Exploitation may weed out medicinal plants from Gujarat's forests

Over exploitation is raising serious threat to the existence of several flowering and medicinal plants including the "safed musli" (better known as the Indian Viagara) found in the jungles of Gujarat which have good export demand.

If steps are not taken on time, Gujarat may lose this virtual treasure trove.

According to a study conducted by A P Singh, an Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer who is at present working as the divisional forest officer (silviculture and forests utilisation), Rajpipla (west), "Over 50 flowering plants are threatened and need immediate conservation. Among these plants are harde, arjun sadad, nirmali, gol, ambadi, sardol, bhilamo, mokho, khadsingi, chamoli, varing, kodaro, bothi, vaivarno, ragat-rohido and patla. Similarly the medicinal plants which are under the threat of overexploitation and need immediate conservation are harde, kadaya, arjun, kachnar, ragat rohido, patla, tetu, kapilo, bhilamo, ardusi, gugal, mardasing, vavding, arni, kanther, galo, satavari, dodi, vidarikand, somlata, malkagni, ashwagandhi, mamejavo, chitrak, kalmegh and safed musli (also known as Indian viagra)," the study notes.

Safed musli is mainly found in the jungles of the Dangs, Valsad and east part of Surat. Safed musli is disappearing from the jungles then its natural rate of growth.

Gujarat is a highly industrialised state and its forest cover is less than 10 per cent of the total geographical area of the state.

Out of the total 605 ayurvedic pharmacies licensed and permitted for ayurvedic preparations, 20 per cent of functional pharmacies were surveyed and analysed in the study for their plant-based raw material consumption.

The study revealed that a total of 270 medicinal plants are consumed. Out of medicinal plants, 201 plants (74 per cent) are found in Gujarat, while 69 (26 per cent) are brought from other states.

Out of 201 indigenous plants of Gujarat, 148 plants (74 per cent) are found in wild, while 53 plants (26 per cent) are cultivated as crops.

Of the 148 indigenous medicinal plants, 48 are trees (32 per cent), 22 plants are shrubs (15 per cent), 28 plants are climbers (19 per cent) and 50 plants are herbs (34 per cent).

The study also discusses various suggestions for conservation, collection and cultivation methods of various medicinal plant species. The total demand of the industries has been pegged at 3,755 metric tonne annually out of 270 medicinal plants.

The study emphasised upon the demand and supply of wild medicinal plants. The demand of 148 wild species was found 2,499 metric tonne against the supply of 980 metric tonne (39 per cent) out of 65 species. The rest of the wild species are collected but not recorded.

The plant parts based consumption were also calculated and found that whole plant (panchang) is used of 21 per cent, root/underground parts 24 per cent, lead drugs seven per cent, fruit and seeds drugs 28 per cent, stem and root bark seven per cent, stem and wood drugs eight per cent, flower drugs one per cent and exudates (gum-resin) are consumed four per cent.

The consumption of whole plants fruit and seed and roots are detrimental to the plant life.

Singh is a 1990 batch IFS officer and looks after the forests of Bharuch, Narmada and some parts of Surat districts. He has worked in different capacities of forestry in the Dangs, Panchmahals and Sabarkantha districts.

The Gujarat government permitted him to study the field of medicinal plants, their diversity and their use in the pharmaceutical industries.

He got himself registered for a doctorate in November 2000 at the South Gujarat University (SGU) under the supervision of Minu Parabia, professor of bio sciences in SGU.

Singh submitted his doctorate thesis in July this year and his doctorate was declared in October.