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Govt
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Ayurveda Go To Index Page Medicinal
plant bounty in Arunachal Pradesh Itanagar: The north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh has long been famous for its rich, diverse and colourful flora and fauna, but not many know that this remote state boasts of over 500 rare species of medicinal plants, all of which have huge health and economic potential. A visit to the state forest research institute in Itanagar by an ANI team revealed the inextricable link between the region's ecology and the potential to generate incomes for people, for instance, from tourism or from the sale of medicines. The entire northeastern region receives rainfall between 200 cms to 1000 cms. Most of the region can be classified as sub- tropically humid, whereas Arunachal receives a heavy rainfall between 800 cms in higher reaches to 1000 cms in the foothills. Thus the agro-climate conditions of Arunachal vary from the tropical to alpine.These are ideal for the cultivation of a wide range of flowering plants, including rare orchids. Known also as India's Orchid Paradise, Arunachal is home to over 600 orchid species. And the variety of medicinal plants that grow here find use in various systems of medicines. As far as medicinal plans are concerned, we have large varieties because of the climatic conditions in Arunachal Pradesh. On the foothills, we have warm climate and as we gradually go higher, we have different climatic conditions. With that there is a change in florisitic composition. Accordingly we have in higher altitudes we have cultivation medicinal plants used in various systems of medicines like Ayurvedic and Tibetan etc," Dr. Sadanand N.Hegde, the Director of the state forest reserach institute. The
State Forest Research Institute (SFRI) in Itanagar has identified over
500 species of medicinal plants in Arunachal Pradesh. 51 of these face
the danger of becoming rare because they have not been cultivated by
the pharmaceutical companies who have used them extensively, procuring
them from the nature's store house. The reserach centre promotes the
cultivation of these rare species and also of the plants that need to
be propagated because of their poor seed production.This ensures the
authenticity of the medicines in which these plants are used. "Off late
the medicines that are available may not be of quality because of the
authenticity of teh medicinal plants. Now it is possible to get correct
medicine ans that is how thew institute has been promoting cultivation
by the local farmers," Hegde added. Arunachal is also rich in bamboo.The
shoot forms the lifeline of the people ,the use of which is visible
in every aspect of life there. Besides its utility in everyday life,
it offers itself as aversatile raw material for handicraft items that
find buyers all over. The Institute carries out research and field trials
on bamboo and cane plants found in the area to develop and standardise
cultivation practices. "We also help them to cultivate bamboo. This
is very important to the life here especially the highland bamboo. It
is used in their homes,to make furniture,utensils,bridges.It is their
lifeline," said Hegde. A tropical climber like Amrit Lata used as a
vitaliser or the Indian Ginseng Aswagandha...Sarpagandha that has been
found to be highly effective in controlling blood pressure, the many
useful plants of Arunachal are now in safe hands. The domestic market
of Indian Systems of Medicine & Homoeopathy is of the order of Rs.4000
crores per annum, which is expanding day by day.
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