J&K A Powerhouse of medicinal, aromatic Plants

Dr. Banarsi Lal, Dr. Vikas Tandon
Jammu and Kashmir is located within the North-Western Himalaya and is endowed with incredible diversity of medicinal plants.Kashmir is often referred to as a ‘Terrestrial Paradise’ and is well-known across the globe.
One of the main features contributing to the worldwide reputation of Jammu & Kashmir state is the rich biodiversity that adorns its captivating landscape. The beautiful state of Jammu and Kashmir harbors a diversity of medicinal plants that have been used in traditional health care systems for thousands of years. This knowledge of health care is transmitted from generation to generation. But from the last few decades it has been eroding due to rapid socio-cultural change. Besides , medicinal plants are being overexploited at an alarming rate. The traditional uses of medicinal plants in Jammu and Kashmir have not been reviewed properly and if reviewed, focus has been given either on particular groups or on restricted regions of the state. There is dire need of comprehensive documentation, diseases treatment by the traditional medicinal plants and scientific guidelines for the conservation and management of medicinal plants of Jammu and Kashmir.
Keeping depletion of the medicinal plants in view, various Government and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) are involved in conservation of these plants species. In Jammu and Kashmir, various organizations such as Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu(IIIM-Jammu) (formerly known as RRL, Jammu), Sher-e-Kashmir Agriculture University of Science and Technology, Jammu and Srinagar, Centre for Biodiversity Studies, BGSB University, Rajouri, University of Kashmir, Srignar, State Forest Research Institute, J&K, Defense Institute of High Altitude Research, Leh and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Katra and University of Jammu are keenly involved in developing conservation technologies for medicinal plants of the State. The high demand medicinal plants in Jammu region are Harad (Terminalia chebula), Amla(Emblica officianalis), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Baheda(Terminalia bellirica), Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Banafsha(Viola odorata), Gilo (Tinosporia cordifolia), Tulsi( Ocimum sanctum), Saffron(Crocus sativus) etc. while in Kashmir region the high demand medicinal plants are Gowzaban(Borage officianalis), Asal us soos (Glycirrhiza glabra), Saffron(Crocus sativus), Banafsha (Voila odorata), Behidana(Cydonia oblonga), Gul-e-Zoofa (Hyssopus officinalis), Parshianshan(Adiantum capillus), Kalonji (Nigella sativa), Kansi (Cichorium intybus)etc.
As reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) medicinal plants still form the basis of traditional or indigenous health systems and are used by the large part of the populations in most of the developing countries. Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) play a key role in mitigating the demands of the traditional medicine markets which are found both domestically in the producing and in overseas markets. Demand for wide varieties of wild species of medicinal and aromatic plants is increasing with growth in human needs, numbers and commercial trade. It has been observed that some wild species of medicinal plants are being over-exploited. Various agencies are recommending that wild species of medicinal plants should be brought under commercial cultivation. There are various high demand and high commercial value medicinal and aromatic plants in Jammu and Kashmir and there is dire need to assess these herbs in the state. It has been observed that the trade of raw medicinal plants in the state is not in the streamline with negligible authoritarian control. The high demand species of medicinal and aromatic plants are distinctive with their local availability and the popularity of the herbs is directly proportional to availability of the herb in the area. There is need of expertise in the identification of these herbs.
Since ancient times plants have been used to heal and cure diseases and to improve health and well-being of human beings and animals. Trade in medicinal plants is difficult to estimate accurately because much of the local trade is either unrecorded or poorly classified. Increasing global interest in medicinal plants has also created a sustained and largely underground trade in plant materials, many of which are being collected in an unregulated manner, resulting in indiscriminate harvest of wild varieties of medicinal plants and serious damage to biodiversity. The annual demand of botanical raw drugs in the country is increasing. This reflects synthesis of data related to estimates of consumption of botanicals by the domestic herbal industry, the rural households and the volume of botanicals recorded for the export. It has been observed that there are various kinds of medicinal plant species found across the three divisions of J&K State. While Jammu and Ladakh account for 500 and 880, Kashmir division accounts for around 3000 such species of medicinal plants, respectively. Unscientific and indiscriminate harvesting techniques have pushed most of these species on the verge of extinction. Absence of reliable market information has been an impediment in the management of medicinal plants resources.
There is need of strenuous efforts for promoting mass cultivation of natural herbs in the state. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) the present demand for ethno-medicinal plants is approximately US $ 14 billion per year. The demand for medicinal plants based raw materials is increasing at the rate of 15 to 25% annually; the demand for ethno-medicinal plants is likely to increase more in future. Excessive anthropogenic pressures have been identified as the main causes of decline in the population and availability of the medicinal plants in the Himalayan region. With increasing demand and renewed global interest in traditional ethno pharmacy, coupled with the increasing preference for natural substances in the healthcare system, the natural stock of medicinal plants of Himalayas is encouraging. Commercial cultivation is crucial for the success of medicinal plants to mitigate the ever-growing demand for medicinal plants as this wealth has been depleting continuously since last two decades in their natural habitat.
It has been observed that there are 880 medicinal plants species involved in all India trade. Of this, 48 species are exported and about 42 spices are imported. As per the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India, reveals that there are over 8000 species of medicinal plants grown in India. Despite having only around 2 per cent land of the world, it is blessed with 25 per cent of the biodiversity of the world. The demand for medicinal plants in India to meet both domestic and export markets has been projected to increase it at about 15?16 percent annually, between 2005 and 2010. India exports its medicinal plants products to at least 95 countries. The main destinations were the USA and Europe.
Government of India has launched a scheme known as Jammu and Kashmir Aroma Arogya Gram(JAAG) to encourage the farmers of Jammu and Kashmir to cultivate scientifically tested and commercially beneficial aromatic and medicinal plants in the state so that their socio-economic status can be uplifted. Under this scheme the government’s key R&D body, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is helping the farmers of the state with expert guidance and provide them saplings of as many as nine varieties of medicinal and aromatic plants. The plant varieties, selected for Jammu and Kashmir, include five different varieties of lemon grass (Cymbopogon), Rose (Rosa), Mint (Mentha), Ashwagandha (Withaniasomnifera) and Phalsa fruit plant. Different CSIR institutions like Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, Institute of Himalayan Bio-resource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) Lucknow, National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), Lucknow and North Eastern Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST), Johart have been associated for the implementation of this scheme in Jammu and Kashmir. The proven agrotechnologies of CSIR institutions have been demonstrated in different areas of J&K. Various medicinal and aromatic plants species such as Lemongrass CKP-25,CPK-F2-38,Rosa grass RRL(J)CN-5,IIIM(J)JK-10,Mint RRL(J) ML4 and Phalsa IIM(J) Shivalik Berry have been developed that can perform well in the state. It is hoped that entrepreneurship development in this sector will bring prosperity among the farmers of the state.

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