MEDICINAL PLANT RESOURCES: MANIFESTATION AND PROSPECTS OF LIFESUSTAINING HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Medicinal plants are the principal health care resources for the majority of people all over the world. The healing properties of herbal medicines have been recognized in many ancient cultures. The traditional medical systems such as Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani are part of a time-tested culture and
honored by people still today. Pharmaceutical importance of plants has led to the discovery and adoption of plant extracts which were commonly used in traditional medicine, as alternative source of remedy. A vast diversity of herbal ingredients, major proportion of which is derived from wild, provide the resource base to the herbal industry. Despite the increasing use of medicinal plants, their future, seemingly, is being threatened by complacency concerning their conservation. Global demand for herbal medicines is accompanied by dwindling supply of medicinal plants due to over-harvesting,
habitat loss and agricultural encroachment. As millions of rural households use plants for self medication community involvement in monitoring use and status of medicinal plants can contribute to effective strategies for their sustainable use.