i MEDICINAL PLANTS RESEARCH IN ASIA, VOLUME 1 The International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) is an independent international scientific organization that seeks to advance the conservation and use of plant genetic diversity for the well-being of present and future generations. It is one of 15 Future Harvest Centres supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), an association of public and private members who support efforts to mobilize cutting-edge science to reduce hunger and poverty, improve human nutrition and health, and protect the environment. IPGRI has its headquarters in Maccarese, near Rome, Italy, with offices in more than 20 other countries worldwide. The Institute operates through three programmes: (1) the Plant Genetic Resources Programme, (2) the CGIAR Genetic Resources Support Programme, and (3) the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain (INIBAP). The international status of IPGRI is conferred under an Establishment Agreement which, by January 2003, had been signed by the Governments of Algeria, Australia, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, China, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Sudan, Switzerland, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda and Ukraine. Financial support for IPGRI’s research is provided by more than 150 donors, including governments, private foundations and international organizations. For details of donors and research activities please see IPGRI’s Annual Reports, which are available in printed form on request from [email protected] or from IPGRI’s web site (www.ipgri.cgiar.org). The geographical designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IPGRI or the CGIAR concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Similarly, the views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations. Mention of a proprietary name does not constitute endorsement of the product and is given only for information. Citation: Batugal, Pons A, Jayashree Kanniah, Lee Sok Young and Jeffrey T Oliver (eds). 2004. Medicinal Plants Research in Asia, Volume 1: The Framework and Project Workplans. International Plant Genetic Resources Institute – Regional Office for Asia, the Pacific and Oceania (IPGRI-APO), Serdang, Selangor DE, Malaysia. ISBN 92-9043-615-8 IPGRI-APO PO Box 236 UPM Post Office Serdang 43400 Selangor Darul Ehsan Malaysia Cover Pictures by: J Kanniah, JT Oliver and P Quek Cover Design by: JT Oliver © International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, 2004 CONTENTS ii CONTENTS Foreword iv Introduction v CHAPTER I Background Papers Inventory and documentation of medicinal plants in 14 Asia- Pacific countries 3 - Pons Batugal Rationale for conservation of medicinal plants 7 - V Ramanatha Rao and RK Arora Database development for medicinal plants 23 - Paul Quek and Lee Sok Young Production of medicinal plants in Asia 33 - KR Chapman and N Chomchalow CHAPTER II Inventory and Documentation of Medicinal Plants: Country Project Proposals Bangladesh 45 - Md Mamtazul Haque China 48 - Xianen Li India 50 - Satyabrata Maiti Indonesia 53 - Nurliani Bermawie Korea 56 - Cha Seon Woo Lao PDR 58 - Kongmany Sydara, Khamphong Phommavong and Simma Singsuaysanga Malaysia 61 - Chang Yu Shyun and Rasadah Mat Ali Mongolia 63 - N Bayarsukh Nepal 66 - Uday R Sharma Philippines 68 - Jocelyn E Eusebio and Bethilda E Umali Sri Lanka 71 - DSA Wijesundara Vietnam 74 - Nguyen Van Thuan iii MEDICINAL PLANTS RESEARCH IN ASIA, VOLUME 1 CHAPTER III Inventory, Documentation and Status of Medicinal Plants Research: Initial Country Project Reports and Workplans India 79 - Satyabrata Maiti Indonesia 104 - Nurliani Bermawie Korea 113 - Cha Seon Woo and Lee Sok Young Malaysia 120 - Chang Yu Shyun and Rasadah Mat Ali Mongolia 127 - N Bayarsukh Nepal 140 - Uday R Sharma Philippines 147 - Jocelyn E Eusebio and Bethilda E Umali Sri Lanka 184 - DSA Wijesundara Vietnam 196 - Nguyen Van Thuan CHAPTER IV The Asia-Pacific Medicinal Plants Research Meeting Report 201 ANNEXES Asia-Pacific Medicinal Plants Research Meeting Programme 209 List of participants to the Asia-Pacific Medicinal Plants Research Meeting 212 Transcript of the welcome remarks by Dr Dae-Geun Oh, Director, International Technical Cooperation Centre, RDA, Republic of Korea 218 Transcript of the welcome remarks by Dr Percy E Sajise, Regional Director, IPGRI-APO 219 Transcript of the welcome remarks by Dr Syed Kamaruddin Syed Wazir, Chief Operating Officer, MIGHT, Office of the Science Adviser, Prime Minister’s Department, Government of Malaysia 221 iv FOREWORD Foreword In the world today, there are still a lot of people who do not have adequate access to basic needs such as food, water, education, health services and clean environment among others. This is a major concern being addressed by many governments at all levels amidst the rapidly growing population on one hand and a deteriorating environment on the other hand. Medicinal plants address not only the need for access to medicine as a component of health services but also to the need for increased income for farmers and as a significant contribution to the national economy. And, yet, a basic foundation to effectively bring about these contributions is to be able to collect, characterize, evaluate the genetic resources that a country has from animals, plants, insects and microorganisms which can serve this purpose. While there have been constraints in exchanges of materials and technology for pharmaceuticals derived from biological organisms, largely because of its very significant commercial value and questions on intellectual property rights, there is no doubt that a critical human need such as access to medicine which determines quality of life of human society will remain as a concern that will require a concerted effort among countries and peoples all over the world. It is in this spirit that the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), which is one of the 15 international research centres of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR) and the Rural Development Administration (RDA) of the Republic of Korea embarked on a joint research collaboration on “Inventory and Documentation of Medicinal Plants in the Asia Pacific Region” involving 14 countries. It is basically founded on the premise that the initial step for collaboration on this very important area among countries is not only building up confidence and familiarity with each others situation but also being able to share information on what each country has in terms of medicinal plants being actually conserved and why it was conserved. From out of this information sharing process, even without the benefit of material and technology exchanges, it is hoped that areas of common interest will be identified which can initiate a collaboration process on mutually agreeable grounds which will be beneficial not only for the countries involved but for humanity in general. This proceedings is a result of the first stakeholder meeting of the countries and institutions involved in the project. It is a combination of reports on the framework of the project, the status report of countries on their medicinal plant programme, the agreements among the participants during this meeting in terms of priority project activities and the different country research proposals on medicinal plants. I would like to express my appreciation to RDA of the Republic of Korea for the funding and technical support provided to this project. Also to the Malaysia Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) of the Prime Ministers Department of the Government of Malaysia for allowing the conduct of this regional meeting to coincide and become part of the First Asia Pacific Natural Products (NATPRO) Exposition which was also hosted by the Government of Malaysia. And, most importantly to the countries participating in this very important project for their belief in the rationale behind it and the confidence for allowing RDA and IPGRI to facilitate this process of research collaboration. Percy E Sajise Regional Director International Plant Genetic Resources Institute Regional Office for Asia, the Pacific and Oceania v MEDICINAL PLANTS RESEARCH IN ASIA, VOLUME 1 Introduction Medicinal plants research in the Asia Pacific region was initiated with the signing of a research collaboration on the “Inventory and documentation of medicinal plants in the Asia Pacific Region” between the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) and the Rural Development Administration (RDA) of the Republic of Korea on 5 December 2001. With this agreement, RDA provided IPGRI with the initial funding to implement the project in 14 countries over a period of four years, starting in 2002. The original invited participants of the project include Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal in South Asia; Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam in Southeast Asia; China, South Korea and Mongolia in East Asia; and Fiji and Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific. After visits and consultations with