Conservation and cultivation of threatened and high valued medicinal plants in North East India

Medicinal plants exploration in North Eastern India has been carried out in the various forests including Crude drugs markets up to the range wherever medicinal plants produce are sold in the markets. Various attempts have also been made for the acclamatisation through cultivation of medicinal plants from one zone to another in the Region. The crude drugs produce from the region are traded in the markets of Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and even in the Central market of Delhi. High valued medicinal plants from the states of North east are Acorus calamus, Aconitum heterophyllum, Aquilaria malaccensis, Bacopa monnieri, Berberis aristata, Coptis teeta, Costus speciosus, Curcuma caesia, Elaeocarpus sphericus, Embelia ribes ,Gmelina arborea, Gynocordia odorata, Hydnocarpus kurzii, Homalomena aromatica, Mesua ferrea, Nardostachys jatamansi, Paris polyphylla, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Rheum australe, Rubia cordifolia, Smilax china, Solanum anguivi, Swertia chirayita Taxus wallichiana, Trichosanthis bracteata, Valeriana jatamansi, Zanthoxylum armatum, etc. For the study of the potential and sustainable collection from forest areas, interaction with local people involved either in collection or having knowledge about the collection in and adjoining areas. Various conservational aspects for insitu conservation and aspects on easy methods for cultivation which are easily acceptable by the inhabitants nearby forest areas have been worked out which is incorporated in the paper.