Lok Sabha Question No. 199 (STARRED), answered on 2021-12-10
Subject: Research and Documentation of Medicinal Plants
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Mitesh Rameshbhai (Bakabhai) Patel, Shardaben Anilbhai Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.199 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2021 RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

## *199. SHRI MITESH RAMESHBHAI PATEL (BAKABHAI): SHRIMATI SHARDABEN ANILBHAI PATEL:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state the steps taken by the Government for research and documentation of medicinal plants used by various tribal groups and villagers for the treatment of various types of diseases in the country along with the details thereof

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF AYUSH

(SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.199* FOR 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2021

The  Ministry  of  AYUSH  through  its  Research  Councils viz. Central  Council  for Research  in  Ayurvedic  Sciences  (CCRAS),  Central  Council  for  Research  in  Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) and Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) are engaged in documentation & validation of medicinal plants used by various tribal groups and villagers for the treatment of various types of diseases.

1. CCRAS has initiated the Tribal Health Care Research Programme (THCRP)under Tribal  Sub  Plan  (TSP)  programme  in  1982  in  Arunachal  Pradesh.  Presently,  it  is continued at 14 peripheral institutes/units of CCRAS in 14 states/UTs,for documentation & validation of Local health traditions/Folklore used by Tribes related to the therapeutic use of Medicinal Plants (Annexure-I). In addition, CCRAS has documented/published the Local health traditions/ folk claims from tribal areas & other regions in the form of 22 books/monographs ( Annexure II).
2. CCRUM has been undertaking the 'Survey and Cultivation of  Medicinal  Plants' program  through  its  five  Institutes  namely  the  National  Research  Institute  of  Unani Medicine for Skin Disorders, Hyderabad and four Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine,  Srinagar,  Aligarh,  Bhadrak  and  Chennai (Annexure-III). Under  the  program, the Council has undertaken a series of ethno-botanical surveys in different forest division in different parts of the Country and documented 9,567 folklore claims which the Council has published in nine volumes ( Annexure IV).
3. CCRH has a 'Research Centre for Medicinal Plants Research in Homoeopathy' in Tamil Nadu at Indira Nagar (Ooty), Emerald Post, Nilgiris District (T. N.). As a part of ethnobotanical  surveys,  in  Niligiri  tribes,  documentation  has  been  done  on  157  plants used by tribes for 25 different diseases. The findings are published by CCRH in the book titled,  'Plants  in  Ethnomedicine  of  the  Nilgiri  tribes  in  Tamil  Nadu,  India'  in  the  year 2009.  Out of these 09 drugs are validated for folklore claims in the research programs in Homoeopathy ( Annexure V ).
4. CCRS is involved through its a peripheral Unit of Siddha Medicinal Plants Garden (SMPG), Mettur Dam, Salem district, Tamilnadu, for documentation of ethno-medicinal uses of  medicinal  plants  from  the  nearby  tribal  communities.  Three  projects,  related  to Ethno-botanical survey are supported under Intra-Mural Research (IMR) as:
- A) Medico-ethnobotanical study at Palamalai Hills.
- B) A survey on the ethno-medicinally important plants for common ailments in Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu.

C) Digitization of Herbarium, Museum  and compilation of folklore claims of SMPU,Palayamkottai.

Under these projects six publications are made ( Annexure VI).

In  addition,  the  National  Medicinal  Plants  Board  (NMPB),  Ministry  of  AYUSH, under  its  Central  Sector  Scheme  on  'Conservation,  Development  and  Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants' has also supported R&D projects on 'documentation &validation  of  medicinal  plants  used  by  tribal  groups'at  Assam,  Mizoram,  Orissa, Uttarakhand  and  Uttar  Pradesh  States  for  the  treatment  of  various  diseases( Annexure VII).

In  addition,  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  provides  funds  to  State  Tribal  Research Institute/ renowned Research Institute for under taking research work on Tribal medicinal practices and medicinal plants under the schemes 'Support to Tribal Research Institute' and  'Tribal  Festival,  Research  Information  and  Mass  Education'.  The  details  of  such sanctioned projects, State-wise/Union Territory-wise is at Annexure VIII .

## List of the CCRAS Peripheral Institutes involved in Tribal Health Care Research Programme (THCRP)

|   Sl. No. | Names of the Institutes                                                           |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Central Ayurveda Research Institute, Bhubaneswar, Odisha                          |
|         2 | M.S. Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Jaipur, Rajasthan                      |
|         3 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh                     |
|         4 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh                  |
|         5 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Nagpur, Maharashtra                         |
|         6 | Central Ayurveda Research Institute, Bengaluru, Karnataka                         |
|         7 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Patna, Bihar                                |
|         8 | Dr. Achanta Lakshmipati Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
|         9 | Central Ayurveda Research Institute, Guwahati, Assam                              |
|        10 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Gangtok, Sikkim                             |
|        11 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Jammu, J&K.                                 |
|        12 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.    |
|        13 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Ahmedabad, Gujarat                          |
|        14 | Regional Ayurveda Research Centre, Agartala, Tripura.                             |

## Annexure II

## List of Books and Monographs on Medico-Botanical Wealth/ Explorations published by CCRAS

| SI. No.   | Title of the Book / Monograph                                                                             | Year of Publication   |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
|           | Monographs                                                                                                |                       |
| 1.        | Tribal Pockets of Nilgiris Recordings of the Field Study on Medical Flora and Health Practices (English)  | 1976                  |
| 2.        | Uttarakhand Vanoushadhi Darshika (English)                                                                | 1977                  |
| 3.        | Preliminary Techno Economical Survey of Natural Resources and Herbal Wealth of Laddakh (English)          | 1978                  |
| 4.        | Observations of Medico-Botany of Andaman-Nicobar Islands (English)                                        | 1980                  |
| 5.        | Contribution to the Medico-Botany of East Godavari and West Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh (English) | 1989                  |
| 6.        | Medico-Botanical Exploration of Puri District, Orissa (English)                                           | 1989                  |
| 7.        | Glimpses of Medico-Botany of Bastar District, Madhya Pradesh (English)                                    | 1990                  |
| 8.        | Medico-Ethno-Botanical Explorations of Sikkim Himalayas (English)                                         | 1991                  |
| 9.        | Medico-Ethno-Botany of Sonebhadra District (English)                                                      | 1993                  |
| 10.       | The Medico-Ethno-Botany of Lower Subansiri District, Arunachal Pradesh (English)                          | 1993                  |
| 11.       | Medico-Botanical Exploration of Phulbani and Koraput districts of Orissa (English)                        | 1996                  |
| 12.       | A Report on Medical Plants of Kachchh, Gujarat (English)                                                  | 1998                  |
| 13.       | Medicinal Plants of Nagpur and Wardha Forest Divisions, Maharashtra (English)                             | 1999                  |
| 14.       | Medico-Botany of Andaman &Nicobar Islands: Recent study (English)                                         | 2016                  |
|           | Books                                                                                                     |                       |
| 15.       | An Appraisal of Tribal Folk Medicine (English)                                                            | 1999                  |
| 16.       | Healing Herbs of Himalaya (English)                                                                       | 2008                  |
| 17.       | Himalaya ki Arogyadayi Vanaspatiyan (Hindi)                                                               | 2008                  |
| 18.       | Herbal Wealth of Uttrakhand, Vol. I (English)                                                             | 2015                  |
| 19.       | Herbal Wealth of Uttrakhand, Vol. II (English)                                                            | 2016                  |
| 20.       | Herbal Wealth of Western Ghats - Agasthyamalai (English)                                                  | 2016                  |
| 21.       | A Hand Book on Medicinal Plants of Himalayas used in Sowa-Rigpa (English)                                 | 2016                  |
| 22.       | Glimpses of CCRAS Contributions (50 Glorious years), Volume III- Medicinal Plant Research. (English)      | 2018                  |

## Annexure-III

## List of the Institutes engaged in 'Survey and Cultivation of Medicinal Plants program by CCRUM

|   SI. No | Name of the Institute                                                        |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | National Research Institute of Unani Medicine for Skin Disorders, Hyderabad. |
|        2 | Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Aligarh.                      |
|        3 | Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Bhadrak.                      |
|        4 | Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Chennai.                      |
|        5 | Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine, Srinagar.                     |

## List of the Books published by CCRUM

|   SI. No | Name of the Book                                                    |   Year of Publication |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------|
|        1 | Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Northern India (English)           |                  2001 |
|        2 | Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Bihar and Orissa (English)         |                  2001 |
|        3 | Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Southern India (English)           |                  2001 |
|        4 | Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Kashmir Himalayas (English)        |                  2001 |
|        5 | Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Northern India Part - II (English) |                  2006 |
|        6 | Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Southern India Part - II (English) |                  2006 |
|        7 | Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Orissa Part - II (English)         |                  2006 |
|        8 | Medicinal in Folklores of Odisha Part -III (English)                |                  2014 |
|        9 | Medicinal Plants in Folklores of Southern India Part-III (English)  |                  2018 |

## Annexure-IV

## Name of the plants validated with their indications

|   Sl. No. | Name of the drug                        | Found useful in the clinical conditions under Clinical Verification Program in Homoeopathy   |
|-----------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Curcuma longa                           | Asthma, Bronchitis                                                                           |
|         2 | Cynodon dactylon                        | Nausea, Vomiting, Dyspepsia                                                                  |
|         3 | Calotropis gigantea                     | Obesity                                                                                      |
|         4 | Achyranthes aspera (Latjira)            | Aphthous, Stomatitis                                                                         |
|         5 | Glycosmis pentaphylla                   | Hyperacidity                                                                                 |
|         6 | Justicia adhathoda                      | Upper respiratory tract infection                                                            |
|         7 | Asclepia scurassavica                   | Gingivitis , Haemorrhoids                                                                    |
|         8 | Centella asiatica/ Hydrocotyle asiatica | Backache                                                                                     |
|         9 | Ricinus communis                        | Diarrhoea                                                                                    |

## Annexure-V

## Details of publications are made under the supported projects of CCRS

|   Sl. No. | Details of publications                                                                                                                     |   Year |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|
|         1 | Research article entitled "Selected Folklore Claims of Malayali Tribes of Palamalai Hills, Salem District, Tamil Nadu, India".              |   2018 |
|         2 | Research article entitled "Impact of Anthropogenic Pressure on the Phytodiversity of Palamalai Hills, Salem District, Tamil Nadu".          |   2018 |
|         3 | Research article entitled "A Study on the diversity of Medicinal plants in Palamalai hills, Salem district, Tamil Nadu".                    |   2018 |
|         4 | Ethno-gynaecological knowledge on medicinal plants among the rural communities of Tirrupur district, Tamilnadu                              |   2020 |
|         5 | A survey on the floral diversity of rural areas in Udumalpet Taluk, Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu.                                          |   2020 |
|         6 | Documentation and quantitative analysis of the traditional knowledge on medicinal plants in Udumalpet Block, Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu. |   2021 |

## Annexure-VI

## Annexure-VII

## Details of projects supported by NMPB, Ministry of AYUSH, under its Central Sector Scheme on 'Conservation, Development and Sustainable Management of Medicinal Plants' is as:

|   Sr No | State          | Project No.        | Project Title                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Details of Organization                                                                                                                                                                        |
|---------|----------------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Mizoram        | R&D/MZ- 05/2005-06 | Documentation of Ethnomedicinal plants of Mizoram                                                                                                                                                                                           | Department of Botany, Govt. Zirtiri Residential Science College, Govt. of Mizoram, Ramthar Veng, Aizwal - 796 001.                                                                             |
|       2 | Assam          | R&D/AS- 06/2006-07 | Formulation of mosquito repellant & larvicidal bio-pesticide from certain ethnomedicinal plants of N.E. India                                                                                                                               | Department of Biotechnology, Guwahati University, Guwahati - 781 014 Assam.                                                                                                                    |
|       3 | Orissa         | R&D/OR- 01/2006-07 | Inventory of medicinal flora and indigenous phytotherapy of tribal rich including germplasm conservation of a few Rare Endangered and Threatened species.                                                                                   | Regional Research Laboratory (CSIR), Bhubaneswar - 751 013, Orissa.                                                                                                                            |
|       4 | Uttarakh and   | R&D/UA- 06/2006-07 | A study on prioritization & categorization of ailments specific medicinal plants and their contribution in traditional health care systems of tribal & non-tribal communities of high altitude region of Alaknanda catchment of Uttarakhand | G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Garhwal Unit, P. Box 92, Srinagar (Garhwal), Uttarakhand.                                                                        |
|       5 | Uttar- Pradesh | R&D/UP- 01/2014-15 | Exploration, identification and isolation of bone fracture healing agents from Indian folk traditional plants Pholidota articulata and Coelogyne cristata (Orchidaceae)                                                                     | Deptt. of Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility, Mass Spectrometry Lab, SAIF Divn., Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Road, Sector 10, Jankipuram Extension, Lucknow-226031, UP. |

## a). Support to Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs):

The details of projects undertaken by State Tribal Research Institutes research Organizations:

|   S.No. | States         | Name of Project                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|---------|----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Kerala         | Documentation of knowledge of more than 300 major tribal healers of Kerala                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|       2 | Sikkim         | The State of Sikkim TRI has conducted study on "Identification, documentation and validation of ethno-medicinal plants practices by the Lepcha tribes of Sikkim"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|       3 | Rajasthan      | MI V Tribal Research & Training Institute has done project for documentation &research of tribal medicinal knowledge                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|       4 | Madhya Pradesh | The TRI has made a study on the medicine used by tribals One project has been sanctioned to AIIMS. Bhopal titled "natural product isolation with characterization of active ingredients and ethnobotanical role of medicinal plants used in tribal population of Madhya Pradesh- medicinal chemistry perspective with special emphasis on in vitro anti neoplastic property".                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|       5 | Karnataka      | 1.Preservation of indigenous knowledge among the tribals 2.Ethno-medicinal practice among Hakkipikki 3.Research Study on Ethno-medicinal practice among Rajgond,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|       6 | Odisha         | 1 Traditional Medicinal Healing Practices among Selected Scheduled Tribe Communities in Odisha 2. Indigenous Ethno-Medicinal Practices among the Kandha and Santal of Odisha 3 Compendium on Traditional Tribal Medicine (Bonda, Didayi, Kandha, Dongnia, Kandha, Santal, Munda, Bhumij, Kolha, Kharia, Mankirdia, Juang, Saora, Koya, Kisan, Dharua, Oraons, Bhuiyan, Gadaba, Bhumjia and Gond). 4. Indigenous Knowledge on Selection. Sustainable Utilization of Local Flora and Fauna, for Food by Tribes (PTG) of Odisha: A Potential Resource for Food and Environmental Security. |
|       7 | Assam          | Tribal Research Institute has conducted research study on 'Documentation of Medicinal Plants of Assam'.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|       8 | Maharashtra    | Research and Documentation of Traditional Healing Practices of Tribal Communities in Maharashtra.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|       9 | Manipur        | I. Research Study on Medicinal Herbs& Plants- Tribal Medicine II. Tribal Medicine and Healing Practices                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|      10 | Tripura        | I. Tribal Folk Medicines of Tripura. II. tribal Healers and Medicinal Practices in Tripura. III. Medicinal Plants & Herbs. A study on its uses amongst the tribal community of Tripura. IV. Upajati Kobiraj O Ochaider Banousodhi Chikitsha O Chas Poddhoti (Bengali)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|      11 | Mizoram        | Research, Patent and Documentation of traditional Medicine and Plants practices in Mizoram                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |

## (b) Tribal Festival, Research Information and Mass Education:

Under the scheme Tribal Festival, Research Information and Mass Education, Ministry has sanctioned projects  to  renowned  Institutes  for  research  on  Tribal  medicinal  practices  and  medicinal  plants. The details are as under:

|   Sl. No. | Name of the Institute                                                           | Project details                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | National Institute of pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIP) ER), Guwahati | a. Documentation of traditional health care practices, traditional medicines and to enable research. b. To validate the traditional medicinal knowledge used by tribal population for treating cardio-metabolic diseases                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|         2 | Pravara Institute of Medical Science, LONI                                      | Survey for Identification. Enlisting of Traditional Tribal Healers, Study, Documentation and testing of Tribal Health Traditions, Tribal Medicine (Healing Practices and Ethno-Medicine) of different Tribal Communities in State of Maharashtra                                                                                                                                                               |
|         3 | Patanjali Research Institute, Uttrakhand                                        | Traditional Medicine and healing practices                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|         4 | All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur                                | a.Study of epistemology of traditional knowledge & practi ce of local traditional healers of district Sirohi. Rajasthan. b.Effect of the region-specific module for the training and capacity building on behavioural change among traditional healers of district Sirohi, Rajasthan. c. Piloting of telemedicine with special reference to health needs of indigenous habitats of district Sirohi, Rajasthan. |
|         5 | Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak. Madhya Pradesh            | Documentation of ethno/traditional medicines (the process of collection, preparation, use and practice)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|         6 | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kerala                                              | Strengthening Tribal Health by building awareness and Integrating Tribal Healer- into existing Health Systems in Odisha                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |