This document discusses medicinal plants cultivated in Kerala, India. It notes that around 900 of the 4,600 flowering plants in Kerala have medicinal value. The government of Kerala is supporting the cultivation of medicinal plants, with area under cultivation increasing from 2,378 hectares in 2012-13 to 2,006 hectares in 2011-12. The Kerala Agricultural University has released 8 varieties of medicinal plants for cultivation, including varieties of Galanga, Holostemma, red-flowered leadwort, Adathoda, and long pepper. These varieties differ in traits like productivity, chemical content, and parts used. Commercial cultivation of medicinal plants is limited by small land holdings but homestead cultivation is well-su

2. INTRODUCTION
-Medicinal plants constitute an important component
of the plant resource spectrum of Kerala. It is
estimated that out of 4600 flowering plants ,about
900 possess medicinal values.
-About 60-65% of plants required for ayurvedic
medicines and almost 80% of plants used in Sidha
medicine are found in forest of kerala.
-The demand for Ayurvedic medicine in the state is
growing at a compound rate of 10-12% per annum.
-Govt of Kerala through Department of Agriculture is
supporting cultivation of medicinal plants.

3. YEAR AREA
2012-13 2,378 Ha
2011-12 2,006 Ha

4. KAU RELEASED VARIETIES
KAU has released 8 varieties:
1.KACHOLAM-Kasthuri & Rajani
2.ADAPATHIYAN-Jeeva
3.CHETHIKODUVELI-Agni & Mridula
4.ADALOTAKAM-Ajagandhi & Vasika
5.THIPALLI-Viswam

5. KACHOLAM (Galanga)
Scientific name-kaempferia galanga Linn
Family-Zingiberaceae
Part used-Leaves, Rhizome

6. Medicinal Properties & use
-Respiratory ailment :Cough ,bronchitis &
asthma.
-carminative &expectorant.
-Adding rhizome powder in herbal shampoo
helps to prevent dandruff.
-Administering dry rhizome powder mixed
with honey can prevent vomiting.
-For tooth ache ,apply rhizome pulp on the
gum.

7. VARIETIES
KASTHURI RAJANI
Leaves-More in no. &
larger in size
Leaves-Fewer & small
Rhizome-Light brown &
larger in size
Rhizome-Medium bold,
creamy white & more in
number
Productivity-900 kg /acre
dry rhizome
Productivity-870 kg/acre
dry rhizome
(High oleoresin content-
7.68%)

8. ‘Kasthuri' (left) is a variety highly suited
for perfumery, while `Rajani' (right) is best
preferred for medicinal value.

9. ADAPATHIYAN (Holostemma)
Scientific name-Holostemma adakodien
Family-Asclipidaceae
Part used-Root

10. Medicinal Properties & use
-It is useful in opthalmopathy, bronchitis ,
cough, burning sensation ,constipation &
fever.
-It is used in the preparation of VIDARYADI
GANAM,DHANWANDHARAM,
BALARISHTA,ANUTHAILA.
-It is useful in eye disease & it imparts
resistance to disease.

11. VARIETIES
JEEVA
-Clonal Selection
-Purple cordate plant type with long
internodes.
-High yield of thick, sweet
roots(1.50 t/ ha dry root) ,fresh
tuber yield(4.5 t/ha),with high
soluble sugar content(8.33%).

13. CHETHIKODUVELI (Red flowered
leadwort)
Scientific name-Plumbago indica linn
Plumbago rosea linn
Family-Plumbaginaceae
Part used-Root

14. Medicinal Properties & use
-Esteemed remedy for leucoderma, leprosy &
other skin disease.
-Koduveli tubers are effective in piles & skin
diseases.
-Preparation “AGNITHUNDIVATI” in which
koduveli is important ingredient is highly
effective for problems related to
indigestion.
-Effective in piles & skin diseases.
-Also used in cancer treatment.

15. VARIETIES
AGNI(2006) MRIDHULA(2006)
-Clonal selection -Clonal selection
-Higher yield(root)-
2.65t/ha dry
High plumbagin content
0.80%
-Higher yield(root)-
2.94t/ha dry
low plumbagin content
0.22%
-suitable for the
extraction of plumbagin
-Can be used without
curing in the preparation
of indigenous medicines
-Robust ,tall plants ,long
broad leaves , thick
roots.
Medium tall plants ,small
leaves , lengthy narrow
roots
-Productivity
3400 kg raw roots/acre
1100 kg dry roots/acre
-Productivity
4000 raw roots/acre
1200 dry roots/acre

17. ADALOTAKAM
Scientific name-Adathoda beddomei clarke
Family-Acanthaceae
Part used-Root, Leaves, whole plant.

18. Medicinal Properties & use
-The leaf juice mixed with honey can reduce cough.
-Inhaling the smoke from burning of dried leaf, gives
relief to asthma.
-The leaf juice is used in anaemia and haemorrhage.
-Use of leaf juice and jaggery mixture helps to
control excessive bleeding during menstrual
periods.
-Flowers and leaves are considered efficacious
against rheumatic painful swellings and form a
good application to scabies and other skin
complaints.
-The juice of the leaves cures vomiting, thirst, fever,
dermatitis, jaundice and diseases due to the
morbidity of kapha and pitta.
-Roots form ingredient of several ayurvedic
medicines.

19. -Formulations: Vasavaleha, Vasarishta,
Vasahareethaki, Kanakasava,
Visagulachadhikashayam, Punarnavasava
-The shrub is the source of the drug vasaka
well known in the indigenous systems of
medicines.
- It is a reputed remedy for cough, asthma,
bronchitis and other respiratory disorders
due to its expectorant action.

20. VARIETIES
AJAGANDHI
-Medium tall plants with long and broad
leaves.
- High proportion of leaves and preferred for
leaf crop.
- Vasicine content in root - 2.46%.
- Productivity: 16 t whole plant /acre(fresh)
6 t whole plant /acre(dry)

21. AJAGANDHI

22. VASIKA
-Medium tall plants with long and
narrow leaves.
- High proportion of roots and preferred
for root crop.
- Vasicine content in root - 2.55%.
-Productivity:
14 t whole plant /acre (fresh)
4.5 t whole plant /acre (dry)

23. VASIKA

24. THIPALLI (Long pepper)
Scientific name-Piper longum linn
Family-Piperaceae
Part used-Root, Dried Spikes.

25. Medicinal Properties & use
-The well known ayurvedic formulations like Trikatu,
Panchakolam etc. contains Thipplai as the main ingredient
-Trikatu contains Thippali, black pepper and dried ginger
Panchakolam contains Thippali spikes, Thipplai root, Wild
Thippali root, Koduveli tubers and dried ginger
-The root and fruit decoction are used in acute and chronic
bronchitis and cough.
-2 g thippali fried in ghee, taken twice a day prevents cough.
It is useful in relieving cold, headache, arthritic pains, back
pain etc.
-Thippali spikes and root detoxifies liver and cures digestive
problems.

26. -It is also used against insomnia, fits etc.
-It is an ingredient of medicinal preparations used to cure
fever, jaundice, snake venom, leprosy, kidney problems etc.
- It also improves eye vision and is effective against night
blindness.
-Thippali is also useful as a spice ingredient in food
preparations. Addition of Thippali in pickles improves its
shelf life.
-Formulations:
Trikatu choornam, Pipalarishta, Pippalyasava, Panchakola,
Pippalayadilauha, Lavana bhaskar churam, vyoshativatakam,
Abhayarishtam, Drasharishtam,
Chyavanaprasham,Agastyarasayanam,Thaleespatradichoorna
mm,Karppoorai choornam.

27. VARIETIES
Viswam(1996)
-It is a Sri Lankan
type.(Chemmathipali)
-Bearing period –
240 to 270 days /year
-Yield
-800-850 kg dry spikes/ha
-300 -350 kg per acre from
second year onwards
(Coconut gardens)
-Alkaloid content - 2.83%

29. CONCLUSION
 Scope for commercial cultivation of medicinal plants as per
crop is very much limited in kerala due to the smaller land
holding size & high pressure on land.
 But medicinal plants fits well into a variety of cropping
systems ,ensuring effective harnessing of solar energy &
increasing return from unit area to farmers.
 Homestead in the state are ideal for cultivating medicinal
plants .Many of medicinal plants comes up well in shaded
condition & hence can be profitably intercropped in coconut
& rubber plantations.
 Most profitable medicinal plants are
Thippali,vayambu,Sarpagandhi,satavari etc.
 More of research work has to be carried out in medicinal
plants in order to completely harness the immense benefit
associated with the plants.

30. REFERENCE
• Ajithkumar, R. Potential of medicinal
plants.www.oldkerala.gov.in
• Agricultural statistics 2012-13,Department of
Economics,Kearala.January 2014,Trivandrum.
• Package of practice recommendations,Crops
2011,KAU,Thrisur.