The Social ION
Year : 2012, Volume : 1, Issue : 1and2
First page : ( 12) Last page : ( 35)
Print ISSN : 2319-3581. Online ISSN : 2456-7523.

Traditional use, economic viability and sustainability of medicinal plants in Arunachal Pradesh of India

Dr. Mandal Ram Krishna

Deptt. of Economics, D.N. Govt. College, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, India, Email: rkm_1966@yahoo.co.in

Online published on 13 March, 2018.

Abstract

The use of herbs and drugs for treatment of ailments and injuries in the country dates back as early as 4500 B.C., mention of which is found in scriptures (Rig Veda). More than 2000 items are reportedly used for medicine out of which 200 are of minerals origin and the remaining is of vegetative nature. Forest wealth is one of the important natural aids to mankind which should be utilized judiciously. The forests in Arunachal Pradesh are primarily by large and there is vast wealth of plants, grasses, herbs, orchids and others of immense economic, commercial and medicinal values which may not be available in other parts of the country. Arunachal Pradesh is very rich in medicinal flora. In the absence of any sophisticated system of medicine, the indigenous village elders have been claiming the presence of numerous life saving herbs. Simultaneously there are numerous known herbs with deadly poisons which when processed become very potent curing medicines. More than 80 percent of the world‟s medicinal flora is found in the Himalayan ranges of India. Arunachal Pradesh is such type of state which is lying within the Himalayan belt. The species of medicinal plants occur in varying climatic and habitat conditions in varying concentration from the warm foot-hills to the cool temperate hills in Arunachal Pradesh of India. Such a diverse climatic situation has favoured the occurrence of over 500 Herbs recorded from Arunachal Pradesh of which 250 are used in various Ayurvedic formulations.

Top

Keywords

Herbs, Forest, Ayurvedic, Medicinal Plants, Himalaya.

Top