Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Threatened Medicinal Plants of North East India

Abstract

North-East India or popularly known as the ‘Seven Sister States’ are among the 18 biodiversity hotspots in the world. This region is identified as the center of origin of many crop plant species and is a treasure house of traditional knowledge. The usage of locally available medicinal plants is known since time immemorial and is linked to the tradition and culture of the tribal inhabiting the NE region. The age old practice and knowledge of herbal remedies has been passed on from generation to generation. These plants are found naturally in the dense forests and they are grown domestically by the users, growers, practitioners, and marketers as well. Considering the dependence of the people on the locally available medicinal plants for their healthcare needs, cultivating and preserving the plants comes as a natural process of conservation in the region. Some of the highly valued medicinal plants found in North-Eastern region are Acorus calamus, Aconitum heterophyllum, Aquillaria malaccensis, Bacopa monnieri, Berberis aristata, Coptis teeta, Costus speciosus, Curcuma caesia, Elaeocarpus sphericus, Embelia ribes, Gmelina arborea, Gynocordia odorata, Hydnocarpus kurzii, Homalomena aromatica, Mesua ferrea, Nardostachys jatamansi, Paris polyphylla, Picrorhiza kurroa, Rheum australe, Rubia cordifolia, Smilax China, Solanum 256anguivi, Swertia chirayita, Taxus wallichiana, Trichosanthis bracteata, Valeriana jatamansi, Zanthoxylum armatum, etc. The existence of these plants is threatened by many factors and more because of population explosion leading to habitat destruction, clearing jungles for human settlements, widening of roads and so on. With the alarming decrease in forest areas and plants assuming different threat status, conservation is the need of the hour to ensure the plants survival. The farming community should be encouraged to practice the systematic cultivation of medicinal plants in order to conserve biodiversity and protect the threatened species of medicinal plants.