Medicinal plants

According to a recent vernacular daily report, experts at a training workshop in the city stressed on expanded cultivation of medicinal plants and ensuring proper post-harvest management adopting eco-friendly technologies to preserve their curative values.

Medicinal plants and herbs have much relevance to socio-economic, socio-religious aspects of human life. About 500 species of medicinal plants are found in this country. Unfortunately though, some of the medicinal plants are on the verge of extinction because of neglect and lack of knowledge about them. The use of medicinal plants is as old as human civilization. These plants species in Bangladesh are mostly used for preparation of ayurvedic, unani and homeopathic drugs.

Human beings have traditionally needed these plants to cure diseases and knowledge of the medicinal plants and practice for regular uses extended to several parts of the world. The mixture of magic, necessity, error and culture has created knowledge of medicinal plants; which has formed the base of modern medicine. These are used for primary health care in rural areas in developing countries and also in developed countries where modern medicines are predominantly used.

The herbal drugs are prepared from medicinal plants only; while the traditional medicines are derived from medicinal plants, minerals, and organic matter. In Bangladesh the use of medicinal plants is part of a time honoured tradition that is respected even today by various indigenous healthcare systems of medicine.

Preserved monuments, written documents, and even unique plant medicines practiced nowadays also indicate link between people and their quest for plant derived drugs from nature to the far-off past. The development of ideas and evolution of awareness related to the usage of medicinal plants in traditional healthcare systems is an outcome of long time efforts done against diseases which rendered man to learn to use plant mediated drugs from roots, leaves, barks, seeds, fruit bodies and other parts of the plants. It amplified the capacity of pharmacists and medical industry to face up the issues hindering in execution of professional services, to help the society.

To conserve the flora particularly the flora possessing edible and medicinal significance, mass awareness campaigns both on governmental and community level should be launched to propagate awareness among the people. Moreover, extensive and intensive surveys are required to prepare a comprehensive inventory of resources. To reduce pressure on natural flora, cultivation of medicinal plants on scientific lines will be considered a significant step.

 

Medicinal plants

According to a recent vernacular daily report, experts at a training workshop in the city stressed on expanded cultivation of medicinal plants and ensuring proper post-harvest management adopting eco-friendly technologies to preserve their curative values. Medicinal plants and herbs have much relevance to socio-economic, socio-religious aspects of human life. About 500 species of medicinal plants are found in this country. Unfortunately though, some of the medicinal plants are on the verge of extinction because of neglect and lack of knowledge about them. The use of medicinal plants is as old as human civilization. These plants species in Bangladesh are mostly used for preparation of ayurvedic, unani and homeopathic drugs. Human beings have traditionally needed these plants to cure diseases and knowledge of the medicinal plants and practice for regular uses extended to several parts of the world. The mixture of magic, necessity, error and culture has created knowledge of medicinal plants; which has formed the base of modern medicine. These are used for primary health care in rural areas in developing countries and also in developed countries where modern medicines are predominantly used. The herbal drugs are prepared from medicinal plants only; while the traditional medicines are derived from medicinal plants, minerals, and organic matter. In Bangladesh the use of medicinal plants is part of a time honoured tradition that is respected even today by various indigenous healthcare systems of medicine. Preserved monuments, written documents, and even unique plant medicines practiced nowadays also indicate link between people and their quest for plant derived drugs from nature to the far-off past. The development of ideas and evolution of awareness related to the usage of medicinal plants in traditional healthcare systems is an outcome of long time efforts done against diseases which rendered man to learn to use plant mediated drugs from roots, leaves, barks, seeds, fruit bodies and other parts of the plants. It amplified the capacity of pharmacists and medical industry to face up the issues hindering in execution of professional services, to help the society. To conserve the flora particularly the flora possessing edible and medicinal significance, mass awareness campaigns both on governmental and community level should be launched to propagate awareness among the people. Moreover, extensive and intensive surveys are required to prepare a comprehensive inventory of resources. To reduce pressure on natural flora, cultivation of medicinal plants on scientific lines will be considered a significant step.