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Medicinal plants conservation and development areas (MPCDAs)-An initiative

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 doi : 10.5958/0975-6892.2017.00013.2
Medicinal Plants
Vol. 9 (3), September 2017, 143-149
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Research Article

Medicinal plants conservation and development areas (MPCDAs) – An

initiative towards conservation of medicinal plants

Shomita Biswas, M.S. Rawat, Fayaz Ahmad Tantray and Saurabh Sharma*
National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, 3rd Floor, AYUSH Bahwan B - Block,
G.P.O. Complex, I.N.A., New Delhi-110023

Received: June 29, 2017; Accepted: July 12, 2017

ABSTRACT
India is one of the hot spots of world’s biodiversity having wealth of Medicinal Plants. Forests are the main habitat of
Medicinal Plants and a large number of species are also endemic that gives India a unique position in the world. Medicinal
Plants form the major resource base of our traditional systems of medicine or AYUSH systems of medicines, folklore medicines.
Even allopathic medicines also used plant based raw material for the preparation of medicine. However, due to various
anthropogenic activities and unsustainable harvesting from wild, many Medicinal Plants species in India have become
endangered and have been included in Red Data Book of threatened species. Thus, there is an urgent need to have measures
taken to protect/conserve the natural habitats of these Medicinal Plants wealth of the Country. Some important Medicinal
Plants species of conservation concern in India are Aconitum heterophyllum (Atis), Aconitum atrox (Mitha), Bergenia ciliata
(Pashan bhed), Commiphora wightii(Guglu), Dactylorhiza hatagirea (Salampanja), Nardostachys grandiflora (Jatamansi),
Paris polyphylla (Satva), Picrorhiza kurrooa (kutki), Podophyllum hexandrum (Bankakri), Rauvolfia serpentina (Sarpagandha),
Rheum australe (Revand chini), Saraca asoaca (Ashok) etc. The National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB), Government of
India, in this regard, has taken initiatives to support in-situ conservation of Medicinal Plants through establishment of
Medicinal Plants conservation and Development Areas (MPCDAs) throughout the country. For in-situ conservation, the State
Forest Departments are playing a vital role in establishing the MPCDAs, ensuring conservation of the Red Listed Medicinal
Plants species along with associated flora. Considering the richness in diversity of Medicinal Plants in India, there is still a
good scope for conservation of these resources in their natural habitats through establishment of MPCDAs throughout the
Country. In addition, considering the diversity of Medicinal flora, the State Forest Department in collaboration with Research
Institutions should come forward to carryout research and development studies on conservation as part of germplasm of
endemic Medicinal Plants species and augment the Medicinal Plants biodiversity base in the Country.
Keywords: Endemic, endangered medicinal plants, in-situ conservation, MPCDAs

INTRODUCTION
Medicinal plants play a vital role in supporting healthcare
system viz., Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homeopathyand even
in Allopathy system of medicines. According to the World
Health Organization (WHO), 80% of the rural population in
developing countries utilizes locally available medicinal
plants for their primary healthcare needs. About 8000 species
of medicinal plants are used by traditional system of
medicines, local communities and tribal people all over India.
About 90% of the country’s medicinal plants are found in
the wild. 10% of the medicinal plants are found in land
other than forest and community land (Chakraborty et al.,
2012). There is consequently an urgent need to conserve the
wild populations of medicinal plants diversity in prioritized
forest regions of India, which are being harvested from the
forest without any planning of conservation measures. Many
researchers have conducted important studies on

*Corresponding author e-mail: ravi_mm2099@yahoo.com; eco5320@gmail.com

144 Shomita Biswas et al.
conservation aspects of medicinal plants in India (Singh et
al., 2011; Shankar et al., 2012; Shankar and Rawat 2013;
Negi et al., 2015). Generally, community don’t follow the
practices of sustainable harvesting, plants are uprooted
without keeping enough propagules behind for the
replenishment. They do not take care about conservation
aspect. Literature study also revealed that medicinal plant
resources have been under threat due to their over
exploitation and several other factors as a result many species
have become endangered and threatened (Rawat et al., 1998).
Further, the demand for medicinal plants is rapidly
increasing, coinciding with a global resurgence in the
demand of traditional medicine. The export market for herbal
raw material is estimated to be increasing by 22% annually
(NMPB & ICFRE, 2017). Moreover, Indian forest seems to
have poor regeneration status for endangered medicinal
plants species (Sukumar et al., 1996). Therefore
identification and conservation of endangered medicinal
plants species is an important issue. Many researchers have
reported endangered medicinal plants species in India and
suggested strategies for their conservation has been
suggested (Jain & Rao, 1983). The Red Data Book (Nayar &
Sastry, 1987; 1988; 1990) has enlisted 622 plant species of
Indian flora in endangered category. The figure has increased
to 1255 in 2003 (Rao et al., 2003) and the trend is alarming
(Sanjappa et al., 2012). Once a species becomes extinct, the
genetic resource of the species is lost forever, therefore it
becomes imperative to conserve these species in the forest
area. Establishment of MPCDAs is a way forward to
conservation and developgermplasm resource of the native
endangered, endemic medicinal plants species.
Concept of MPCDAs
Medicinal plants are over exploited and consequently many
species are on the verge of extinction. It has also been felt
that the threat to species increase as the people become aware
of their uses. It is, therefore, imperative to protect, conserve
and propagate the floral diversity of medicinal value
occurring in the forest areas. It is only the forestry sector that
can effectively ensure a long term in-situ conservation and
sustainable availability of the medicinal plants. For this
purpose, earlier Medicinal Plants Conservation Area
(MPCAs) and presently Medicinal Plants Conservation
Development Areas (MPCDAs) have come into the existence
for conservation & management of medicinal plants in their
natural habitats.
The concept has been started earlier in 1993 when the
first conservation step has been taken by United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) in the Southern States of
India along with an organization Foundation for
Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT).
Development of Medicinal Plants Sector at large being the
key concern, their main aim was to preserve the potential
forest zones of India with special focus on the medicinal
plants conservation. 108 MPCAs were developed during
1992 to 2003 in 13 states of the country to carry out the
conservation works in terms of management of Medicinal
Plants.
METHODOLOGY
NMPB is implementing Central Sector Scheme on
Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management
of Medicinal Plants. Under the scheme there is one
component for setting up Medicinal Plants Conservation
and Development Areas (MPCDAs) in forest areas. As per the
guidelines, State Forest/Wildlife Department/Forest
Development Corporation/Federations/National and State
level Research Organization/ Universities/Non-Government/
Voluntary Organizations with expertise in the field (subject
to the recommendation of concerned State Forest Department)
are eligible to implement the projects on MPCDAs. Under
the proposed MPCDAs, activities like artificial re-generation
of local populations of medicinal and aromatic plant species
are particularly important in case of species where wild
populations have dwindled on account of habitat
degradation, and unsustainable harvest. Active interest and
engagement of rural communities in such conservation
program is instrumental to address sustainability of the
medicinal plants sector as a whole, hence financial support
is also provided for community mobilization through entry
point activities. Accordingly, the project proposals received
from different State Forest Departments/other organizations
for such activities, are evaluated by the Project Screening
Committee (PSC) and further by the Standing Finance
Committee. As per norms, for MPCDAs, 100% central
assistance as per the prescribed norms is recommended. The
MPCDAs concept shows tremendous importance in the in-
situ conservation of medicinal plants in a forest over an area
of 200 hectares more or less to carry out the activities like
base line survey, demarcation of an area, conservation of
medicinal plant species. Raising seed production areas in
various regions, soil moisture works, protection measures,
maintenance, documentation of species, training &
awareness campaign for the inhabitants, establishment of
nursery, quality planting material development are the pre-
requisite activities in developing an MPCDAs within the
forest areas. Though smaller areas of important medicinal
plants bio-diversity including sacred groves, endemic
species, critically endangered medicinal plants etc. can also
be considered for MPCDAs. The period of a particulars
project is five years which entails maintenance activity
during the period.
Medicinal Plants, 9(3) September 2017
 Medicinal plants conservation and development areas – An initiative towards conservation of medicinal plants 145

Thus, the main aim of the implementation of MPCDAs RESULTS

in the various Forest Zones of India is to preserve, protect
and maintain the medicinal plants species so that the grow
abundantly in natural way. Such kind of promotion and
conservation of the medicinal plants through involvement
of community give rise to the concept of Medicinal Plants
Conservation Development Areas. There are two types of
MPCDAs viz., species focus MPCDAs and another habitat
specific/medicinal plants diversity focus MPCDAs. The
endangered & threatened species of medicinal plants may
be listed from existing information from the available
documents and through Conservation Assessment and
Management Prioritization (CAMP) approach for medicinal
plants.
In addition, for up-gradation/reviewing/ strengthening
of previously designated Medicinal Plants Conservation Area
(MPCA) which were established more than three years ago
under NMPB or other schemes in various states, assistance
is also provided by NMPB.
NMPB, Ministry of AYUSH has taken the initiative from
2007-2008 to develop the MPCDAs in project mode for five
years. MPCDAs were species specific, such as Gugulu
(Commiphora wightii) established by Gujarat forest
department, and habitat specific MPCDAs that depends on
the particular habitat of the plant. Habitat could vary from
forests, to xerophytic adaphic & climate conditions and there
are dense forests depending upon the type of the location of
the forest. The list of 72 MPCDAs development by NMPB
along with their locations and flagship species are given in
Table 1 for the thirteen states of the country, which covers an
area of 10935 hectares. The sites on map of these states using
geo-referencing data is given in Figure 1. Some of the
MPCDAs and the species conserved in these MPCDAs are
given in Figure 2 and 3, respectively. Under MPCDAs
different activities were carried out; like survey,
documentation of existing natural population of medicinal

Table 1: List of MPCDAs supported by NMPB in different states of the country

S. MPCDAs State Forest Area Longitude Latitude Flagship Species Covered Under
No. (Earlier MPCA) Department (ha) (E) (N) Conservation
1 Mangvana Kutchh Gujarat 050 69°21´42" 23°11´82" Gugglu (Commiphora wightii), Dashmool
2 Gugliayna Kutchh 050 68°57´49" 23°33´51" Species:- Aegle marmelos (Bael), Gmelina arborea
3 Thravda Kutchh 050 69°49´42" 23°08´19" (Gambhari), Oroxylum indicum (Syonaka),
4 Ler Kutchh 050 69°46´21" 23°10´31" Streospermum chelenoides (Padal), Premna
5 Mathal Kutchh 050 69°11´70" 23°25´47" corymbosa (Agnimanth), Uraria picta
6 Tharvada 050 69°49´42" 23°08´19" (Prishmnparni), Solanum surratens (Choti
Knatakari), Solanum indicum (Brihati), Tribulus
terrestris (Gokharu), Desmodium gangeticum
(Salparni)
7 Rasulpur RF Haryana 025 76°03´04" 28°03´04" Gugglu (Commiphora wightii)

8 Dhel Tach Dhauladhar range H.P. 200 77°27´56" 31°45´41" Aconitum heterophyllum, Abies spectabilis,
9 Dodra Zanskar range Shimla 233 78°59´96" 31°12´15" Juniperus polycarpos, Gentiana Kurrooa,
10 Chhitkul Zanskar range Kinnaur 178 78°26´39" 31°26´77" Aconitum violaceum, Dactylorhiza hatagirea,
11 Kukumseri Dhauladhar range 005 76°40´27" 32°43´12" Fritillaria roylei, Podophyllum hexandrum,
12 Modda Ka Tibba Zanskar range 040 77°32´44" 30°40´16" Habenaria intermedia, Malaxis acuminata,
Picrorhiza kurrooa, Polygonatum verticillatum,
Colchicum luteum, Hebneria edgeworthii, Roscoe
purpurea and Valeriana jatamansi etc

13 Kunda SF Honnethala Karnataka 100 75°10´39" 13°32´91" Ashok (Saraca asoaca), Saraja(Vateria indica),
14 Shrigunj 392 74°51´30" 14°46´64" Shyonak (Oroxylum indicum), Kokum(Garcinina
15 Kodambale 51.7 74°56´20" 14°51´97" indica), Kaliyaka (Coscinium fenestratum)
16 Achwe 200 74°54´84" 14°60´13" Garcinia indica,Tinospora cordifolia,
17 Mahime 50.6 74°71´49" 14°28´13" Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Asparagus racemosus,
18 Jankadkal 290 74°63´17" 13°45´88" Nathopodytes foetida, Alstonia scholaris
19 Tumkur 200 88°58´59" 23°23´45"
20 Karotage range 200 77°11´15" 13°35´15"
21 Honnavar Division 200 74°49´46" 14°27´15"
22 Shimoga 200 75°15´99" 13°93´92"

Medicinal Plants, 9(3) September 2017

146 Shomita Biswas et al.

Table 1: contd..........
S. MPCDAs State Forest Area Longitude Latitude Flagship Species Covered Under
No. (Earlier MPCA) Department (ha) (E) (N) Conservation
23 Amrakantak M.P. 200 81°43´03" 22°46´19" Guggulu(Commiphora wightii), Bael (Aegle
24 Barman 200 79°06´26" 23°09´01" marmelos), Chironji (Buchnania lanzan), Harad,
25 East Batkakhapa 200 79°5´07" 22°35´06" (Terminalia chebula), Sarapgandha (Rauvolfia
26 Tamia 200 78°39´52" 22°24´02" serpentine)and other endemic and endangered
27 Pandurna 200 78°30´13" 21°33´16" species
28 Dindori 200 81°08´37" 23°07´51"
29 Bhoribandh 200 80°44´12" 23°52´00"
30 Mavai 200 80°58´09" 22°24´45"
31 Kattiwara 200 74°12´35" 22°28´27"
32 Karahal 200 77°6´50" 25°29´34"
33 Ambewadi Nashik range Maharashtra 200 73°39´38" 19°35´92" Bael (Aegle marmelos), Arjun (Terminalia arjuna),
34 Mandavi range 200 72°55´43" 19°34´31" Baheda (Terminalia ballerica), Ritha (Sapindus
35 Mendhavan Somata range 200 72°55´62" 19°47´97" mukrosii), Oroxylum indicum Pterocarpus
36 East Melghat Ghatang range 100 76°57´00" 21°15´00" marsupium (Bija), Embelia tsjeriam-cottam
37 Chilkhadra Ghatang range 100 77°33´00" 21°45´00" (Vavding), Holostemma ada-kodien (Arkpushpi),
38 Pilapur 050 78°08´12" 21°16´07" Terminalia chebula (Harad), Saraca asoca
39 Ajneneri 100 73°34´96" 19°56´48" (Ashok), Operculina turpenthum(Nishoth) etc.
40 Chandanapuri 100 74°12´04" 19°29´04"
41 Khangkhuikulle Ukhrul Manipur 030 94°25´3" 25°2´64" Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Aquillaria agallocha,
42 Kailam Churachandpur 020 93°25´9" 24°16´10" Aegle marmelos, Saraca asoca, Oroxylum
43 Langol Imphal 050 94°54´43" 25°53´0" indicum, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia bellerica
44 Bilkhawthlir Kolasib Division Mizoram 100 92°44´06" 24°17´22" Aquillaria agallocha, Mesua ferrea, Saraca asoca,
45 Vairengte Kolasib Division 100 92°44´52" 24°24´59" Homalomena aromatica, Oroxylum indicum,
46 Humunpui ram Thenzawl Division 100 92°36´33" 23°22´13" Alpinia bractiata
47 Sialsik range Thenzawl Division 100 92°47´31" 23°21´18"
48 Jalukie Village Peren District Nagaland 100 94°43´41" 25°34´09" Aquillaria agallocha (Agar), Oroxylum indicum
49 Changtonya Mokokchung District 320 94°41´02" 26°33´31" (Shyonak), Litsea glutinosa (Meda), Homalomena
50 Chipvu Lurho Park 200 94°13´32" 25°38´82" aromatica, Phlogacanthus thyrisiflora, Rauwolfia
51 Intanki National Park Peren 200 93°32´27" 25°38´30" serpentina (Sarpagandha), Garcinia lancaefolia,
Adhatoda vasica, Panax pseudo-gingseng, Paris
polyphylla
52 Kiradu Rajasthan 250 71°24´26" 26°22´38" Guggulu (Commiphora wightii)
53 Barabhakar 250 73°02´86" 26°38´80"
54 Lashar Valley Lachen Sikkim 400 88°32´25" 27°53´50" Ephedra gerardiana, picrorhiza kurooa (Kutki),
55 Tanze RF Sikkim 100 88°46´43" 27°23´10" Narostachys jatamansi (Jatamansi), Oroxylum
56 Mamring RF Sikkim 250 88°30´56" 27°10´9" indicum (Shyonak), Sapindus mukrossi (Ritha),
57 Sipsu Jhum Sikkim 050 88°15´00" 27°7´35" Taxus bacatta (Talispatra), South division-Oroxylum
indicum (Shyonak), Terminalia chebula (Harad)
58 Alagarkovil Tamil Nadu 200 78°22´60" 10°09´77" 475 species of medicinal plants were recorded and
59 Sirumalai 200 78°01´52" 10°15´15" under conservation.
60 Natham 200 78°24´14" 10°27´90"
61 Edmankarai Mannavannur 080 77°22´40" 10°16´28"
62 Thalavukanal Poombarai 080 77°22´15" 10°15´39"
63 Jamendar Berijam 080 77°23´61" 10°90´60"
64 Deramandu Perumpallam 080 77°20´52" 10°26´16"
65 Kumbakarai Devadanapatty 080 77°53´30" 10°17´82"
66 Panchanai West Bengal 200 88°24´38" 26°47´43" Rauvolfia serpentina (Sarpagandha), Asparagus
67 Pahalut 200 88°03´33" 27°11´50" racemosus (Shatavari), Gymnema sylvestra
68 Rechela 200 88°03´33" 27°11´50" (Gudmar) and Gmelina arboriea (Gambhari)Taxus
69 Bichabhanga 200 88°46´49" 26°43´32" wallichiana, Abies spp., Swertia chirayita,
70 North Rajabhatwar 200 89°33´18" 26°41´06" Rhododendron arborium and Panax pseudo
71 Kankrajhore 200 88°46´49" 26°43´32" gingseng etc.
72 Susnia 200 88°58´59" 23°23´45"

Medicinal Plants, 9(3) September 2017

 Medicinal plants conservation and development areas – An initiative towards conservation of medicinal plants 147

Figure 1: MPCDAs sites in map of India supported by NMPB

Figure 2: MPCDAs of Gugulu (Commiphora wightii) developed by Gujarat Forest Department

Medicinal Plants, 9(3) September 2017

148 Shomita Biswas et al.

Figure 3: Some species conserved under MPCDAs

Medicinal Plants, 9(3) September 2017

 Medicinal plants conservation and development areas – An initiative towards conservation of medicinal plants
and aromatic plants, geo referencing, assessment of threat
status of various medicinal plant species traditionally
obtained from the wild and also identifying the major causes
of threat and providing possible remedy to the plant
populations. The development of MPCDAs also entails
components like. stakeholder’s capacity building,
documentation etc. for sustainable utilization of medicinal
plants by, engaging services of qualified taxonomists and
other necessary professionals for the.
CONCLUSION
The observations made in the foregoing discussion indicate
that there are still very critical areas which should be taken
up by the state Forest Department for setting up the MPCDAs
particularly in the North-Eastern States, Himalyan region
and Western Ghats, which have abundant medicinal plants,
raw material resources. Concerted multi-disciplinary efforts
are also required to execute large scale production of
materials from both wild and cultivated sources. The
augmentation and supplies of raw materials obtained from
the plants growing in forests, especially those originated
from trees and shrubs, may better be left with the foresters
who may undertake in-situ conservation, restocking and
forestation with desirable species. Medicinal and aromatic
plants play a very important role in the life support systems
and wellbeing of mankind, therefore research and
development studies on domestication of wild plants and
introduction of the important varieties of medicinal plant
species for cultivation by the farmer and growers, who are
the ultimate user to undertake the job, would give require
impetus to the sector. Thus, identification, conservation and
setting up of to set up more MPCDAs is paramount as India
one the mega biodiversities of the world and at the same
time efforts also need to be made to conserve the endemic
germplasm for further research studies for production of
improved varieties of medicinal plants in the country which
would make India one of the global leader in traditional
system of health.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors are thankful to NMPB, Ministry of AYUSH,
Government of India for providing necessary facilities.
Authors are also thankful to different State Forest
Departments/Organizations and concerned PIs of the project
for establishment of MPCDAs.
Medicinal Plants, 9(3) September 2017
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149
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