Call to protect threatened medicinal plants of Western Ghats

KATTAPPANA: An effective strategy to conserve the threatened species of medicinal plants and an active monitoring of their population are needed in the Western Ghats, which is a highly-sensitive hot spot in terms of diversity of plants, C. Kunhikannan, scientist, biodiversity division,Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore, has said.Delivering the keynote address on ‘Conservation of threatened medicinal plants—challenges and strategies,' at a two-day national seminar on biodiversity protection at Newman's College, Thodupuzha, on Thursday, Mr. Kunhikannan said that the Red Data Book provided the national, regional and local lists of threatened plants.He said that these plants were either localised within the restricted geographical areas or were thinly scattered over a more extensive range. The country, he said, is gifted with a great bio-diversity of herbal plants and more than 8,000 species of plants are used in nearly 10,000 herbal formulations. About 90 percent of the crude drug requirement for these formulations is obtained from forests. However, he said, due to overexploitation, most of the life-saving medicinal plants are on the verge of extinction.“Though extinction of species is a component of evolution, the rate at which the extinction occurs due to man-made threats and avoidable factors is alarming,'' he said.In the overexploited category, medicinal plant species like podophyllum, coptis, aconitum, saraca, rauvolfia, cloriosa and horticultural plants like orchids and rhododendrons are top on the list, he said.According to Mr. Kunhikannan, the Red Data Book has categorised the plants in the Western Ghats in Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable lists. He said that for conservation of plants in the Western Ghats, the lists of endemic species—both State-wise and region-wise—should be prepared along with the map of their geographical distribution. The list of narrowly endemic and the extent of their occurrence are to be collected before preparing an effective strategy for preservation.He said that thousands of species of medicinal plants in the country were facing various degrees of threat. According to Mr. Kunhikannan, the gene bank for plants is quite expensive to create and maintain. The keynote address was followed by presentation of papers on ‘Bio-diversity and medicinal plants protection,' by Prathipal Singh of the Delhi University and the ‘Planting and protection of medicinal plants that face extinction threat,' by Gracy Mathew of Medicinal Plants Research Centre, Odakkali, Ernakulam district.The research papers submitted by Subramanya Prasad K. of Kannur University; Mercy Sachin R. of St. Xavier's College, Palayamkotta; and Bincy M.P. of Kerala Ayurveda Ltd, Aluva; were selected the best three papers, said a release here.

Source :The Hindu, 4-9-2010