BIODIVERSITY AS A SOURCE OF MEDICINE

BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN USED TO CURE DISEASE SINCE ANCIENT PERIODS OF HUMAN HISTORY. IN INDIA HERBAL REMEDIES ARE USED FOR EVERYDAY HOME CURES. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN MOST MEDICINAL COMPOUNDS CAME FROM PLANTS; THE POTENT HEART STIMULANT FROM FOXGLOVE AND OPIUM FROM THE POPPY PLANT. SINCE OVER PAST FIFTY YEARS, CHEMISTRY TOOK OVER FROM BOTANY WITH MOST NEW DRUGS BEING SYNTHESIZED IN PHARMACEUTICAL LABS. NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN PLANT TECHNOLOGY MAY SOON REVERSE THIS TREND. RESEARCHERS ARE WORKING TOWARDS MAKING PLANT-BASED VACCINES WOULD LIKELY BE CHEAPER AND EASY TO ADMINISTER.

THE INDIGENOUS TRIBES OF THE NORTHEASTERN STATES OF INDIA HAVE ALMOST 47 PER CENT OF FOREST COVER WHICH CONTAIN AN AMAZINGLY WIDE RANGE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS.

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PLANTS IN MEGHALAYA RAUVOLFIA SERPENTINA WHICH IS USED FOR REDUCING BLOOD PRESSURE, ACTS AS A TRANQUILIZER AND IS USED LOCALLY AS AN ANTIDOTE FOR SNAKE BITE. THE OIL OF THE TARAKTOGENOS KURTZII PLANT IS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF LEPROSY. THE ROOT OF RAUVOLFIA CANESENCE AND THE LEAVES OF THE TABERNAMONTANA ARE USED TO CURE HEART AILMENTS. THE LEAVES OF TAXUS RACATA ARE EFFECTIVE AGAINST CANCER OF THE STOMACH.

IN 1785, A BRITISH PHYSICIAN ,WILLIAM WITHERING REPORTED THAT INGESTION OF DRIED LEAVES FROM THE FOXGLOVE PLANT EASED DROPSY, AN ACCUMULATION OF FLUID KNOWN TO BE  CAUSED BY HEART'S FAILURE TO PUMP ADEQUATELY DIGITALIS IS USED FOR CARDIAC PATIENTS. TODAY TWO OF ITS COMPONENTS- THE GLYCOSIDES DIGOXIN AND DIGITOXIN ARE WIDELY PRESCRIBED TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD. EXPLORATIONS MADE IN THE MEDICINAL USES OF PLANTS BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN REMOTE PARTS OF THE WORLD ALONG WITH INTRODUCTION OF SOPHISTICATED ASSAYS ABLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER PLANTS EXERT A BIOLOGICAL EFFECT; HAS FACILITATED THE DISCOVERY OF BIOACTIVE MOLECULES MADE BY MEDICINAL PLANTS. SOME OF THESE MOLECULES PROMISE POSSIBLE THERAPIES FOR A RANGE OF DISEASES, INCLUDING, AIDS AND CANCER.