ISHS Acta Horticulturae 523: XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 13: New and Specialized Crops and Products, Botanic Gardens and Human-Horticulture Relationship
MEDICINAL FLORA OF INDIAN COLD DESERT |
| Authors: | B. Singh, O.P. Chaurasia |
| Keywords: | Aconitum, Artemisia, cold desert, medicinal flora, Podophyllum, Saussurea |
| Abstract:
Cold deserts are found in the interior of Asia and in the inter mountain zone of North America. In India, cold desert comes under the trans-Himalayan zone which are confined to Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir and Lahaul & Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. Indian cold desert flora is dominated by a few dwarf bushes. Like other parts of the Himalaya, these areas are considered as a treasure of medicinal plants. Keeping in view the above, Field Research Laboratory(FRL), DRDO carried out extensive ethno-medico-botanical survey of different parts of Indian cold desert and has collected 425 plant species, which are used by Amchis (herbal doctor) for various ailments. The local tribals have strong belief in the Amchi system of medicine. The important medicinal taxa are Podophyllum hexandrum (Mayapple), Aconitum heterophyllum (Aconite), Saussurea obvallata (Brahma Kamal), Gentiana aligida, Artemisia sp., Oxytropis microphylla, Cremanthodium ellisii etc. Detailed phytochemical and pharmacological studies are required for positive exploitation and wider application of these Amchi-medico-taxa. Majority of medicinal flora of Indian cold desert are rare, endangered and threatened due to unscientific exploitation, overgrazing, uprooting for fuel and natural disasters. Therefore, there is a need to conserve the rare and precious cold desert medicinal plants by opening nature reserves and botanical gardens and by developing package of practices to popularise their commercial cultivation. | |
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