Medicinal plants of arid zones utilization, cultivation and conservation

ABSTRACT

One third of the earth's surface [47 billion hectares] is classed as arid zones. Plant wealth from this arid zones area is known for its medicinal and nutritional attributes and therapeutic potential. Research on vast majority of such medicinal plants has revealed interesting results. To mention some examples, Acacias - resolvents, Aloes - cathartic, antihepatitis, Euphorbiaes - anthelmintics, Lamiaes - rubefacients, Solanaceae - anticholinergics, Apiaceae - aromatic and carminatives, Zygophyllaceae - anti-cancers etc. Three decades of research brought into light such amazing results so as to prove drugs like above mentioned as effective for contemporary disease situations including malaria, G.I. disorders, STDs and liver inflammations leading to AIDS. Proper utilization in the light of their traditional importance or alternative uses in medicine is already underway round the globe, under different systems of medicine which proves the efficacy of traditional approach in practise. But it is believed that natural resources' extensive utilization and uncontrolled exploitation may lead to the current wave of herbal therapeutics which may follow their scarcity in years to come. Therefore large scale, conservation strategies and controlled organized cultivation is necessary to keep requisite raw material supply to the herbal pharmaceutical industry. Hence conservation methodologies are intensely required to preserve the genetic makeup of the significant spp. of the arid zones