Cultivation of Medicinal Plants in J&KProspects and Constraints

Conservation and sustainable utilization of the most valuable natural resource of medicinal and aromatic plants in our state can go a long way in boosting our

economy for which we need to finalize appropriate strategies for tapping the huge potential of this sector, writes Geer Muhammad Ishaq

As per WHO estimates, 3.5 billion people comprising 80% of their total population in developing countries rely on plant-based medicine for their primary healthcare. About 4000-6000 species of medicinal plants are traded internationally. The present global herbal market is worth about US$ 62 billion per annum, and India's share in it is only 0.2%. The annual growth of herbal market is about 15% and the expected global herbal market by 2050 is about US$ 5 Trillion. The task force appointed by Planning Commission of GOI in June 1999, after studying the export market, has suggested to fix the target in the export of medicinal plant to the tune of Rs. 3000 crores by 2005 and Rs. 10,000 crores by 2010. This is the proper time for us to make relentless efforts to take substantial cultivation & share in this herbal market.

Only 1-2 % of the world’s more than 250,000 flowering plants have been analyzed for medicinal value.

In India, 4.5% of its total geographical area constitutes protected area network, comprising 8 designated biospheres, 87 national parks, 447 wildlife sanctuaries and over 7000 different species of plants found in different ecosystems are said to be used for medical purposes. About 90% of medicinal plants used by the industries are collected from the wild. Presently Indian System of Medicine (ISM) uses over 1100 medicinal plants of which over five dozen species are said to be in great demand. There are around 10,000 licensed pharmacies practicing ISM today whose requirements have to me met. Modern Pharmacopoeia contains at least 25% drugs derived from plants and their synthetic analogues built on prototype compounds isolated from plants. Over 800 species are used in production by Industry, yet less than 20 species of plants are under commercial cultivation.

Flora of Kashmir comprises about 3054 species, Ladakh about 880 species and Jammu about 500 species which include angiosperms, gymnosperms and pteridophytes. About 372 plant species belonging to 209 families have been reported to be of high medicinal and aromatic value. Only 65 species belonging to 36 families have been phytochemically, taxonomically and pharmacologically studied. Kashmir with its vast biodiversity and potential for commercial exploitation could become national leader in the supply of raw material for the Phytopharmaceutical industry. More than 5000 aromatic/medicinal plants have been discovered in Jammu Kashmir till date. On August 16th 2007, it was reported in this very Daily by its ex-executive

editor, Zahir-ud-din that more than 5000 medicinal and aromatic plants have been discovered in J&K state till date out of which around 3000 are found in the Valley forests. Scientists have so far prioritized over 700 medicinal plants yielding high quality chemicals and other ingredients used in life saving medicaments, aromatherapy and in cosmetics. At least 50 plant species used in the Indian system of medicine and found in Jammu and Kashmir are on the brink of extinction, according to a working group on medicinal plants project. If cultivation of medicinal crops is organized on an area-wise basis, their production and returns shall be boosted. Introduction of medicinal plants into the cropping patterns of farming communities in dry land and watershed areas could provide a strong thrust to the need for soil and water conservation also.

Prospects:

There is growing recognition of natural products being non-narcotic, having no or less side effects, easily available at affordable prices and sometimes only source of healthcare available to the poor. India possesses an impressive medical heritage that encompasses various systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Tibetan system etc. There is tremendous demand for raw material from all the four segments of the drug industry viz. plant drugs for Indian System of Medicine covering Ayurveda, Unani and Sidha systems, OTC non-prescription items involving plants, extracts and galenicals, Essential Oil industry and for Phytopharmaceuticals.

Chemical synthesis of natural products yields a mixture of isomers which are difficult to separate. Products obtained by synthesis may therefore be toxic or have a different therapeutic effect than natural products. Harvesting of medicinal plants is less costly than artificial drug synthesis. Synthesis of Reserpine costs approx. 1.25 $/gm whereas its commercial extraction from plants costs only 0.75 $/gm. In spite of only 2 % land mass, India is blessed with 25 % of biodiversity. Over 7000 species of plants found in different ecosystems are said to be used for medicine. Indian Pharmacopoeia records about 100 medicinal plants and their preparations for whom there is a growing demand in the international market. There is also an increase in domestic demand for raw material used for perfumeries, pharmacies, bio-pesticide units. Approx. one-third of all Pharmaceuticals are of plant origin. Over 60% of all pharmaceuticals are plant based. Being strategically located geographically, India could become a potential supplier of phyto-pharmaceuticals, alkaloids and raw medicinal herbs for the emerging world market. India is a source of cheap labour and skilled manpower which readily absorbs technological changes and also implements the same. Drugs worth millions of rupees are imported every year by the Pharmaceutical Industry in order to meet the national demand for drugs. It is necessary to undertake import substitution by producing the raw material and fine chemicals within country. Many crops of medicinal and aromatic plants are hardy and yield reasonably well without much care even on marginal lands. Medicinal plants are better earners than many field crops. They have immense scope for further improvement in their productivity and adaptability. For cultivation, investigation on climate, soil factor, plant associations etc. should be made, so that most suitable location of cultivation can be made. Different location trials for this purpose are recommended. It may, however be pointed out that the medicinal plants growing in

the temperate or subtropical regions should better be cultivated in the same place or a place similar to it rather than in a tropical place and vice versa.

Constraints:

There are no biosphere reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, sacred groves and other protected areas like herbals gardens for medicinal plants. Insufficient sincere efforts have been made towards in situ and ex situ conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants. Supply of raw material for the industry is procured through minor forest produce contractors/dealers. They determine the prices of the material depending on the season, demand and availability etc. In many cases there are no fixed standards for the raw materials of medicinal plants. Approx. only 10 % of the organic constituents of plants are reported to be known and the remaining 90 % are yet to be explored. Physical

appearance verification generally becomes impossible because of the large quantities of material involved. Adulterants are allegedly widely used since they are collected from the wild. There has been no organized research set-up to continually recharge scientific inputs and to make their cultivation both economically viable and profitable. Replenishment of renewable inputs like quality planting material of improved varieties, developing extension literature,organizing training and quality testing are very limited.

Lack of testing facilities at the procurement and trading centers and fluctuations in prices that often go down to unproductive and unrealistic levels have been some of the discouraging factors. A few medicinal plants command uneconomical prices e.g., sale price of Phyllanthus amarus is as low as Rs.10/kg making it commercially unviable proposal. For a few plants like amla, asoka, arjun, bael, nutmeg, neem etc., cultivation involves a long gestation period.

Unstable market conditions also prove to be a deterrent. Prices of certain crops like Holostemma annulare fluctuate greatly-the price of crop ranged from Rs.70/kg in 1993 to Rs.240/kg in 1990. In Phyto-pharmaceutical industry at present no quality standards have been fixed, either from the raw material or the final product leading to variations in the quality specifications. Problems in the identification of medicinal plants have led to the use of adulterants. Physical verification is also difficult because plant parts used like bark, roots, rhizomes etc show close similarity. Only chemical examination can check adulterants. A no. of medicinal plants presently being used have not been adequately studied with respect to their required package of practices or agro-technology. Supply of raw materials from the phyto-pharmaceutical industry is virtually monopolized. Supply and price patterns are often determined by the minor forest produce contractors/collectors. In several cases produce has to be used fresh for which instant transportation is a must. Long storage may cause fumigation and chemical contamination of the raw material.

In spite of all these constraints, many threats and weaknesses could be turned into opportunities by strategically planned efforts for successful commercial exploitation of this tremedous enterprise. For this to happen, our premier research institutions who have working for years on the conservation and cultivation of

medicinal and aromatic plants need to transfer their technologies to the common masses, publish literature on their accomplishments in terms of successful cultivation packages, conduct frequent training programmes for prospective candidates, recommend incentives in the shape of soft loans, land on lease etc and thereby help in tapping the vast potential of this resourceful industry. Some of the high yielding, economically viable, medicinally important species that can be successfully cultivated in Kashmir on a large scale include, Digitalis, Hyoscymus, Belladona, Valeriana, Banafsha, Saussurea, Dill, Podophyllum, Colchicum, Bitter Almonds, Rose, Lavender, Geranium, Artemesia, Hypericum, Dioscorreoa, Kuth and many more.

(Author is Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kashmir and can be reached at ishaqgeer@gmail.com)

Cultivation of Medicinal PlantsProspects and Constraints

Geer Muhammad Ishaq

As per WHO estimates, 3.5 billion people comprising 80% of their total population in developing countries rely on plant-based medicine for their primary healthcare. About 4000-6000 species of medicinal plants are traded internationally. The present global herbal market is worth about US$ 62 billion per annum, and India's share in it is only 0.2%. The annual growth of herbal market is about 15% and the expected global herbal market by 2050 is about US$ 5 Trillion. The task force appointed by Planning Commission of GOI in June 1999, after studying the export market, has suggested to fix the target in the export of medicinal plant to the tune of Rs. 3000 crores by 2005 and Rs. 10,000 crores by 2010. This is the proper time for us to make relentless efforts to take substantial cultivation & share in this herbal market.

Only 1-2 % of the world’s more than 250,000 flowering plants have been analyzed for medicinal value.

In India, 4.5% of its total geographical area constitutes protected area network, comprising 8 designated biospheres, 87 national parks, 447 wildlife sanctuaries and over 7000 different species of plants found in different ecosystems are said to be used for medical purposes. About 90% of medicinal plants used by the industries are collected from the wild. Presently Indian System of Medicine (ISM) uses over 1100 medicinal plants of which over five dozen species are said to be in great demand. There are around 10,000 licensed pharmacies practicing ISM today whose requirements have to me met. Modern Pharmacopoeia contains at least 25% drugs derived from plants and their synthetic analogues built on prototype compounds isolated from plants. Over 800 species are used in production by Industry, yet less than 20 species of plants are under commercial cultivation.

Flora of Kashmir comprises about 3054 species, Ladakh about 880 species and Jammu about 500 species which include angiosperms, gymnosperms and

pteridophytes. Only 65 species belonging to 36 families have been phytochemically, taxonomically and pharmacologically studied. Kashmir with its vast biodiversity and potential for commercial exploitation could become national leader in the supply of raw material for the Phytopharmaceutical industry. If cultivation of medicinal crops is organized on an area-wise basis, their production and returns shall be boosted. Introduction of medicinal plants into the cropping patterns of farming communities in dry land and watershed areas could provide a strong thrust to the need for soil and water conservation also.

Prospects:

There is growing recognition of natural products being non-narcotic, having no or less side effects, easily available at affordable prices and sometimes only source of healthcare available to the poor. India possesses an impressive medical heritage that encompasses various systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Tibetan system etc. There is tremendous demand for raw material from all the four segments of the drug industry viz. plant drugs for Indian System of Medicine covering Ayurveda, Unani and Sidha systems, OTC non-prescription items involving plants, extracts and galenicals, Essential Oil industry and for Phytopharmaceuticals.

Chemical synthesis of natural products yields a mixture of isomers which are difficult to separate. Products obtained by synthesis may therefore be toxic or have a different therapeutic effect than natural products. Harvesting of medicinal plants is less costly than artificial drug synthesis. Synthesis of Reserpine costs approx. 1.25 $/gm whereas its commercial extraction from plants costs only 0.75 $/gm. In spite of only 2 % land mass, India is blessed with 25 % of biodiversity. Over 7000 species of plants found in different ecosystems are said to be used for medicine. Indian Pharmacopoeia records about 100 medicinal plants and their preparations for whom there is a growing demand in the international market. There is also an increase in domestic demand for raw material used for perfumeries, pharmacies, bio-pesticide units. Approx. one-third of all Pharmaceuticals are of plant origin. Over 60% of all pharmaceuticals are plant based. Being strategically located geographically, India could become a potential supplier of phyto-pharmaceuticals, alkaloids and raw medicinal herbs for the emerging world market. India is a source of cheap labour and skilled manpower which readily absorbs technological changes and also implements the same. Drugs worth millions of rupees are imported every year by the Pharmaceutical Industry in order to meet the national demand for drugs. It is necessary to undertake import substitution by producing the raw material and fine chemicals within country. Many crops of medicinal and aromatic plants are hardy and yield reasonably well without much care even on marginal lands. Medicinal plants are better earners than many field crops. They have immense scope for further

improvement in their productivity and adaptability. For cultivation, investigation on climate, soil factor, plant associations etc. should be made, so that most suitable location of cultivation can be made. Different location trials for this purpose are recommended. It may, however be pointed out that the medicinal plants growing in the temperate or subtropical regions should better be cultivated in the same place or a place similar to it rather than in a tropical place and vice versa.

Constraints:

There are no biosphere reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, sacred groves and other protected areas like herbals gardens for medicinal plants. Insufficient sincere efforts have been made towards in situ and ex situ conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants. Supply of raw material for the industry is procured through minor forest produce contractors/dealers. They determine the prices of the material depending on the season, demand and availability etc. In many cases there are no fixed standards for the raw materials of medicinal plants. Approx. only 10 % of the organic constituents of plants are reported to be known and the remaining 90 % are yet to be explored. Physical

appearance verification generally becomes impossible because of the large quantities of material involved. Adulterants are allegedly widely used since they are collected from the wild. There has been no organized research set-up to continually recharge scientific inputs and to make their cultivation both economically viable and profitable. Replenishment of renewable inputs like quality planting material of improved varieties, developing extension literature,organizing training and quality testing are very limited.

Lack of testing facilities at the procurement and trading centers and fluctuations in prices that often go down to unproductive and unrealistic levels have been some of the discouraging factors. A few medicinal plants command uneconomical prices e.g., sale price of Phyllanthus amarus is as low as Rs.10/kg making it commercially unviable proposal. For a few plants like amla, asoka, arjun, bael, nutmeg, neem etc., cultivation involves a long gestation period.

Unstable market conditions also prove to be a deterrent. Prices of certain crops like Holostemma annulare fluctuate greatly-the price of crop ranged from Rs.70/kg in 1993 to Rs.240/kg in 1990. In Phyto-pharmaceutical industry at present no quality standards have been fixed, either from the raw material or the final product leading to variations in the quality specifications. Problems in the identification of medicinal plants have led to the use of adulterants. Physical verification is also difficult because plant parts used like bark, roots, rhizomes etc show close similarity. Only chemical examination can check adulterants. A no. of medicinal plants presently being used have not been adequately studied with respect to their required package of practices or agro-technology. Supply of raw materials from the phyto-pharmaceutical industry is virtually monopolized. Supply and price patterns are often determined by the minor forest produce contractors/collectors. In several cases produce has to be used fresh for which instant transportation is a must. Long storage may cause fumigation and

chemical contamination of the raw material.

In spite of all these constraints, many threats and weaknesses could be turned into opportunities by strategically planned efforts for successful commercial exploitation of this tremedous enterprise. For this to happen, our premier research institutions who have working for years on the conservation and cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants need to transfer their technologies to the common masses, publish literature on their accomplishments in terms of successful cultivation packages, conduct frequent training programmes for prospective candidates, recommend incentives in the shape of soft loans, land on lease etc and thereby help in tapping the vast potential of this resourceful industry. Some of the high yielding, economically viable, medicinally important species that can be successfully cultivated in Kashmir on a large scale include, Digitalis, Hyoscymus, Belladona, Valeriana, Banafsha, Saussurea, Dill, Podophyllum, Colchicum, Bitter Almonds, Rose, Lavender, Geranium, Artemesia, Hypericum, Dioscorreoa, Kuth and many more.

(Author is Lecturer in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kashmir and can be reached at ishaq@kashmiruniversity.net)