat loss to developmental projects,
19 competition, rapid climate change and over-collection. An estimated
11 India has a rich protected area network comprising of 8 designated biosphere, 87 national parks,
447 wild life sanctuaries, 140 botanical gardens encompassing rich biotic diversity including
medicinal and aromatic plants (ibid).
12 Himalayan region consisting of Himachal Pradesh is endowed with 3000 plant species with 500
have medicinal properties. Similarly, Arunachalpradesh consists of more than 500 species (CUTS
2004). The region of Himalayas constitutes 18% of the total geographical area of India, spanning
12 states in India. The region is endowed with Himalayan Biosphere Reserve (Nanda Devi), four
National Parks and six Sanctuaries (Nautiyal et al. 2005). As per the Exim Bank report (2003),
nearly 18% of traded medicinal plants of India and 350 out of 960 mostly used species is from the
Himalayan region (Banerji and Basu 2011).
13 Northeastern region comprised of eight Indian states covering an area of 2,62,060 km 2
representing 8% of the Indian total geographical area (Uniyal 2015).
14 May 22, 2004 is declared as ‘International Day for Biological Diversity. UN Secretary General
message on May 22, 2004 states that ‘“Biodiversity: Food, water and Health for All” which “underlines biodiversity’s importance in ensuring food security and … in protecting wide array of
traditional medicines … based on world’s biological riches”.
15 Traditional Health Care constitutes two systems namely folk medicine and codified system of
medicine (Dhar et al. 2000).
16 (ibid).
17 Such stream of inherited traditions is known as Local Health Traditions (LHT) (Planning
Commission 2000).
18 70% of share in the formal medicine market is shared by Ayurveda drugs. By 2002, there were
about 6000 licensed units and equal number of unlicensed units working on Ayurveda drugs (Subrat
2002).
19 Development projects like expansion of roads, creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs),
intense mining activities, housing projects etc.
137
India.
11 About 960 species of medicinal plants are estimated to be in trade of which
178 species have annual consumption levels in excess of 100 metric tonnes. According to the Botanical Survey of India, at least two third out of 45,000 plant species
recorded are potentially of medicinal value (Subrat 2002; Hegde 2003; Nautiyal et al.
2015).
Particularly the region of Himalayas
12 and North-eastern region
13 is widely known
for its rich medicinal and aromatic plant biodiversity consisting of 2500 (213%)
medicinal species (Hegde 2003; Maiti 2004; Kala et al. 2006; GoI 2011; Uniyal
2015). Indian medicinal plants
14 are rich source of traditional medicine
15 and herb
industry providing livelihood and health security for large Indian population.
16 In
fact, medicinal plants form the basis of socio-cultural, spiritual, traditional or indigenous health care system from local medicines and herbal practices in hilly regions
and among tribal and folk communities
17 in India. Ayurvedic
18 formulations use
combinations from around 1200 species out of which 500 are commercially traded
(Subrat 2002; Hegde 2003). It is estimated that there are over 6 lakh licensed and
registered alternative medicine practioners in India (Hegde 2003). But, today Indian
medicinal plants face the threat of extinction due to habitat loss to developmental projects,
19 competition, rapid climate change and over-collection. An estimated
11 India has a rich protected area network comprising of 8 designated biosphere, 87 national parks,
447 wild life sanctuaries, 140 botanical gardens encompassing rich biotic diversity including
medicinal and aromatic plants (ibid).
12 Himalayan region consisting of Himachal Pradesh is endowed with 3000 plant species with 500
have medicinal properties. Similarly, Arunachalpradesh consists of more than 500 species (CUTS
2004). The region of Himalayas constitutes 18% of the total geographical area of India, spanning
12 states in India. The region is endowed with Himalayan Biosphere Reserve (Nanda Devi), four
National Parks and six Sanctuaries (Nautiyal et al. 2005). As per the Exim Bank report (2003),
nearly 18% of traded medicinal plants of India and 350 out of 960 mostly used species is from the
Himalayan region (Banerji and Basu 2011).
13 Northeastern region comprised of eight Indian states covering an area of 2,62,060 km 2
representing 8% of the Indian total geographical area (Uniyal 2015).
14 May 22, 2004 is declared as ‘International Day for Biological Diversity. UN Secretary General
message on May 22, 2004 states that ‘“Biodiversity: Food, water and Health for All” which “underlines biodiversity’s importance in ensuring food security and … in protecting wide array of
traditional medicines … based on world’s biological riches”.
15 Traditional Health Care constitutes two systems namely folk medicine and codified system of
medicine (Dhar et al. 2000).
16 (ibid).
17 Such stream of inherited traditions is known as Local Health Traditions (LHT) (Planning
Commission 2000).
18 70% of share in the formal medicine market is shared by Ayurveda drugs. By 2002, there were
about 6000 licensed units and equal number of unlicensed units working on Ayurveda drugs (Subrat
2002).
19 Development projects like expansion of roads, creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs),
intense mining activities, housing projects etc.