Medicinal Plants: Rescuing a Global Heritage

TLDR: In this article, a global view of the importance of medicinal plants in international development is given, focusing on issues that are economic, political, legal, and social; and covers fields in human and animal health and medicine, agriculture, and forestry.

Abstract: This report gives a global view of the importance of medicinal plants in international development. It examines issues that are economic, political, legal, and social; and covers fields in human and animal health and medicine, agriculture, and forestry. The experiences and efforts of China and India are highlighted. During the past decade, dramatic sales increases attest to a renaissance of both medicinal plants and the traditional health practitioners who prescribe them. Over the last five years in China, sales have more than doubled, while during the last decade in India, exports have soared almost three-fold. This booming trade -most of it fueled by citizens of the developing world but some of it serving affluent customers in wealthy nations- is damaging the supplies. A number of medicinal plants are so overharvested that they feature high on the lists of threatened or endangered species. Unless action is taken, more are headed towards extinction. At the same time, the global clamor for more herbal ingredients created possibilities for the local cultivation of medicinal crops as well as for the regulated and sustainable harvest of wild stands. Such endeavors could help raise rural employment in the developing countries, boost commerce around the world, and contribute to the health of millions. However, creating a regularized production of these species also raises many difficult issues. Some of these issues relate to medical efficacy and its proof. Some relate to the protecton of fragile tropical habitats. Yet others relate to local empowerment, gender equity, regulatory measures, and the rights to traditional knowledge.