CULTIVATION, CONSERVATION AND PROPAGATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

* Dr.Namrata Mishra

** Proff. Makhanlal

ABSTRACT

The credibility of Indian systems of medicine mainly depends upon the use of genuine raw
materials in the manufacturing of the drugs. About 500 medicinal plants are commonly used for
drug manufacturing and the major sources of these medicinal plants are forests where these grow
wild. As a result of continuous exploitation of these plants a number of species have become
endangered. The increased demand and unscrupulous collection by unskilled people leads to
gradual erosion and ultimate loss of vulnerable genetic diversities of the economic plants in
India. In the recent years the rise in demand of medicines of Indian system of medicines has
resulted in a spurt in the number of pharmacies. The sudden increase in the demand of the
pharmaceutical industry has created a problem in supply and availability of sufficient quantities
of medicinal plants for the manufacturing of genuine drugs. This shortage of certain species of
medicinal plants is also responsible for adulteration and a need to find the substitute of the
actually required raw material which results in lowering the standards of efficacy of the prepared
medicine. To avoid and eliminate all these possibilities of adulteration, to provide a sustained and
uniform quality raw material to the pharmaceutical industry and to save the endangered species
from over exploitation, there is a need of standardized cultivation practices for conservation and
propagation of these medicinal plants which in turn helps in maintaining the genuineness and
efficacy of the raw herbs.

Key Words: exploitation, standardized cultivation, conservation.

*M.D. (Ay.)1st year, P.G.Department of Dravyaguna, State Ayurvedic College & Hospital, Lucknow

**Professor & Head, P.G.Department of Dravyaguna, State Ayurvedic College & Hospital, Lucknow