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H. K. Chauhan et al.
known to be bestowed with the rich diversity of medicinal plants. Diverse topographic, altitudinal and climatic features are responsible for a heterogeneous environment which corresponds to huge biodiversity in the Himalayas. It is a stake of
more than 18,000 species of plants (Rana and Samant 2009), with more than 1700
having medicinal importance (Samant et al. 1998). The medicinal plants of the region
fulfill most of the global demand of herbal industries (Dhar et al. 2000) irrespective
of their rare occurrence, slow-growing nature, poor population density, endemism,
narrow distribution range, and underdeveloped cultivation practices. Above scenario
give space to illicit commercial harvesting practices pushing many species at the
brink of extinction.
Among the medicinal plants, the members of the family, Melanthiaceae is recognized throughout the globe for their traditional and modern medicinal uses. The
family Melanthiaceae comprises about 173 species, constituting 17 genera of flowering perennial herbs (Christenhusz and Byng 2016) which are mostly distributed
in the temperate region of Northern Hemisphere (Zomlefer et al. 2001). Trillium is
one amongst the large genera of the family Melanthiaceae comprising of 38 North
American and 11 Asian species (Roskov et al. 2018). Two species of Trillium (T.
govanianum and T. tschonoskii) are known from Indian Himalayan region. T. govanianum Wall ex D. Don (Melantiaceace) commonly known as Himalayan Trillium
is endemic to the Himalayas (Samant et al. 1998; Kubota et al. 2006). The species
has an important place in the Asian (China, India, Pakistan) folk medicine system
(Zhan 1994; Shah 2006; Khan et al. 2016) as its rhizomes are known to contain
several useful rare compounds, e.g. six steroidal saponins: govanoside A, borassoside E, pennogenin, diosgenin, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and 5,20-dihydroxyecdysone,
of which govanoside A is known only in this species (Rahman et al. 2015b, 2017a).
The species accumulates almost three-fold higher content of diosgenin (~6%) as
compared to other explored medicinal plants (Asparagus spp., Chlorophytum spp.,
Dioscorea spp. and Trigonella spp.) (Singh et al. 2017). Diosgenin has multipurpose
pharmaceutical uses; in fact, globally it is used as anti-cancerous, anti-ageing and
the precursor for the synthesis of many steroidal drugs (Chaudhary et al. 2015).
Commercial collection of wild T. govanianum rhizomes has been observed
from 2010 onwards, and its trade has emerged as a significant commercial activity in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand (Ajuha 2013). Consequently, there is a
concern that the overexploitation of the species has already led to local extinction,
and could lead to extinction in the wild. Species is facing intense pressure in natural
habitat and has gained tremendous popularity due to its medicinal and commercial
importance.
H. K. Chauhan et al.
known to be bestowed with the rich diversity of medicinal plants. Diverse topographic, altitudinal and climatic features are responsible for a heterogeneous environment which corresponds to huge biodiversity in the Himalayas. It is a stake of
more than 18,000 species of plants (Rana and Samant 2009), with more than 1700
having medicinal importance (Samant et al. 1998). The medicinal plants of the region
fulfill most of the global demand of herbal industries (Dhar et al. 2000) irrespective
of their rare occurrence, slow-growing nature, poor population density, endemism,
narrow distribution range, and underdeveloped cultivation practices. Above scenario
give space to illicit commercial harvesting practices pushing many species at the
brink of extinction.
Among the medicinal plants, the members of the family, Melanthiaceae is recognized throughout the globe for their traditional and modern medicinal uses. The
family Melanthiaceae comprises about 173 species, constituting 17 genera of flowering perennial herbs (Christenhusz and Byng 2016) which are mostly distributed
in the temperate region of Northern Hemisphere (Zomlefer et al. 2001). Trillium is
one amongst the large genera of the family Melanthiaceae comprising of 38 North
American and 11 Asian species (Roskov et al. 2018). Two species of Trillium (T.
govanianum and T. tschonoskii) are known from Indian Himalayan region. T. govanianum Wall ex D. Don (Melantiaceace) commonly known as Himalayan Trillium
is endemic to the Himalayas (Samant et al. 1998; Kubota et al. 2006). The species
has an important place in the Asian (China, India, Pakistan) folk medicine system
(Zhan 1994; Shah 2006; Khan et al. 2016) as its rhizomes are known to contain
several useful rare compounds, e.g. six steroidal saponins: govanoside A, borassoside E, pennogenin, diosgenin, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and 5,20-dihydroxyecdysone,
of which govanoside A is known only in this species (Rahman et al. 2015b, 2017a).
The species accumulates almost three-fold higher content of diosgenin (~6%) as
compared to other explored medicinal plants (Asparagus spp., Chlorophytum spp.,
Dioscorea spp. and Trigonella spp.) (Singh et al. 2017). Diosgenin has multipurpose
pharmaceutical uses; in fact, globally it is used as anti-cancerous, anti-ageing and
the precursor for the synthesis of many steroidal drugs (Chaudhary et al. 2015).
Commercial collection of wild T. govanianum rhizomes has been observed
from 2010 onwards, and its trade has emerged as a significant commercial activity in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand (Ajuha 2013). Consequently, there is a
concern that the overexploitation of the species has already led to local extinction,
and could lead to extinction in the wild. Species is facing intense pressure in natural
habitat and has gained tremendous popularity due to its medicinal and commercial
importance.