Human beings have to depend on Nature for sustenance and survival. The traditional system of medicine in India dates back to the age of the Rigveda (2500 to 1600 B.C.). Ayurveda is the Indian indigenous system of medicine dating back to the Vedic period. The term Ayurveda means Science of Life (Ayur = life, veda = knowledge). The entire system of ancient Indian medicine is based on the relationship between man and Nature. With the development of science, many new drugs of synthetic origin have come into existence and with the rapid growth of the pharmaceutical industry the value and use of the herbal medicines has come down in the recent past. In the colonial period, Ayurveda sunk in India to the status of the poor man's medicine. Though the knowledge survived it had no prestige. Those who had money preferred western medicine and the immediate cure for isolated symptoms appealed to people. At the present moment Ayurveda is enjoying yet another revival, because of the side effects or long term health hazards of Allopathic medicine. The important herbs must be cultured either in the laboratory or outside in nurseries and gardens. Conservation of medicinal plants The propagation of plants has been a fundamental operation of mankind. When new kinds of plants have to be conserved or propagated, we need to develop knowledge and techniques to propagate them. An appropriate propagation technology can be selected for each kind of medicinal plant depending upon plant growth. Apart from propagating medicinal plants, villagers can be encouraged to set up kitchen gardens of medicinal plants for their domestic use as shown below : Organic farming with medicinal plants as botanical pesticides can be encouraged as a practice to replace chemical pesticides among farmers. A gene pool of herbal and medicinal plants can be established. Conservation strategies based on present demands and immediate future needs to be prioritized. The conservation of medicinal plants does not end here. The community should also play a major role to conserve medicinal plants. People should be taught to identify the locally available species which are over-exploited and whose exploitation should be checked and regulated. A separate package for community development/conservation can also be taken up by setting up a small community garden by distributing 50 to 100 useful plants for a primary health centre which the local community could maintain. Seed banks and nurseries can also be developed by the community to generate income. Medicinal plant species can be planted under the wasteland development programme. If all this has to be done, an awareness programme should be conducted stressing the importance of medicinal herbs and their identification and utilisation for treating diseases in human beings and animals. The message of identification, utilisation and conservation of medicinal plants can be spread through local, traditional folk media, distribution of booklets and handouts. There are more than 100 commonly used medicinal plants in our life. Some of the plants with usage are listed below: COMMON MEDICINAL PLANTS USED IN OUR DAILY LIVESPLANTS WHICH CAN BE GROWN IN THE PLAINS AND THEIR USES No Common Name (in Tamil) Botanical Name Application 1 Agathi Sesbania grandiflora fever, kills intestinal worms 2 Amukkira Withania somnifera fever 3 Avuri Indiagofera tinctoria kills intestinal worms 4 Adu theenda palai Aristolochia bractiata kills intestinal worms 5 Annasi Ananas comosus stimulant for hunger, for constipation, promotes digestion 6 Adatodai Adhatoda vasica diseases of 7 Echchu Phoenix sylvestris diabetes, fever 8 Ell Sesamum indicum increases milk secretion 9 Garlic Alium sativum stimulant, expectorant 10 Inji Zingiber officinale promotes digestion 11 Kaliyana murungai Erythrina indica increases milk secretion 12 Karuvel Acacia nilotica diseases of respiratory tract 13 Karisalankanni Eclipta alba for constipation 14 Kuppaimeni Acalypha indica cold and cough, kills intestinal worms 15 Karisalankanni Eclipta prostrata strengthens liver 16 Mavilingu Crataeva religiosa fever 17 Malai vembu Melia azadirach kills intestinal worms 18 Mathulai Punica granatum kills intestinal worms 19 Ma Mangifera indica kills intestinal worms 20 Milagu Piper nigrum cold and cough 21 Manjal Curcuma longa cold and cough 22 Nelli Phyllanthus emblica decreases body temperature 23 Naval Eugenia jambusa diabetes 24 Nuna Morinda tinctoria fever 25 Nochchi Vitex negundo fever 26 Nanthiyavattam Tabernaemontana divaricata kills intestinal worms 27 Pagarkai Memordica charntia kills intestinal worms 28 Seetha Annona squamoza wounds / ulcers 29 Seiyakkai Acacia concina cold and cough wounds / ulcers 30 Sundai Solanum torvum cold and cough 31 Sarakkonrai Cassia fistula fever 32 Musumusukhai Mukia maderaspatana vertigo, asthma, ulcer 33 Thumbai Leucus aspera cold and cough 34 Thoothuvalai Solanum trilobatum cold and cough 35 Thulasi Ocimum sanctum diseases of the respiratory tract 36 Sirukurinjan Gymnema sylvestris stimulant for hunger 37 Vilvam Aegle marmelos fever, digestion 38 Vishnukrandi Evolvulus alsinoides fever 39 Vembu Azadirachta indica intestinal worms malerial fever skin diseases 40 Vellarikkai Cucumis sativus descreases body temperature 41 Vengayam Allium cepa cold and cough 42 Vengai Pterocarpus marsupium wounds / ulcers 43 Vendayam Trigonella feenugracum increases milk secretion 44 Alari Nerium odoratum for constipation 45 Amman pachcharisi Euphorbia hirta decreases body temperature 46 Illuppai Bassia longifolia decreases body temperature 47 Karunjchirakam Nigella sativa induces labour pain during delivery 48 Mulmoongil Bambusa arundinacea for leprosy, skin diseases, astringent, laxative, cooling 49 Vaagai, Siridam Albizzia lebbeck astringent, asthma, expectorant, leprosy 50 Thekku Tectona grandis astringent, cooling, constipation, bronchitis, hyper- acidity 51 Kattuchirakam, cittilai Vernonia anthelmintica astringent, anti-inflammatory, fever, expectorant 52 Karpuram Cinnamomum camphora aphrodisiac, anti- inflammatory, asthma, expectorant, diarhoea 53 Elumitchai Citrus limon aids digestion, for constipation, cough, laxative, antiseptic, bronchitis 54 Korai Cyperus rotundus cooling, astringent, anti inflammatory, scabies, skin disease 55 Sooriyakanthi Helianthus annus strengthening teeth, leprosy, ulcer, skin diseases, bronchitis 56 Pushkaramoolam Inula racemosa antiseptic, digestion ulcer, cough, asthma, bronchitis 57 Vellaikadambu Neolamarckia cadamba astringent, ulcer, digestive, diarrhoea, expectorant, fever, vomiting 58 Perichangai Phoenix dactylifera expectorant, cooling, bronchitis, cough, burning sensation 59 Vettiver Vetiveria zizanioides water purifier 60 Marudhani Lawsonia inermis leprosy, skin diseases, premature falling & greying of hair PLANTS WHICH CAN BE GROWN IN THE HILLS AND THEIR USES No Common Name Botanical Name Application 1 Sadhapilai Ruta graveolens Ruta graveolens 2 Elakkai Elettaria cardamomum stimulant,expectorant 3 Pirandai Cissus quadrangularis Chronic Ulcers 4 Pudhina Mentha arvensis digestion, cough 5 Lemon grass Cymbopogon caesius insect bites 6 Karumilagu Piper nigrum cold and cough 7 Thippili Piper longum cold and cough, fever 8 Sukku Zingiber officianale headache, dry cough 9 Krishna thulasi Ocimum americanum bronchitis 10 Lavangam Eugenia caryophyllata aphrodisiac, expectorant, toothache 11 Jathikkai Myristica fragrans constipation 12 Vasambu Acorus calamus stimulant, decongestant Related resources National Medicinal Plants Board Odisha Medicinal Plants Source : CPR Environmental Education Centre, Chennai