Inventory of medicinal plants of the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic: A mini review

Abstract

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) or Laos has a long history in the use of medicinal plants, as well as in the use of traditional medicines. The Government of Laos also supports the use of medicinal plants and traditional medicines in the prevention and treatment of diseases. As a government institution, the Institute of Traditional Medicine (ITM) has carried out surveys and inventories of medicinal plants as part of its mission since the beginning of its establishment in 1976, both by the staff of this institution, as well as in collaboration with national and international partners. The number of plant collections that have been made to date as a result of these activities, and those that have been deposited at the herbarium of ITM, reaches more than 14,000. Of these, 7,201 (51%) collections represent medicinal plant species, corresponding to an estimated number of between 2,000 and 3,000 species of Lao medicinal plants. A sizeable portion of this medicinal plant collection has been computerized in a database system called Natural Products Information System (NAPIS). Based on a number of criteria, some medicinal plant species are considered rare and endangered. Therefore, the Lao government issued the Prime Minister Decree No. 155 in 2003 and set guidelines for the cultivation of medicinal plants for domestic consumption and for exportation. The government also supports the initiative in the establishment of Medicinal Plant Preserves (MPPs) and Medicinal Biodiversity Preserves (MBPs), which today form a network of 10 such preserves throughout Laos.   Key words: Laos, medicinal plants, inventory, species at risk, conservation.