Conservation of Biodiversity and Sustainable Use of Medicinal Plant

Abstract

Article InfoBiodiversity or biological diversity includes all living organisms such as plants, animals and microbes etc. and the genetic differences among them. It exists at species, community ecosystem and landscape scales. It is important for four basic reasons such as morality, aesthetics economics and the service that is provided to society. Biodiversity is considered at three main levels including species biodiversity, genetic biodiversity, functional biodiversity and ecosystem biodiversity. Relative to the variety of habitats, biotic communities and Ecological processes in the biosphere, biodiversity is important in no. of ways such as promoting the aesthetic value of the natural environment, contribution to our natural environment, and maintaining the integrity of the environment. Plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before. Medicinal use of plant seems to be developed through observation of wild animals and by trial and error. Medicinal plants play an important role not only as traditional medicines but also as trade commodities meeting the demand of distinct markets. India has 2.4% of world"s area and with 8% of global biodiversity and about one fifth of all the plant found in India are used for medicinal purposes. Methods of folk healing throughout the world commonly use herbs as part of their traditions. DNA banking is considered as means of complimentary method for the conservation of the plant species by preserving their genomic DNA at low temperature. The substantial contribution to human health and well being by medicinal plant species is now widely understood. Therefore plant Biotechnology offers new means of improving biodiversity conservation rather than threatening biodiversity in various ways.