VISAKHAPATNAM: Scores of indigenous plant species with medicinal value are vanishing from the Eastern Ghats and coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh as indiscriminate exploitation and unscientific method of extracting these plants is hampering their regeneration and resulting in escalation of costs of herbal medicines.
Biodiversity in the region is being adversely affected by untrained locals extracting medicinal plants unscientifically, without planting and seeding, at the behest of middlemen who are associated with herbal product exporters or Ayurvedic drug manufacturers, point out experts.
"Plants like Saptarangi, one of the very few herbs used in anti-diabetic medicines that is found in the marshy lands, is becoming scarce and so is Sidacordisolia that is used for arthritis and rheumatic disorders and is found in the Eastern Ghats," said ayurvedic physician K Jayakrishna.
V Susheela, an ayurvedic doctor from Sree Aurvedic Hospital, said, "Plants such as Satavari used for curing gynaecological disorders, Sariba for skin ailments, Aswagandha for curing anxiety plus neurosis and sarpagandha for treating hypertension are in need of adequate conservation. The cost of herbal medicines has risen 4 to 5 times in the last 2 to 3 years due to the limited availability of certain herbs as well as the hike in prices of gold and mercury, which are important mineral ingredients for ayurvedic preparations. Proper inspection from the AYUSH (Ayurveda Yoga Unani Sidha and Homepathy) department is required to check the indiscriminate and unscientific exploitation and trafficking of rare herbal plants."
"Deforestation and unscientific extraction are rampant in Eastern Ghats and other coastal belts of AP, which is a treasure house of medicinal plants and herbs. The local tribes are given a few bucks by the middlemen employed by Ayurvedic companies who remove all the endemic plants at the same time without enabling propagation or sowing them elsewhere. These plant collectors don't have the required knowledge of chemistry, botany and Ayurveda and hence scarcity of various species of herbs is rising due to their unscientific activities. Training of these tribals in their local language is needed for scientific extraction of herbs," said Jayakrishna.
Zoologist and plant conservationist professor M Rama Murthy also emphasised on the buy-back policy by pharma companies to encourage conservation and propagation of herbal species. While plants such as podapatri to control sugar level and pashanabedhi to remove kidney stones are almost becoming extinct due to indiscriminate exploitation, there are also other useful herbs such as multi-vitamin greens, which are available in plenty but not exploited due to lack of awareness. A scientific approach towards herb collection is the need of the hour," he said.