Collection and conservation of major medicinal pants of Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalayas

Abstract

The paper deals with use of certain indigenous medicinal plants among the local people of the Sikkim Himalaya (Eastern Himalaya), which includes the entire state of Sikkim and adjoining Darjeeling Hill district of West Bengal. The study highlighted the use of 28 plant species belonging to 26 genera and 19 families as herbal medicine in the treatment of various ailments. Considering the growing demand for raw materials of medicinal plants by the pharmaceutical companies and their depleting resource base, due to unscientific gathering from the wild, it is of utmost necessity to take up ex-situ cultivation and conservation of these medicinal plant species. Plant name, local name, family, along with their parts used, ethnobotanical application with active principles and conservation strategies are discussed.