Plant parts substitution based approach as a viable conservation strategy for medicinal plants: A case study of Premna latifolia Roxb.

- We examined the use of alternate plant parts as suitable means to conserve medicinal plants.
- Possible use of renewable plant parts like leaves in place of root/bark/stem.
- Chemical profiling was correlated with the pharmacological findings.
- Observed results suggest leaf can be effectively used in place of root in herbal formulations.
- The study signifies the importance of plant parts substitution based approach for effective conservation of medicinal plants.

BackgroundRapid population growth and catastrophic harvesting methods of wild medicinal plants especially trees, result in the exploitation of natural sources and its management is the need of the hour. Dashamoolarishta is an amalgam of roots of ten plants of a popular Ayurvedic FDC formulation consisting of the root of Premna latifolia Roxb. as one of its ingredients. Presently, their populations like many other trees are under threat due to extensive use of the roots by the herbal drug industry.ObjectiveWith an aim to conserve the biodiversity, a systematic study based on a rational approach by substituting root/root bark with alternative and renewable parts was conducted.Materials and methodsThe fingerprint profile together with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect of different parts of the plant was established for comparison.ResultsThe results based on chemical and biological study indicated close similarity between the roots and the leaves and suggest the possible use of latter over root/root bark.ConclusionThe study proposes that the substitution of the root with alternate renewable parts of the same plant shall form the best strategy towards conservation of the trees like P. latifolia.