Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Bioprospecting of Medicinal Plants in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve:Linking Conservation with Livelihood


Affiliations
1 G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Garhwal Unit, Srinagar, Garhwal 246 174, India
2 G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, India
 

Six species of medicinal and aromatic plants, viz. Allium stracheyi, Allium humile, Allium rubellum, Pleurospermum angelicoides, Carum carvi and Angelica glauca having high economic value were selected for bioprospecting and brought under cultivation from wild in the high altitude villages of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Uttarakhand. The edible parts of selected species were analysed for nutritional value to evaluate their potential for promoting large scale consumption and cultivation. Among the selected species, macronutrients were found maximum for Allium stracheyi, i.e. carbohydrates (98.34 mg/g), proteins (187.11 mg/g), vitamin C (156.50 mg/g), vitamin B2 (26.12 mcg/gm), vitamin E (61.10 mg/g) and phosphorus (14.13 mg/g) followed by Allium rubellum and Allium humile. The results of nutritional value, cultivation practices and technique of value addition were demonstrated to rural inhabitants through on-site training and capacity building programmes to enhance their skill and awareness about the potential of selected species for livelihood options. The cost-benefit analysis of cultivation and collection from wild, and value addition of herbal spices were done to see if the species were feasible for developing local entrepreneurs. These efforts enhance the ability and knowledge of local inhabitants for cultivation and value addition of medicinal herbal spices in the region. The overall impacts of the work were seen as an improvement in socio-economic conditions of residing community and awareness for medicinal plant conservation in their natural habitat.

Keywords

Bioprospecting, Cultivation, Conservation, Livelihood, Indigenous Knowledge, Medicinal Plant.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Arnold, J. E. M. and Ruiz Perez, M., Can non-timber forest products match tropical forest conservation and development objectives? Ecol. Econ., 2001, 39, 437–447.

  • Hamilton, A. C., Medicinal plants, conservation and livelihoods. Biodivers. Conserv., 2004, 13, 1477–1517.

  • Negi Vikram, S., Maikhuri, R. K. and Rawat, L. S., Non-timber forest products (NTFPs): a viable option for biodiversity conservation and livelihood enhancement in Central Himalaya. Biodivers. Conserv., 2011, 20, 545–559.

  • Dhar, U., Rawal, R. S. and Samant, S. S., Structural diversity and representativeness of forest vegetation in a protected area of Kumaun Himalaya, India: implications for conservation. Biodivers. Conserv., 1997, 6, 1045–1062.

  • Kala, C. P., Indigenous uses, population density and conservation of threatened medicinal plants in protected areas of the Indian Himalayas. Conserv. Biol., 2005, 19, 368–378.

  • Sher, H. and Mohammed, N. A., Cultivation and domestication study of high value medicinal plant species (its economic potential and linkages with commercialization). Afr. J. Agric. Res., 2010, 5(18), 2462–2470.

  • Maikhuri, R. K., Nautiyal, S., Rao, K. S. and Saxena, K. G., Medicinal plant cultivation and biosphere reserve management: a case study from the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Himalaya. Curr. Sci., 1998, 74(2), 157–163.

  • Vashistha, R., Nautiyal, B. P. and Nautiyal, M. C., Conservation status and morphological variations between populations of Angelica glauca Edgew and Angelica archangelica Linn. in Garhwal Himalaya. Curr. Sci., 2006, 91(11), 1537–1542.

  • Kandari, L. S., Phondani, P. C., Payal, K., Rao, K. S. and Maikhuri, R. K., Ethnobotanical study towards conservation of medicinal and aromatic plants in upper catchments of Dhauli Ganga in the Central Himalaya. J. Mt. Sci., 2012, 9, 286–296.

  • Maikhuri, R. K., Nautiyal, S., Rao, K. S. and Saxena, K. G., Role of medicinal plants in the traditional health care system: a case study from Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Himalaya. Curr. Sci., 1998, 75(2), 152–157.

  • Maikhuri, R. K., Rao, K. S. and Saxena, K. G., Bioprospecting of wild edibles for rural development in the central Himalayan mountains of India. Mt. Res. Dev., 2004, 24(2), 110–113.

  • Rao, K. S., Nautiyal, S., Maikhuri, R. K. and Saxena, K. G., Resource flows of villages with contrasting lifestyles in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Central Himalaya, India. J. Mt. Sci., 2005, 2(4), 271–293.

  • Dhar, U., Rawal, R. S. and Upreti, J., Setting priorities for conservation of medicinal plants-a case study in Indian Himalaya. Biol. Conserv., 2000, 95, 57–65.

  • Kala, C. P., Status and conservation of rare and endangered medicinal plants of India Trans-Himalaya. Biol. Conserv., 2000, 93, 371–379.

  • Dhar, U., Manjkhola, S., Joshi, M., Bhatt, A., Bisht, A. K. and Joshi, M., Current status and future strategy for development of medicinal plants sector in Uttaranchal, India. Curr. Sci., 2002, 83(8), 956–964.

  • Maikhuri, R. K., Rao, K. S., Kandari, L. S., Joshi, R. and Dhyani, D., Does the outreach programme make an impact? A case study of medicinal and aromatic plant cultivation in Uttaranchal. Curr. Sci., 2005, 88(9), 1480–1486.

  • Negi Vikram, S., Maikhuri, R. K., Phondani, P. C. and Rawat, L. S. An inventory of indigenous knowledge and cultivation practices of medicinal plants in Govind Pashu Vihar Wildlife Sanctuary, Central Himalaya, India. Int. J. Biodivers. Sci. Ecosyst. Serv. Manage., 2010, 6(3 & 4), 96–105.

  • Payal, K., Ecophysiological and socioeconomic studies of some multipurpose Allium species of higher Himalaya (D.Phil. thesis). H.N.B. Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal, 2006.

  • Kala, C. P., Local preferences of ethnobotanical species in the Indian Himalaya: Implication for environmental conservation. Curr. Sci., 2007, 93, 12–25.

  • Nautiyal, B. P., Pandey, N. and Bhatt, A. B., Analysis of vegetation pattern in an alpine zone in north-west Himalaya: a case study of Garhwal Himalaya with reference to diversity and distribution patterns. Int. J. Ecol. Environ. Sci., 1997, 23, 49–65.

  • Nautiyal, S., Maikhuri, R. K., Semwal, R. L. and Rao, K. S., Conservation through cultivation: A case study of medicinal plants in buffer zone villages of NDBR, Research for Mountain Development: some initiatives and accomplishments, Gyanodaya Prakashan, Nainital, 1998, pp. 357–374.

  • Nautiyal, S., Maikhuri, R. K., Rao, K. S. and Saxena, K. G., Medicinal plant resources in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve in the central Himalayas. J. Herbs, Spices Med. Plants, 2001, 8(4), 47–64.

  • Anon., Ministry of Law and Justice (Legislative Department), Biological Diversity Act, Govt of India, New Delhi, 2003, no. 18.

  • Purohit, A. N., Medicinal plants-need for upgrading technology for trading the traditions. In Harvesting Herbs-2000 (eds Nautiyal, A. R., Nautiyal, M. C. and Purohit, A. N.), Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun, 1997, pp. 46–76.

  • Hedge, J. E. and Hofreiter, B. T., In Carbohydrate Chemistry, 17 (eds Whistler, R. L. and Be Miller, J. N.), Academic Press, New York, 1962.

  • Knight, J. A., Anderson, S. and Rawle, J. M., Chemical basis of the sulfo-phosphovanillin reaction for estimating total serum lipids. Clin. Chem., 1972, 18(3), 199–202.

  • Layne, E., Spectrophotometric and turbidometric methods for measuring proteins, 1957.

  • Watanabe, F., Abe, K., Takenaka, S., Fujita, T. and Nakano, Y. Method for quantitation of total vitamin B12 in foods using a highly fluorescent vitamin B12 derivative. J. Agric. Food Chem., 1997, 45, 4661–4663.

  • Prieto, P., Pineda, M. and Aguilar, M., Spectrophotometric quantitation of antioxidant capacity through the formation of a phosphomolybdenum complex: specific application to the determination of vitamin E. Anal. Biochem., 1999, 269, 337–341.

  • Oyaizu, M., Studies on products of browning reactions: antioxidative activities of products of browning reaction prepared from glucosamine. Jpn J. Nutr., 1986, 44, 307–315.

  • Fiske, C. H. and Subbarow, Y., The colorimetric determination of phosphorus. J. Biol. Chem., 1925, 66, 375–400.

  • Malik, Z. A., Bhat, J. A., Ballabha, R., Bussmann, R. W. and Bhatt, A. B., Ethnomedicinal plants traditionally used in health care practices by inhabitants of Western Himalaya. J. Ethnopharmacol., 2015, 172(22), 133–144.

  • Lakshmi, R., Conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants: current issues, Himalayan medicinal plants; potential and prospects, Himvikas Occasional Publication No. 14, Gyanodaya Prakashan, Nainital, 2001, pp. 415–425.

  • Phondani, P. C., Bhatt, I. D., Negi, V. S., Kothyari, B. P., Bhatt, A. and Maikhuri, R. K., Promoting medicinal plants cultivation as a tool for biodiversity conservation and livelihood enhancement in Indian Himalaya. J. Asia-Pac. Biodivers., 2015, 9(1), 39–46.

  • Kuniyal, P. C., Bhatt, V. P., Butola, J. S. and Sundriyal, R. C., Promoting nursery enterprise in high altitude villages: A participatory approach for conservation and commercialization of Himalayan threatened medicinal plants. J. Med. Plant Res., 2014, 8(48), 1399–1407.

  • Maikhuri, R. K., Rawat, L. S., Negi Vikram, S., Agarwal Sunil, K., Rao, K. S. and Saxena, K. G., Managing natural resources through simple and appropriate technological intervention for mountain development. Curr. Sci., 2011, 100(7), 992–997.

  • Rawat, L. S., Maikhuri, R. K., Negi Vikram, S., Rao, K. S., Agarwal Sunil, K. and Sexena, K. G., Managing natural resources with eco-friendly technologies for sustainable rural development: a case of Garhwal Himalaya. Int. J. Sust. Dev. World Ecol., 2010, 17(5), 423–430.


Abstract Views: 455

PDF Views: 118




  • Bioprospecting of Medicinal Plants in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve:Linking Conservation with Livelihood

Abstract Views: 455  |  PDF Views: 118

Authors

R. K. Maikhuri
G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Garhwal Unit, Srinagar, Garhwal 246 174, India
Vikram S. Negi
G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, India
L. S. Rawat
G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Garhwal Unit, Srinagar, Garhwal 246 174, India
D. S. Pharswan
G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora 263 643, India

Abstract


Six species of medicinal and aromatic plants, viz. Allium stracheyi, Allium humile, Allium rubellum, Pleurospermum angelicoides, Carum carvi and Angelica glauca having high economic value were selected for bioprospecting and brought under cultivation from wild in the high altitude villages of Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Uttarakhand. The edible parts of selected species were analysed for nutritional value to evaluate their potential for promoting large scale consumption and cultivation. Among the selected species, macronutrients were found maximum for Allium stracheyi, i.e. carbohydrates (98.34 mg/g), proteins (187.11 mg/g), vitamin C (156.50 mg/g), vitamin B2 (26.12 mcg/gm), vitamin E (61.10 mg/g) and phosphorus (14.13 mg/g) followed by Allium rubellum and Allium humile. The results of nutritional value, cultivation practices and technique of value addition were demonstrated to rural inhabitants through on-site training and capacity building programmes to enhance their skill and awareness about the potential of selected species for livelihood options. The cost-benefit analysis of cultivation and collection from wild, and value addition of herbal spices were done to see if the species were feasible for developing local entrepreneurs. These efforts enhance the ability and knowledge of local inhabitants for cultivation and value addition of medicinal herbal spices in the region. The overall impacts of the work were seen as an improvement in socio-economic conditions of residing community and awareness for medicinal plant conservation in their natural habitat.

Keywords


Bioprospecting, Cultivation, Conservation, Livelihood, Indigenous Knowledge, Medicinal Plant.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv113%2Fi04%2F571-577