THE NORTHEAST, the geographical ‘gateway’ for much of India’s flora and fauna, is considered as one of the hot spots for the biodiversity of medicinal and aromatic plants. The region has a vast and inexhaustible source of drugs of plant origin. According to rough estimate, there are around 2,000 species of medicinal plants in the region that is blessed with a wide range of physiographic and ecoclimatic conditions.

There are estimated 300 million tribal people all over the world and half of them are living in China and India. In the Northeast there are more than 150 tribes and subtribes along with a major population of non-tribal races. The knowledge of these people, living in close proximity to nature, is, therefore, of immense value in the research of medicinal plants.

The list of commercially most important medicinal plants of the country has already crossed 150 species. Of these Atis, Bachnag, Safed musli, Guggul, Misimi tita, Salep, Vidanga, Nagkesar, Rampatri, Jatamanshi, Gaozagen, Kutki, Kakra singi, Sarpagandha, Manjistha, Chandan, Chobchini or Tikonibarua, Chirata, Mushkbala and Banfsha are the top 20 medicinal plants traded in India. Tropical plants like Bahok tita, Bor-manimuni, Amla, Pipli, Bhumura, Silikha and many others are found in lower and mid-hill regions of the Northeast. Then there are sub-tropical plants such as Bach, Silikha, Mahaneem, Kotahi bengena, Satamul, Sarpagandha, Gothia alu, Iswarmul, etc, temperate species such as Chirata, Taxus, Jatamansi, Licorice root, Dwarf marigold, Manjistha, Dalchini, Mezenga, Jatamansi, Sea-buchthrone, Chirata, etc and alpine species like Vatsnabh, Bankakri, Kutki, Jatamansi, etc.

Increasing interest in herbal products has today accelerated the growth of medicinal plant-based industries. Different ayurvedic industries such as cosmetics, toiletries, confectioneries, perfumeries, etc are also exploiting the goodness of medicinal and aromatic plants. This increased demand from different sectors has put pressures on natural resources of medicinal plants.

The predominant sources of medicinal plants are forests. But in recent years, the natural population of these plants is decreasing alarmingly under constant treat of urbanization, deforestration, over exploitation, lack of awareness among the people about their potential, unsystemic collection and harvesting for trade and industry etc. Due to these reasons, most of the plants will disappear from the region within a short time. Moreover, medicinal plants so far been collected from wild resourses are replete with the problems of adulteration and misidentification. Further, plant material collected from the wild may be contaminated by other species or parts thereof. In view of this conservation of genuine, authentic variety of plants may be the only way to have raw material of required quality.

The cultivation scenario of medicinal plants in Northeast India is not an organized sector due to various factors like lack of standardized cultural practises and market modalities. If agro-techniques are developed and suitable outlet for marketing of medicinal plants is formed, several stakeholders may come forward to take up cultivation of medicinal plants. This may help in sustainable availability of medicinal plants for pharmaceutical and other industries.

Despite having rich biodiversity, the position of this region in the world market of medicinal plants or herbal products is considerably poor. India’s share in the present global market is only 0.2 per cent. Not only India, the per capita income from plant resources is very low in all the tropical countries, which are rich in biodiversity.

One of the major factors of this fact is the involvement of major multinational companies, which are located in industrialized countries like Germany, UK, Switzerland, etc. There is an urgent need of adequate market infrastructure in Northeast India for this valuable wealth which can be turned into an income generating asset to many unemployed youths of this region.

Luna Barooah