The conservation of medicinal plants : proceedings of an international consultation, 21-27 March 1988, held at Chiang Mai, Thailand

Nearly all cultures, from ancient times to today, have used plants as a source of medicine. In many developing countries, traditional medicine is still the mainstay of health care and most of the drugs and cures used come from plants. In developed countries many people are turning to herbal remedies. With this widespread use has come the assumption that plants identified as having medicinal qualities will be available on a continuing basis. However no concerted effort has been made to ensure this and in the face of the threats of increasing demand, a vastly increasing human population and extensive forest destruction, there can be no guarantee that we will continue to benefit indefinitely from this valuable resource. In light of this situation the World Health Organisation held a meeting in 1988. This book is the outcome of that meeting, detailing in a series of papers by leading experts the problems of which need to be addressed, the existing experiences from a range of countries and the future direction which must be taken to ensure the conservation of the world's medicinal plants. Cover......Page 1 Frontmatter......Page 2 Contents......Page 8 Contributors......Page 12 Preface......Page 16 Acknowledgements......Page 18 The Chiang Mai Declaration......Page 20 Introduction......Page 22 1 - Medicinal Plants: Policies and Priorities......Page 24 2 - The Joint IUCN-WWF Plants Conservation Programme and its Interest in Medicinal Plants......Page 34 The Issue of Medicinal Plants......Page 44 3 - Global Importance of Medicinal Plants......Page 46 4 - Traditional Knowledge of Medicinal Plants -- the Search for New Jungle Medicines......Page 74 5 - The Reason for Ethnobotanical Conservation......Page 86 Science, Industry and Medicinal Plants......Page 98 6 - Valuing the Biodiversity of Medicinal Plants......Page 100 7 - Economic Aspects of Exploitation of Medicinal Plants......Page 146 8 - Industry and the Conservation of Medicinal Plants......Page 162 9 - Information Systems and Databases for the Conservation of Medicinal Plants......Page 168 Techniques to Conserve Medicinal Plants......Page 186 10 - Agronomy Applied to Medicinal Plant Conservation......Page 188 11 - Biotechnology in the Production and Conservation of Medicinal Plants......Page 200 12 - Enhancing the Role of Protected Areas in Conserving Medicinal Plants......Page 220 13 - Botanic Gardens and the Conservation of Medicinal Plants......Page 234 14 - The Role of Chinese Botanical Gardens in Conservation of Medicinal Plants......Page 250 Policies to Conserve Medicinal Plants......Page 260 15 - Policies and Organisation for Medicinal Plant Conservation in Sri Lanka......Page 262 16 - Experience in the Conservation of Medicinal Plants in Sri Lanka......Page 270 17 - The Conservation of Medicinal Plants Used in Primary Health Care in Thailand......Page 274 18 - Medicinal Plants and the Law......Page 280 19 - Let's Stop Talking to Ourselves: The Need for Public Awareness......Page 294 20 - Germplasm, Genetic Erosion and the Conservation of Indonesian Medicinal Plants......Page 302 Experiences from Programmes to Conserve Medicinal Plants......Page 314 21 - Medicinal Plants in India: Approaches to Exploitation and Conservation......Page 316 22 - The Chinese Approach to Medicinal Plants -- Their Utilization and Conservation......Page 326 23 - Conservation of Medicinal Plants in Kenya......Page 336 24 - Complexity and Conservation of Medicinal Plants: Anthropological Cases from Peru and Indonesia......Page 342 25 - Utilization of Indigenous Medicinal Plants and their Conservation in Bangladesh......Page 350 26 - Development of a Conservation Policy on Commercially Exploited Medicinal Plants: A Case Study from Southern Africa......Page 358 27 - Proposals for International Collaboration......Page 380 Cover 1 Frontmatter 2 Contents 8 Contributors 12 Preface 16 Acknowledgements 18 The Chiang Mai Declaration 20 Introduction 22 1 - Medicinal Plants: Policies and Priorities 24 2 - The Joint IUCN-WWF Plants Conservation Programme and its Interest in Medicinal Plants 34 The Issue of Medicinal Plants 44 3 - Global Importance of Medicinal Plants 46 4 - Traditional Knowledge of Medicinal Plants -- the Search for New Jungle Medicines 74 5 - The Reason for Ethnobotanical Conservation 86 Science, Industry and Medicinal Plants 98 6 - Valuing the Biodiversity of Medicinal Plants 100 7 - Economic Aspects of Exploitation of Medicinal Plants 146 8 - Industry and the Conservation of Medicinal Plants 162 9 - Information Systems and Databases for the Conservation of Medicinal Plants 168 Techniques to Conserve Medicinal Plants 186 10 - Agronomy Applied to Medicinal Plant Conservation 188 11 - Biotechnology in the Production and Conservation of Medicinal Plants 200 12 - Enhancing the Role of Protected Areas in Conserving Medicinal Plants 220 13 - Botanic Gardens and the Conservation of Medicinal Plants 234 14 - The Role of Chinese Botanical Gardens in Conservation of Medicinal Plants 250 Policies to Conserve Medicinal Plants 260 15 - Policies and Organisation for Medicinal Plant Conservation in Sri Lanka 262 16 - Experience in the Conservation of Medicinal Plants in Sri Lanka 270 17 - The Conservation of Medicinal Plants Used in Primary Health Care in Thailand 274 18 - Medicinal Plants and the Law 280 19 - Let's Stop Talking to Ourselves: The Need for Public Awareness 294 20 - Germplasm, Genetic Erosion and the Conservation of Indonesian Medicinal Plants 302 Experiences from Programmes to Conserve Medicinal Plants 314 21 - Medicinal Plants in India: Approaches to Exploitation and Conservation 316 22 - The Chinese Approach to Medicinal Plants -- Their Utilization and Conservation 326 23 - Conservation of Medicinal Plants in Kenya 336 24 - Complexity and Conservation of Medicinal Plants: Anthropological Cases from Peru and Indonesia 342 25 - Utilization of Indigenous Medicinal Plants and their Conservation in Bangladesh 350 26 - Development of a Conservation Policy on Commercially Exploited Medicinal Plants: A Case Study from Southern Africa 358 27 - Proposals for International Collaboration 380 9780521112024 In the face of the threats of increasing demand, a vastly increasing human population and extensive forest destruction, there can be no guarantee that we will continue to benefit indefinitely from medicinal plants. In light of this situation the World Health Organisation held a meeting in 1988. This book is the outcome of that meeting. Introduction -- The Issue Of Medicinal Plants -- Science, Industry And Medicinal Plants -- Techniques To Conserve Medicinal Plants -- Polices To Conserve Medicinal Plants -- Experiences From Programmes To Conserve Medicinal Plants. Edited By Olayiwola-akerele, Vernon Heywood And Hugh Synge. Includes Bibliographical References.