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Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry-I
Unit 2. D: Conservation of Medicinal Plants
Class : IV semester B. Pharm
Presented by:
Ms. Asha Golasangimath
Assistant Professor
Department of Pharmacognosy
Alva’s College of Pharmacy, Moodubidire
Affiliated to RGUHS, Karnataka
Academic Year: 2025–2026
Index
• Conservation of Medicinal Plants
• Types/ Strategies of Conservation
• Differences between ex-situ and in-situ
conservation
• Threats to Medicinal Plant
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Conservation of medicinal plants
Conservation is préservation and careful management of the natural
ressources for long term survival. It protects natural habitats where species
continue to grow, reproduce, and evolve along with associated plants,
animals, and microorganisms.
Need for Conservation
• Increasing demand
• Overexploitation
• Habitat destruction
• Climate change
• Risk of extinction
Importance of Conservation
• Maintains biodiversity
• Preserves endangered species
• Future source of medicines
• Ecological balance
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conservation
In-situ
Natural
reserve
Wild reserve
Ex-situ
Botanical
garden
Seed
banking
Types/ strategies of conservation
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1. In-situ :
Conservation inside the natural habitat.
• National parks : India has more than 100
national parks in country.
Ex: Pin Valley National Park, Great
Himalayan Park.
• “On-farm conservation: maintenance of
crops in traditional agriculture” system.
• “Zero energy input conservation”:
conserved with snow.
• Ex: nilagiri biosphere reserve, sundarban
biosphere reserve, great nicobar
biosphere reserve.
2. Ex-situ :
Conservation outside the natural habitat.
• Gene/seed bank: base collection -20 ℃,
active collection at +4 ℃ to +10 ℃.
moisture content 4-6% viable for 50-100
years
Ex: National bureau of plants genetic
resources (NBPGR) new Delhi under ICAR
• Central Institute Of Medicinal And
Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) Lucknow
• Tropical Botanical Gardens Research
Institute(tbgri)kerala
• National Active Germplasm Sites (NAGS)
: active collection at +4 ℃ and 35-40%
relative humidity remain viable for 15-50
years.
3.Cryopreservation/freeze
preservation : Conservation in liquid
nitrogen at 165℃-196 ℃
Seed , pollen preservation.
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Threats to Medicinal Plants
Deforestation
Urbanization
Overharvesting
Forest fire
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Pollution
Climate change
Medicinal plants are facing serious threats. Conservation is essential to
ensure their availability for future generations.
Endangered Medicinal Plants
Examples:
• Sarpagandha (Rauwolfia serpentina)
• Red Sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus)
• Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi)
Role of Biotechnology in conservation
• Tissue culture
• Micropropagation
• Cryopreservation
• DNA conservation
Benefits:
• Rapid multiplication
• Disease-free plants
• Conservation of rare species
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Sustainable Harvesting
• Harvest only mature plants
• Avoid uprooting whole plants
• Follow harvesting seasons
• Replant after collection
Government and International Efforts
• National Medicinal Plants Board
(NMPB)
• World Health Organization
• Conservation programs
• Awareness campaigns
Future Strategies
• Cultivation of medicinal plants
• Community participation
• Awareness programs
• Research and biotechnology
• Sustainable utilization
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References
• Trease and Evans' Pharmacognosy, 16th Edition.
• C.K. Kokate, A.P. Purohit & S.B. Gokhale. Textbook
of Pharmacognosy.
• Biren Shah & A.K. Seth. Textbook of Pharmacognosy
and Phytochemistry.
• WHO Guidelines on Good Agricultural and
Collection Practices (GACP) for Medicinal Plants.
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