Prospects and Challenges of Medicinal Plants Conservation and\ud Traditional Medicine in Tanzania

A qualitative study was carried to assess prospects and challenges of medicinal plants conservation and\ud traditional medicine in Tanzania. The study shows that TRM and medicinal have great prospects in healthcare\ud delivery worldwide. These prospects have more impact in developing countries where 70%-80% of population used\ud TRM for Primary Healthcare (PHC). It is reported that 25% of prescribed drugs in conventional healthcare were\ud derived from their ethnomedicinal use in TRM. Medicinal plants still provided hope for discovery of new drugs for\ud the resistant diseases and those that were not treated by conventional prescribed drugs. Traditional medicine and\ud medicinal plants were faced with challenges notably; threats due to increasing depletion of the natural resource\ud as an impact of population increase, urbanization, modernization of agriculture and climatic change. There was\ud erosion of indigenous medical knowledge as most of the traditional health practitioners were aging and dying, while\ud the expected youths to inherit the practice shy away from practice. The youths in rural settings who were willing\ud to practice some of them die because of AIDS. The other major challenges on traditional medicine and MPs were\ud constraints and include lack of data on seriously threatened and endangered medicinal plant species. Others include\ud inadequate and conflicting guidelines on management and utilization of natural resources, especially medicinal\ud plants. Efforts for scaling up the practice of TRM and medicinal plant conservation have been suggested. These\ud were creating awareness of the importance traditional medicine and medicinal plants in healthcare; training THPs\ud on good practices for provision of healthcare; conserving medicinal plants through in-situ and ex-situ programs and\ud sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants resources and training conventional health workers on the contribution\ud of TRM and medicinal plants in PHC. Traditional health practitioners, TRM and medicinal plants should be essential\ud components in PHC in order to meet the health millennium goals by 2025

Diversity of plant-parasitic nematodes on medicinal plants in Melinh station for biodiversity, Vinh Phuc Province, Vietnam

Plant-parasitic nematodes are known as one of the most important pests attacking various plants in the world, and investigating the nematode component is very essential for management of this pest and prevent damage to plants in general. Our survey of plant-parasitic nematodes on medicinal plants in Melinh Station for Biodiversity, a place for conservation of precious plants and animals in Vietnam, identified ten species that belong to nine genera, five families, and two orders of plant-parasitic nematodes parasitizing six medicinal plants. Excoecaria cochinchinensis was parasitized by the highest number of nematode genera (5 genera, including Xiphinema, Discocriconemella, Meloidogyne, Helicotylenchus, and Hemicriconemoides), while Hymenocallis littoralis was associated with the highest number of plant-parasitic nematodes (2060 nematodes/250g soil). The results also showed that Discocriconemella limitanea was found to be a dominant species with the highest number of individuals on 6 medicinal plants, and the genus Helicotylenchus had the highest frequency of appearance (5/6 plants or 83.3%). These nematodes caused symptoms such as yellowing leaves, root galls, and root lesions, which directly affect the quality and yield of medicinal plants. Based on the results, this study showed that plant-parasitic nematodes are a potential threat to the cultivation of medicinal plants in Melinh Station for Biodiversity, and thus, control measures should be applied to ensure sustainable cultivation of medicinal plants in this place

Medicinal Plants in Pregnancy and Lactation: Perception of the Health Risk and Practical Educational Group in Araraquara, São Paulo State, Brazil

The use of medicinal plants among pregnant women and lactating is a common practice in diverse countries. However, many medicinal plants are contraindicated during pregnancy and lactating, due to various adverse effects, such as teratogenic, embryotoxic and abortive effects, exposing these women, their fetus and babies to health unknown risks. Thus, the purpose of this commentary, was to analyze the perception about the use of medicinal plants by pregnant women and lactating registered in the "baby on board" NGO, Araraquara, São Paulo state, Brazil, between 2010 at 2013. The group was constituted by 48 women, between the first and last trimester of pregnancy or whilst breastfeeding. Information was collected during group meetings by oral interview, using a questionnaire, as script. The nature of the study was a qualitative analysis. The results were based on reports about the use of medicinal plants by pregnant women during group meetings: use, indication of use, knowledge about risks. All participants received written and oral information about the study and they gave a written informed consent. The use of medicinal plants is a reality among pregnant and lactating women of the "baby on board" NGO. They reported that they feel that "natural" products are not harmful for their health. The primary information sources for the majority of women about medicinal plants during pregnancy are family, neighbors and herbalists. The plants most cited were: senna, chamomile, boldo, lemon balm, lemon grass. They were used mainly for: nausea, heartburn, indigestion, flatulence, intestinal and abdominal pain, anxiety, intestinal constipation and low milk production. The pregnant and lactating women lacked knowledge about the health risks of the use of medicinal plants and herbal medicines in pregnancy and lactation. They also reported difficulties in clarifying some questions about the use of medicinal plants with their doctors. The results of the present study showed that educative actions about the rational use of medicinal plants in pregnancy and breastfeeding could be part of the operating protocols to promote the maternal and child health programs in Araraquara. Thus, our results also suggest the importance of creating institutionalized places, to the implementation of continued education programs about rational use of medicinal plants in pregnancy and lactation. These targeted programs are not only for health professionals, but also for community members, pregnant women and breastfeeding. Our results pointed out the importance of guidance of doctors and healthcare professionals on the scientific studies about medicinal plants and herbal medicines and the risk/benefit of using herbs during pregnancy. Finally, it is noted the importance of the health professionals to inform women of childbearing on risks to their health, as well as on possibilities of utilization of herbs during fertile period, giving special attention to the potential risk of self-medication

Eksplorasi Tumbuhan Obat Pada Taman Nasional Gunung Leuser, Resort Sei Betung, Sumatera Utara

Medicinal plants have a very important role for world health that need to be done of research to analyze the diversity of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants exploratory research had been done in the Gunung Leuser National Park, Sei Betung Resort from Juny to Agustus 2014. Medicinal plant species are known to be recorded and identified. The results of the identification of medicinal plants has been done in Gunung Leuser National Park, Sei Betung Resort found as many as 27 types of medicinal plants.The dominant species is Melastoma malabathricum. The diversity of medicinal plants in the Gunung Leuser National Park, Sei Betung Resort Hutan classified as moderate

Inventarisasi Tumbuhan Obat Di Kawasan Diklatsar Tlogodringo Tawamangu Jawa Tengah Sebagai Bahan Sosialisasi Bagi Masyarakat

Tlogodringo was region which had a summit elevation of 2.054 m. asl to 1.700 m. asl initial altitude with high diversity of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants were all planted that all parts of the body can be used as a drug that was able to provided a healing effect. The ains of study was to determined the types of herbs that are located of DIKLATSAR Tlogodringo. The methods were random sampling and exploration to record and identified medicinal plants at any altitude. The results of the research discovere 15 species of medicinal plants with the dominant families are Poaceae, namely plants is blady grass (Imperata cylindrica) an altitude 1.700 m. asl and discovere 10 species of medicinal plants with the dominant families are Asteraceae, namely plants is teklan (Eupatorium riparium) an altitude 1.900 m. asl in DIKLATSAR hill track of Tlogodringo. The most medicinal plants are inventoryat an altitude of 1.700 m. asl.Based on study concluded that higher the altitude less diversity of medicinal plants

Marketing of Medicinal Plants of Utror-Gabral Valleys, Swat, Pakistan

This paper is based on the results of an ethnobotanical project carried out in the area comprising Utror-Gabral Valleys of upper Swat. The residents of the area use indigenous medicinal plants for curing diseases and also sell some of them in the local market for earning their livelihood. About 44 medicinal plants are collected in the area during the months of May, June, July and August. Out of these 44 species collected and marketed, 8 species of medicinal plants are endangered, 8 species are vulnerable and 8 species are rare. Bulk of these medicinal plants are used locally and only Berberis lycium, Bergenia ciliata, Podophyllum hexandrum, Colchicum luteum, Dioscoria deltoides, Viola spp., Pistacia integrimma, Morchella esculenta, Paeonia emodi, Rheum australe, Aconitum hetrophyllum, Valeriana jatamansi, Acorus calamus, Juglans regia, Diospyrus lotus and Bistorta amplexicaulis make their way to national and international markets. A survey conducted shows that medicinal plants collectors include womenfolk (48.26%), menfolk (27.0%) and children (24.74%). Almost 90% of these medicinal plants are sold in the local market in fresh form as the collectors are poor and needy. Some species are cleaned, dried in the sun and stored in plastic bags. The percentage of losses is much higher in the storage because the collectors are unaware about the proper storage methods of these plants. The availability of medicinal plants decreased during the past 20 years. According to aged villagers, medicinal plants were abundant in the vicinities of human settlements some 20 years back. However, the population of medicinal plants drastically decreased due to increased marketing pressure on medicinal plants, lack of job opportunities in the area, non sustainable harvesting methods like digging of whole plant and increased population of the area. The medicinal plants are now collected in large volumes from remote areas of Desan, Ghos, Ladhu, Pala-Shair, Sind, Molat, Gozba, Deej, Tosi and Kagishdin

Biodiversity of Medicinal Plants in Thudaripettai Village, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu, India

The medicinal plants have received more attention among researchers to treat various diseases and disorders. This study was aimed to record the various medicinal plants present in Thudaripettai Village situated in Tharangambadi Taluk, Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu. A total of 60 plant species belonging to 35 families were reported with their medicinal values. These results will provide information about medicinal plants and methods of utilization of these plants to cure various diseases of mankind. Survey of the information of medicinal plants used by the villagers were collected and arranged alphabetically followed by common name, vernacular name, family name, parts of use, methods of uses, medicinal uses and their habit. The information is very much useful for further research which will lead to the discovery of new bioactive compounds from the above medicinal plants

Species Identification of Traditional Medicine Plants for Women's Health in East Kalimantan: Lesson Learned From Local Wisdom

Traditional communities in East Kalimantan have been using traditional medicinal plants for centuries. This paper aims to identify the plant species used for traditional medicine for women's health in three tribes in East Kalimantan: Dayak Benuaq around Gunung Beratus Protection Forest, Dayak Bahau around Wehea Forest, and Kutai tribe around Kutai National Park. Medicinal plant species identification is important for plant breeding and developing utilization technology of those species. Data were collected by: 1) interview with traditional midwives and traditional medicinal plants users in those villages; 2) collecting the medicinal plant specimens in their natural habitat; 3) qualitative analysis of the interview records; 4) botanical identification of the specimens in Herbarium Wanariset Samboja; and 5) literature review about the USAge of those medicinal plants by traditional communities in other places. This research result showed 44 medicinal plant species from 30 families for cosmetics, maternal uses, and women's reproductive health. The used parts of the medicinal plants were the roots, leaves, barks, stem, and fruits. The medicinal plants were processed by simple methods. There were 27 species also used by other communities for similar or different efficacies, and the active chemical compounds of 25 species have been known. The utilization of traditional medicinal plants are cheaper, more available, and accessible. However, the quality of the medicinal plants can not be guaranteed, and the dosage was not standardized. Therefore the medicinal plants need to be cultivated to ensure the quality and quantity, and to prevent species extinction