Ashish Rahi and Dr. Anuj Kumar Sharma

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is home to some 1,748 different plant species, many of which are beneficial and have made their way into contemporary medicine (Siwach et al., 2013). In IHR, medicinal plants contain over 12,000 chemical components. Many plants are included in it, some of which are believed to have medicinal properties. A variety of diseases may be alleviated by using various plant components (Samant et al., 2007). The medicinal plants of the Himalayas play an important role in local life and commerce. Roughly 3,500 different species of plants call Himachal Pradesh home. The medicinal importance of 500 of these species has been well recognised (Chauhan, 2003). Since medicinal plants are central to traditional medicine, there is a high demand for them. A staggering 90% of medicinal plants are collected from their natural habitats, with an additional 69% being harvested by methods that cause harm to the plants. Dhar et al. (2000) found that this poses a clear threat to medicinal plants. The therapeutic effects of plants are derived from their secondary components. Among their various biological functions and defence mechanisms, plants rely on chemical compounds known as secondary metabolites. Plants are able to adapt and defend themselves by connecting with their environment via the use of second-hand chemicals.

DOI: 10.22271/phyto.2023.v12.i6b.14930

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