Asian Medicine: Exploitation of Plants

Abstract

As the market demand for wild Chinese herbs has grown, the production scale of the Chinese herb industry has expanded dramatically. However, concealed by the prosperity of the Chinese medicinal herb industry is a huge ecological problem. In recent years, intensive and unrestrained exploitation of wild Chinese herbs has damaged natural resources. An estimated 2000 wild Chinese herbs are at risk of extinction ([ 1 ][1]). Severe ecological deterioration and soil erosion seriously threaten the habitats of many wild Chinese herbs, especially in fragile ecological environments such as high-altitude areas or arid regions. For example, a recent media report ([ 2 ][2]) suggested that intensive and unrestrained gathering of the edible cyanobacterium Nostoc commune var. flagelliforme has led to the degradation of almost 150,000 km2 of grassland in Inner Mongolia (about 18% of the total grassland in the region) ([ 1 ][1], [ 3 ][3]). If China continues its current pattern of natural resource exploitation, the biodiversity losses and environmental deterioration will severely jeopardize China's road to sustainability. Moreover, many wild Chinese herbs and other species that share their habitat are likely to be lost, as has happened to the Southern Chinese Tiger ( Panthera tigris amoyensis ) ([ 3 ][3]). Many of these species have not yet been adequately studied, so their true benefits to mankind and the environment are not yet known. To improve governance and the ability to meet both socioeconomic and environmental goals, governments at all levels must understand the problem created by the competition between socioeconomic and environmental goals. Solving this requires stronger coordination between national policies and local needs, which will lead to production and conservation efforts based on approaches that encourage sustainability by balancing economic growth with environmental needs. 1. [↵][4]The Decline of Chinese Herbal Medicines, “Chinese medicinal plants die: The truth of an industry resource” ( ) [in Chinese]. 2. [↵][5]China Statistics Bureau, Statistical Yearbook of China (China Statistics Press, Beijing, 2010) [in Chinese]. 3. [↵][6]“Why we can't stop the illegal exploitation of Nostoc commune var. flagelliforme despite many laws passed,” Legal System Daily (13 April 2006); [in Chinese]. [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #ref-3 [4]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1 in text [5]: #xref-ref-2-1 View reference 2 in text [6]: #xref-ref-3-1 View reference 3 in text