Introduction:

Among ancient civilizations, India has been known to be rich repository of medicinal plants. The forest in India is the principal repository of large number of medicinal and aromatic plants, which are largely collected as raw materials for manufacture of drugs and perfumery products. Medicinal plants have played an important role in human healthcare as the essential ingredients of traditional medicines for thousands of years. Traditional systems of medicine continue to be widely practised on many accounts. Population rise, inadequate supply of drugs, prohibitive cost of treatments, side effects of several synthetic drugs and development of resistance to currently used drugs for infectious diseases have led to increased emphasis on the use of plant materials as a source of medicines for a wide variety of human ailments.

Medicinal plant gardens are primarily focused on the conservation, cultivation, research and educational activities related to plant species known for medicinal purposes. However, these gardens also equally provide services related to other plant species whose primary use is not for therapeutic practice.

What is a medicinal plant?

Any plant which, in one or more of its organs and /or whole plant contains substances that can be used for therapeutic purposes and/or which can be used as precursors for the synthesis or preparation of useful drugs either pharmacopoeial, non- pharmacopoeial is a medicinal plant. Generally medicinal plants are considered as a rich resources of such ingredients. Those chemical compounds may be secondary metabolites and including alkaloids, glycosides, essential oils and other miscellaneous active substances.

Medicinal plants will be useful for Maternal and Child health care, as essential drugs, in food and nutrition, for common illnesses and injury, for endemic infectious diseases, mental health and oral health.

A part from that, these plants play a critical role in the development of human cultures around the whole world.

Objective for establishment of medicinal plant garden:

The objective of the medicinal garden is to create awareness of conservation and traditional uses of herbs and medicinal plants to visitors, and to also be a place where students, farmers, and others can learn how to identify and conserve these important plants.

Medicinal plants have played an important role in human healthcare as the essential ingredients of traditional medicines for thousands of years. Botanical gardens worldwide play a crucial role in the conservation, cultivation and utilization of plant species, and research activities related to ecology, taxonomy, systematics, biotechnology, etc. Medicinal plant gardens have played a significant role in education and research of plant species used for medicinal purposes. Medicinal plant gardens are also actively involved in organizing of educational programs/events to students and the general public. 

History and current status of medicinal plant garden:

Keeping in the mind the importance of medicinal plant garden college authority decided to prepare a medicinal plant garden. The garden establishment initiation was started in the year 2014-15 in the leadership of Principal and other faculty members. Plantlets of medicinal plants were collected from various nurseries of different parts of South Bengal. Initially it was started with few plants but gradually this encouraged the faculty members and they cordially donated some plantlets from their personal collections. With little steps it reached into rich medicinal plant garden.    

Medicinal plant garden is currently situated within the campus. It is fenced by iron-net to protect the garden from trespasser. The garden is well maintained by a whole time gardener throughout the year. Manuring, pest and insect control is done on regular basis. Gardening care is taken under the supervision of learned teachers. Advised are also taken from senior Professors of various Universities and Medicinal Plant Board officials whenever required. Teachers also participate in various seminar, workshop and conferences related to medicinal plant to enrich knowledge and implementation. 

Presently there are 82 numbers of medicinal plants. 

Conservation of medicinal plants:

TDB College Medicinal Plant Garden has a plan to collect and cultivate as many medicinal plants as possible. As of December 202, 82 numbers of important medicinal plants has been listed. This garden is conserving some rare medicinal plants through ex-situ conservation. The institution has a plan to cultivate some of the important medicinal plants on a large scale basis. The future plan is to collect and cultivate more medical plant and to conserve properly.

Seminars/events for the general public and students:

The motto of this medicinal plant garden is not only to cultivate and conserve but to increase awareness to the students, teachers and non-teaching staffs of our institution as well as other institutions like secondary level schools. As a part of awareness programme seminar has been organized for general people and students. Schools of the local area were invited to visit the garden. Some of the them were responded positively and visited the medicinal garden with their students and take part in seminars and group discussions. 

Conclusions:

  Medicinal plant gardens are integral parts of the institution to teach about the various aspects of medicinal plants in human healthcare. The general public can also get benefited from the medicinal plant gardens by participating in various educational and training events/ activities. In future, wide sharing of scientific knowledge among multiple stakeholders could generate larger stewardship for conservation of traditional knowledge and medicinal plants. Medicinal plant gardens are appropriate tools for conservation of medicinal plants and preservation of traditional knowledge that help collaborate more local communities, academicians, students, researchers and pharmacists for generating greater conservation benefits and promote science communication.

A list of medicinal plants present in the garden is as follows: