Keshav Narayan PaiMsc I Department of Botany

Medicinal Plant Diversity of India

Content

• Introduction• Profile of Indian Medicinal Plants• Medicinal Plants of Himalayas.• Medicinal Plants of Deserts. • Medicinal Plants of Deccan Plateaue• Medicinal Plants of Western Ghats• Medicinal Plants of Coastal region• Conclusion• References

Introduction•India is among the 12 mega bio diversity

countries of the world.

•About 12% of worlds known plant species and 8% of worlds known flowering plant species are found in India.

Why Biodiversity is rich in India?Reasons

Good Rainfall

Altitude

Soil Condition

Profile of Indian Medicinal Plants•All India co-ordinated Research Project of Ethnobiology (AICRPE) has estimated around 8000 plant species recorded in medicinal use.

• Medicinal plant occur in all bio- geographical zones

•India has rich medicinal heritage i.e Ayurveda,

Siddha, Unani, Folk.

Diverse Habitats Deserts Temperate Forests Tropical Forests Mangrooves Coastal and Islands.

Medicinal Plants of Himalayas Aconitum ferox

Family : Ranunculaceae Part used : Roots Uses: Antidote for poison, it

relieves body pain and used as ailment for

Asthmaand diabetes.

Eupatorium cannabinum

Family: Asteraceae Part used: Flowers Uses: Diuretic, remedy for

purifying blood, juice used to stop bleeding.

Aconitum heterophyllum Family: Ranunculaceae Part used: Underground stem and

root Uses: Antipyretic, anti inflammatory,

treatment of piles, vomiting etc

Rhododendron arthopogon Family: Ericaceae Part used: Leaves Uses: Its oil is used in treating

cold, obesity , flu and gout.

Medicinal Plants of DesertsCressa cretica Family: Convolvulaceae Part used: Leaves and

Flowers Uses: Used to treat Asthma,

leprosy and also tuberculosis.

Convolvulus microphyllus

Family: Convolvulaceae Part used: Leaves an Uses: It is used to reduce

cholestrol ,it is also psycho stimulant and to reduce stress.

Tecomella undulata

Family: Bignoniaceae Part used: Bark and seed Uses: Blood purifier, used to

treat diseases of liver, internal tumours.

Medicinal Plants of Deccan Plateaue

Rawolfia serpentina Common Name: Sarpaganda Family:Apocynaceae Part Used:Roots Uses: Used to treat snake bites,

mental disorders. Reserpine is extracted from them

Celastrus paniculatus

•Family : Celastraceae•Parts used: Seeds•Uses: Seed oil is used as tonic for

memory loss, used to treat neuro degenerative diseases.

Medicinal Plants of Western Ghats•Garcinia indica•Family: Clusiaceae• Parts used: Fruit• Uses: They contain rich amount of

anti- oxidants, treated for fever and also for skin

diseases

Embelia ribes • Comman name: Vidanga• Family: Myrsinaceae• Parts used: Seeds• Uses: To treat cardiac disease, skin

diseases, obesity etc.

Myristica malabarica• Family: Myristicaceae• Part used: Bark, seed.• Uses: To treat Ulcers,

gangrene, Rheumatism.

Medicinal Plants of Coastal Region

Acanthus ilicifolius

Family: Acanthaceae

Parts used: Roots, leaves

Uses: Treat Asthma and Rheumatism, Skin diseases.

Avicennia marina Family: Acanthaceae Part used: Bark Uses: Treatment of Scabies They have Anti- bacterial, Anti- microbial Properties.

Rhizophora mucronata Family: Rhizophoraceae Part used: Leaves, Bark. Uses: Treatment of Diabetes, Dysentry. Also used to treat Bloody Urine.

India is an home of many useful medicinal plants in the world and medicinal plants are used from ancient days i.e AYUSH(Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy).

Research are going on to study the medicinal plants and more research are to be conducted in this field.

Conclusion

www.encyclopedia.com/tropic/medicinal plants.aspx.

www.botany.com/medicine.htm

References