Atul Kumar
GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, India
Title: Medicinal and aromatic plants of Himalayan zone and their therapeutic properties for pharmaceutical industry
Biography
Biography: Atul Kumar
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Medicinal and aromatic plants have played a vital role in providing healthcare to man since the dawn of civilization. India is bestowed upon with varying agro-climatic conditions by nature and thus constitutes one among the richest gene pool of rare medicinal and aromatic plants and other valuable herbs in the word. In fact, the kind of biodiversity present in Himalayan region is available nowhere in the world. Varying geographical features along with climatic conditions, and wide range of altitude, ecology, and topography have contributed in making the Himalayan region a rich repository in biodiversity.
IMPORTANCE OF MAP AND OTHER VALUABLE HERBS: Over 3000 plant species are known for their medicinal properties in India. Several of the natural products derived from plants include life-saving drugs like codeine and morphine (analgesic antitussive alkaloids from Papaver somniferum-the opium poppy), taxol (derived from Taxus baccata to cure cancer patients), vincristine and vinblastine (alkaloids extracted from periwinkle-Catharanthus roseus to treat leukemia), quinine (the anti-malarial alkaloid derived from Cinchona bark); essences and fragrances like rose oil, jasmine; pesticides like nicotine (from Nicotiana tabacum) and pyrethrin (from Pyrethrum cineraryfolium) and raw material for Several of the natural products derived from plants include life-saving drugs like codeine and morphine (analgesic antitussive alkaloids from Papaver somniferum-the opium poppy), taxol (derived from Taxus baccata to cure cancer patients), vincristine and vinblastine (alkaloids extracted from periwinkle-Catharanthus roseus to treat leukemia), quinine (the anti-malarial alkaloid derived from Cinchona bark); essences and fragrances like rose oil, jasmine; pesticides like nicotine (from Nicotiana tabacum) and pyrethrin (from Pyrethrum cineraryfolium) and raw material for various industrial establishments such as pine oil, fatty acids and natural rubber. Important medicinal plants presently exploited by pharmaceutical industry in India along with endangered species of rare medicinal plants of Himalayan region are discussed.