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Opportunities and Challenges in Ethnobotanical Studies of Indian Medicinal Plants

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Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of India Vol. 1

Part of the book series: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World ((MAPW,volume 8))

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Abstract

Since the dawn of Ayurveda, the Indian healthcare system has been closely intertwined with plant-based medicines. Diverse Indian tribes and ethnic groups have knowledge of medicinal plants that yield pharmaceutically important biomolecules. Ethnobotanical study begins with understanding of the complex interaction patterns of both the biotic and abiotic factors of a habitat and moves on to Ethnopharmacology, the study of indigenous medicinal systems and aligning them with anthropological activities. Ethnobotanical studies focus on plant resource utilization for food, medicines, art, construction, music, aesthetics, rituals, etc. and play a pivotal role in Bio-prospecting of novel compounds, potent biomarkers, new crop foods, timber and non-timber product utilization, etc.

Thus, the scientific management of the Ethnobotanical database becomes a primary goal in amalgamating traditional and ethnobotanical medicinal knowledge with main stream medicine. This review discusses key points regarding the interrelationship between the biotic and abiotic factors with reference to medicinal plants and their management. Further, it also discusses the complex role of traditions, beliefs, and cohesive existence of stakeholders in plant conservation leading to the preservation of traditional and ethnic knowledge.

The article discourses a five-year database (2015–2020), compiling published literature about important ethnobotanical medicinal plants, listing of new plant species and plants utilized for ethnobotanical purpose with their conservation status and strategies. Based on the compilation, possible strategies and road map for effective conservation has been suggested. As an end-note, opportunities are mentioned that could serve governmental and non-governmental organizations to develop sustainable conservation practices for ethnobotanically important medicinal plants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Life Sciences, K. C. College, Mumbai, India

    Sagarika Damle & Mayuresh Joshi

  2. Department of Biotechnology, S. V. K. M’s Mithibai College, Mumbai, India

    Sharon Kadirvelu

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  1. Sagarika Damle
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  2. Sharon Kadirvelu
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  3. Mayuresh Joshi
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Correspondence to Sagarika Damle .

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  1. Faculty of Agr. & Food Sc., Széchenyi István University, Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary

    Ákos Máthé

  2. Nawab Shah Alam Khan Centre for Post Graduate Studies and Research, Affiliated to Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

    Irfan Ali Khan

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Damle, S., Kadirvelu, S., Joshi, M. (2022). Opportunities and Challenges in Ethnobotanical Studies of Indian Medicinal Plants. In: Máthé, Á., Khan, I.A. (eds) Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of India Vol. 1. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World, vol 8. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98701-5_6

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