Medicinal Plant Research
The Medicinal Plant Research comprises of 5 components viz.; (A) Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey (B) In-vitro Propagation Techniques/Agro-Techniques (C) Demonstrative Cultivation of Medicinal Plants(D) Botanical and Pharmacognostical Standardization (E) Microbiology.
MPR Core Objectives:
Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey:
- To access the distribution and availability of medicinal plant species in different phyto-geographic regions across the country.
- Field collection with taxonomic identification of genuine plant drug materials for research & development and as reference standard for testing services.
- Collection of Folklore claims, systematic documentation and scientific validation of Ethno Medical Practices and Local Health Traditions.
- Development of Herbarium and Museum as reference standard for identification/authentication of fresh and crude drug materials respectively.
In-vitro Propagation Techniques/Agro-Techniques:
- To undertake research studies on adaptability, growth pattern, flowering, fruiting and suitable maturity time to establish quality raw drug material used in Ayurvedic formulations. Research & Development of In-situ and Ex-situ Agro-Techniques of Medicinal plants to disseminate scientific information.
- To carry out experimental studies by using in-vitro methods on propagation of medicinal plants.
Demonstrative Cultivation of Medicinal Plants:
- To establish demonstrative gardens which act as ex-situ conservation sites and germplasm collections of medicinal plants for preservation of several rare, endangered and threatened species of respected geographical areas.
Botanical and Pharmacognostical Standardization:
- Development of quality standards and monographs for medicinal plant material used in single drug and compound formulations of Ayurveda.
- To provide testing services of excellence (NABL accredited & Drug Testing Labs) in raw drug authentication to plant cultivators, collectors, manufacturers, academicians and other stakeholders.
- To undertake research studies in the field of Ayurveda, to establish its effectiveness and its important role in public health.
Microbiology
- The microbial analysis of raw materials and finished Ayurvedic formulations to identify aflatoxins and other microbial contaminations to ensure the safety and efficacy of crude drugs/formulations.
CCRAS Peripheral Institutes involved with MPR Projects:
Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey Institutes: CARI, Jhansi; CARI, Guwahati; CARI, Bengaluru; RARI, Pune; RARI, Itanagar; RARI, Tarikhet; RARI, Mandi NARIP, Cheruthuruthy; RARI, Gangtok; RARC, Dimapur.
Demonstrative Cultivation of Medicinal Plants Institutes: CARI, Jhansi; RARI, Pune; RARI, Itanagar; RARI, Tarikhet; RARI, Jaipur (Mangliyawas).
In-vitro Propagation Techniques/Agro Techniques Institutes: RARI, Pune; CARI, Bengaluru; NARIP, Cheruthuruthy; RARI, Itanagar; CARI, Jhansi; RARI, Tarikhet.
Pharmacognostical Standardization Institutes: CARI, Jhansi; RARI, Gwalior; CARI, Kolkata; RARI, Pune; RARI, Jammu; CSMCARI, Chennai; CARI, Patiala.
Microbiology Institutes: CARI, Jhansi; CSMCARI, Chennai; CARI, Kolkata.
Achievements of MPR at glance:
1. Medico-Ethno Botanical Surveys (MEBS)
Initiated by CCRAS in 1969 through its 12 field Institutes. Since inception total 947 surveys conducted covering 964 number of Forest areas Herbarium prepared: 1,55,857; Museum specimen collected: 3860; New plant species recorded: 10. Currently MEBS is conducting in 10 CCRAS peripheral Institutes.
2. Pharmacognostical studies
CCRAS has taken up Pharmacognostical studies on more than 500 plants at seven laboratories of peripheral institutes. The outcomes of these Pharmacognostical studies documented in three volumes of the book entitled “Pharmacognosy of Indigenous Drugs, Vol. I, II & III” and ‘Quality standards of selected medicinal plants Vol- I’.
3. Agro-technique protocols developed
Total 35 Agro-technique protocols prepared for conservation of highly valued medicinal plants viz Aconitum heterophyllum Wall., Acorus calamus L., Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC., Digitalis purpurea L. etc.
4. In-Vitro Propagation
In vitro propagation studies conducted on 14 medicinal plants species.
5. Demonstrative Cultivation of Medicinal Plants
The demonstrative gardens are located at different climatic zones, viz., CARI, Jhansi, RARI Pune, RARI Itanagar, RARI, Ranikhet & MSRARI Jaipur (Mangliawas). In these gardens around 1100 medicinal plants are cultivated. Rising of saplings, hardening of medicinal plants and distribution for planting are the other activities undertaken.
List of Plants in CCRAS Demonstrative Gardens:
| S. No. | State and Zone | CCRAS Institute | Total land available with institute (acre) | Area under cultivation (acre) | Uncultivated area (acre) | Number of species maintained |
| 1. | Uttarakhand (North Zone) | RARI, Ranikhet | 04 | 03 | 01 | 177 including RET species |
| 2. | Uttarakhand (North Zone) | RARI, Ranikhet (Chamba New Tehri) | 01 | 01 | 00 | 100 including RET species |
| 3. | Uttar Pradesh (North Zone) | RARI, Jhansi | Block A- 15.5 Block B- 0.76 Block C- 29.3 Total- 45.56 | Block A- 10 (remaining building) Block C- 2 (Miyawaki) | 30.06 | 232 including RET species |
| 4. | Maharashtra (West Zone) | RARI, Pune | 19.5 | 19.5 | 00 | 382 including RET species |
| 5. | Arunachal Pradesh (N-E Zone) | RARI, Itanagar | 15 | 15 | 00 | 160 including RET species |
| 6 | Rajasthan | MSRARI, Jaipur (Mangliawas) | 142 | 46 | 96 | 60 including RET species |
| Total uncultivated area available for Development and Cultivation | 126.06 | |||||
6. Microbiology
Microbiology deals with the microbial analysis of raw drug materials and finished products received from Botany, Pharmacognosy, Chemistry and Pharmacy sections running at various CCRAS peripheral institutes.
7. Aushadha Aranyam
Aushadha Aranyam, new initiative by CCRAS for experimental “Development of Micro Forest of Medicinal Plants by using Miyawaki Method of the plantation” at RARI, Pune; CARI, Jhansi; RARI, Ranikhet; and CARI, Bengaluru. The approach is to develop forest of medicinal plants under controlled condition without Miyawaki method for comparison and to study the growth pattern of medicinal plant species grown under experimental trial and controlled condition as per standard protocol.
8. The study of seasonal variation
The study of useful ayurvedic medicinal plants in different seasons (Shishira, Vasant, Grishma, Varsha, Sharada, Hemanta)and documentation of best suitable procurement time of these drugs by using different pharmacognostical methods.
Hydroponic cultivation
The study to compare efficient cost-effective hydroponic systems for selected medicinal plant multiplication/ production of commercial biomass in a controlled environment, and to system. Establishment of selected medicinal plants under liquid in vitro culture and identification of suitable hydroponic study the influence of abiotic factors on final yield in terms of their metabolites in hydroponic systems for enhanced growth/biomass
8. Internationally Recognized Herbarium:
Herbarium at 08 CCRAS Peripheral Institutes recognised for INDEX HERBARIORUM by the New York Botanical Garden, USA with following acronyms:
Testing services provided: Taxonomic Identification
| S.No | Name of the Institutes | Herbarium acronym |
| 1 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute (RARI) Ranikhet. | RKT |
| 2 | Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI) Jhansi. | JHS |
| 3 | Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI) Bengaluru. | RRCBI |
| 4 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute (RARI) Itanagar. | ARRI |
| 5 | Central Ayurveda Research Institute (CARI) Guwahati. | NEHAR |
| 6 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute (RARI) Gangtok. | RARI |
| 7 | Regional Ayurveda Research Centre (RARC) Dimapur. | DMP |
| 8 | Regional Ayurveda Research Institute (RARI) Pune. | JNAMPGH |
9. Status of NABL
The following Botany & Pharmacognosy CCRAS institute laboratories has been accredited under NABL to caring out testing services.
Testing services provided:
- Taxonomic identification.
- Authentication of raw drug materials.
- Standardization of single and compound drug formulations.
Institutes Accredited:
| S. No | NABL Accredited | No. of Parameters |
| 1 | CSMCARI, Chennai | 12 |
| 2 | CARI, Jhansi | 07 |
| 3 | RARI, Pune | 04 |
| 4 | CARI, Kolkata | 07 |
| 5 | RARI, Gwalior | 03 |
Completed MPR IMR Research Projects:
| 1. | Medico-Botanical survey of Andaman and Nicobar Islands (selected areas). |
| 2. | Documentation of ethno-medicinal practices and remedial property of different plants used by the tribes of Kumaun region of Uttarakhand. |
| 3. | Market survey on selected crude drugs of India for their authentication and commercial availability. |
| 4. | Ethno-medicinal survey of plants used in various diseases by tribes of Thandarai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram District, Tamilnadu. |
| 5. | Digitization of Herbarium available in CCRAS. |
| 6. | Compendium of Ayurveda dietetics with reference to cereals and pulses. |
| 7. | Pictorial guide of commonly used medicinal plants of Sow Rigpa and Ayurveda |
| 8. | To establish the best procurement time for certain herbs by analyzing the seasonal variation in bioactive secondary metabolite with quantitative HPLC |
| 9. | Cultivation of High Valued Medicinal Plants in the Medicinal Plants Garden |
| 10. | Pharmacognostical evaluation of medicinal plants cited in Ayurvedic formulary of India excluding the plants mentioned in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India |
| 11. | Development of Raw drug Museum on Pratinidhidravyas along with adulterants used against medicinal plants in Ayurveda system |
| 12. | RAPD based DNA fingerprinting to understand genetic variations and phytochemical analysis of selected medicinal plants |
| 13. | Studies on development of agro techniques of two important medicinal plants of LaghuPanchmool |
| 14. | Selection of salt-tolerant cell lines and Regeneration of salt tolerant plantlets of Prishniparni (Uraria picta (Jacq.) Desv) and Shalaparni (Desmodium gangeticum (L.) Dc. |
| 15. | Development of Pharmacopoeial Standards of Traditionally Used Ayurvedic Formulations |
| 16. | Pharmacognostical Evaluation of Medicinal Plants cited in Ayurvedic Formulary of India excluding the plants mentioned in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India |
| 17. | Development of Data Bank on Ethno-botanical research and cross cultural study on sociology of reproductive health care of tribal societies involving medicinal plants across North East, India |
| 18. | Authentication of selected crude drugs through pharmacognostical evaluation collected from various markets of India |
| 19. | Developing Pharmacognostical Standards for some Ambiguous Ayurvedic Drugs (SandigdhaDravyas) Appearing in the Ayurvedic Formularies, Parts I to III |
| 20. | Exploration, acclimatization and in vitro propagation of medicinal plants being used under the name Agnimantha(RARI, Pune) |
| 21. | Development of in vitro and in vivo propagation protocol of two important medicinal plants used by the tribal (RARI, Pune) |
| 22. | Pharmacognostical Evaluation of Medicinal Plants cited in Ayurvedic Formulary of India excluding the plants mentioned in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, PART-II at CSMCARI, Chennai. |
| 23. | Pharmacognostical Evaluation of Medicinal Plants cited in Ayurvedic Formulary of India excluding the plants mentioned in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, PART-II (RARI, Pune) |
| 24. | Pharmacognostical Evaluation of Medicinal Plants cited in Ayurvedic Formulary of India excluding the plants mentioned in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, PART-II at CARI, Kolkata. |
| 25. | Pharmacognostical Evaluation of Medicinal Plants cited in Ayurvedic Formulary of India excluding the plants mentioned in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, PART-II (RARI, Gwalior) |
| 26. | Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey programme of Khasi Hills (North part) in Meghalaya |
| 27. | Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey programme of Rudrprayag/Kedarnath wild life forest divisions in Uttarakhand. |
| 28. | Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey programme of Gyalshing , Mangan , Namchi , Gangtok forest divisions of Sikkim. |
| 29. | Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey programme of Shahjahan Pur,Dhar, Jhabua, Pilibhit forest divisions . |
| 30. | Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey programme of Hasan & Yadgir Districts of Karnataka. |
| 31. | Medico Ethno-Botanical survey in the forest area of North and Unakoti districts of Tripua |
| 32. | Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey programme of Hoshangabad, Raisen, shajapur, Betul Forest divisions of Madhya Pradesh |
| 33. | Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey of unexplored pockets from Jawhar, Shahapur division of Thane Forest Circle of Maharashtra state |
| 34. | Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey programme of Almora forest division Uttarakhand |
| 35. | Survey programme of Jawhar, Shahapur division of thane Forest Circle of Maharashtra state |
| 36. | Digitization of Herbarium Sheets and Development of Digital Herbarium at Regional Ayurveda Research Institute, Jhansi. |
| 37. | Development of Micro Forest of medicinal plants by using Miyawaki method of plantation at RARI, Pune. |
| 38. | Development of Micro Forest of medicinal plants by using Miyawaki method of plantation at RARI, Tarikhet. |
| 39. | Development of Micro Forest of medicinal plants by using Miyawaki method of plantation at CARI, Jhansi. |
| 40. | Development of Micro Forest of medicinal plants by using Miyawaki method of plantation at CARI, Bengaluru. |
| 41. | Medico Ethno-Botanical survey in the forest areas of Senapati and Imphal West districts of Manipur state and preparation of Monographs at RARC, Dimapur. |
| 42. | Pharmacognostical evaluation of Medicinal Plants cited in Ayurvedic Formulary of India excluding the plants mentioned in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (Part-II) at CARI, Jhansi |
| 43. | To establish the best procurement time for certain herbs by analysing the seasonal variation in bioactive secondary metabolite with quantitative HPLC-Part-2. (Part-2) at CARI, Kolkata. |
| 44. | Photographic Atlas on Macro-Microscopic Characteristics of Medicinal Plants Listed in Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part-I, Volume – II at CSMCARI, Chennai |
| 45. | Anthology of Survey Research outcomes of Medico Ethno Botanical Survey (MEBS), CARI, Bengaluru. |
| 46. | Anthology of Survey Research Outcomes from Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey (MEBS), Central Ayurveda Research Institute CARI, Guwahati (Assam) |
| 47. | Anthology of Survey Research Outcomes from the Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey (MEBS), RARI, Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) |
| 48. | Mass cultivation of selected economically important medicinal plants at RARI, Itanagar |
| 49. | Medico Ethno Botanical Survey in the forest areas of Wayanad district of Kerala state Cheruthuruthy, NARIP, Cheruthuruthy |
| 50. | Anthology of survey research outcome from medico ethno botanical survey, RARI, Itanagar |
EMR NMPB Completed Project:
| 1. | Establishment of Herbal Garden and Nursery centre at CCRAS institutes funded by NMPB (RARI Itanagar, CARI Jhansi, CARI Kolkata, CARI Patiala (in the extension centre at GADVASU Ludhiana), CARI Bhubaneswar, RARI Trivendrum, NARIP Cheruthuruthy, CARI Bengaluru, and CARI Guwahati). |
Ongoing MPR IMR Research Projects
| 1. | Optimization of extraction process for the enrichment of extract with selected markers of some important Ayurvedic plants at CARI, Kolkata |
| 2. | Pharmacognostical and chemical profiling of selected Indian medicinal flowers at RARI, Jammu & CARI Kolkata |
| 3. | Anthology of pharmacognostical research outcomes of CCRAS on selected medicinal plants used in the Ayurveda at CCRAS hqrs. |
| 4. | Anthology of Survey Research outcomes from Medico -Ethno Botanical Survey (MEBS), RARI, Ranikhet (Uttarakhand) |
| 5. | Mass Cultivation of Selected Economically Important Medicinal Plants at RARI, Pune |
| 6. | Mass cultivation of the selected economically important medicinal plants at RARI, Ranikhet |
| 7. | Development and Digitalization of Authentic Ayurvedic Raw Drugs and Herbarium for the Medicinal Plants Appearing in Ayurvedic Formularies of India in Mandatory Drug Testing Laboratories of CCRAS, CSMCARI, Chennai |
| 8. | Digitalization and indexing of herbarium sheets at CARI Kolkata collected from 1970-2000, CARI Kolkata |
| 9. | “Medico Ethno Botanical Survey in the forest areas of Darjeeling district of West Bengal ” Gangtok, RARI, Gangtok |
| 10. | Anthology of Survey Research Outcome from Medico Ethno Botanical Survey (MEBS) Jhansi, CARI, Jhansi |
| 11. | Establishment of In vitro propagation protocol for the conservation of Hydnocarpus pentandrus (Buch.-Ham.) Oken, a Vulnerable medicinal plant used in Ayurvedic formulations, Pune, RARI,Pune |
| 12. | Developing Quality Standards for selected Extra-pharmacopoeial Drugs Collected from Irula tribes of Thandarai, Kancheepuram District, Tamilnadu, |
| 13. | Developing image-based taxonomical database of plants used in the Ayurveda. RARI, Pune |
| 14. | Development of Quality Standards of Selected Extra-pharmacopoeial Drugs (Anukta Dravyas) Used in Local Health Traditions Collected from Different Regions of India. RARI,Pune |
| 15. | Development of Quality Standards of Selected Extra-pharmacopoeial Drugs (AnuktaDravyas) Used in Local Health Traditions Collected from Different Regions of India. CARI,Kolkata |
| 16. | Development of Quality Standards of Selected Extra Pharmacopoeial (AnuktaDravya) Drugs used in Local Health Traditions collected from different regions of India. CSMCARI, Chennai |
| 17. | Development Of Quality Standards of Selected Extra-Pharmacopoeial Drugs (AnuktDravyas) Used in Local Health Traditions Collected from Different Regions of India.,RARI,Gwalior |
| 18. | Antibacterial Activity of selective Ayurveda formulations against Gastrointestinal infection, Respiratory infection and Urinary Tract Infection causing bacteria. CSMCARI, Chennai |
| 19. | Evaluation of antibacterial, anti-oxidant and immuno-modulatory properties of selected Ayurvedic formulations. Kolkata, CARI, Kolkata |
| 20. | To investigate the inhibitory effect of various medicinal plants used in ayurvedic system against dental caries causing micro-organisms. CARI, Jhansi |
| 21. | In vitro screening of plants/vegetables/fruits/herbs for their suitability as prebiotics. CARI, Jhansi |
| 22. | Comparative pharmacognostical and phytochemical standardization of commonly adulterating Ayurvedic drugs and adulterants, Kolkata, CARI, Kolkata |
| 23. | Comprehensive inventory of local health traditions (LHTS) & ethno medicinal practices (EMPS) in INDIA – validation through ayurvedic and ethno medicinal literature to establish uniqueness. NIIMH, Hyderabad. |
| 24. | Documentation and Validation of Local Health Traditions and Ethno medicinal practices in Sunderbani block of District Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir. RARI Jammu |
| 25. | Documentation and Validation of Local Health Traditions and Ethno-Medicinal practices in Lahul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh. RARI Mandi |
| 26. | Documentation of wild edible and medicinal plants commercialized at local market in Papum Pare and lower Lower Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh. RARI Itanagar |
| 27. | Investigating the effect of Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (V AM) on growth, yield, phytochemical contents pharmacological activities of Shalaparni and Prishniparni. RARI Pune |
| 28. | Macroscopic and rnicroscopic atlas preparation for Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India Part -I, Vol-IV. RARI Gwalior |
| 29. | “Identification of potent anti-microbial compounds from medicinal plants against multi-drug resistant ESKAPE(E)bacteria isolated from different water sources in and around Jhansi district.” CARI Jhansi |
| 30. | Screening of fungal isolates associated with mycotoxin/aflatoxin production from various herbal/plants based raw materials/formulations. CARI Jhansi |
| 31. | Development of Quality Standards for Useful Parts of Selected Medicinal Plants of Ayurveda. CARI, Jhansi |
| 32. | Development of Quality Standards for Useful Parts of Selected Medicinal Plants of Ayurveda. RARI, Gwalior |
| 33. | Development of Quality Standards for Useful Parts of Selected Medicinal Plants of Ayurveda. CARI, Kolkata |
| 34. | Development of Quality Standards for Useful Parts of Selected Medicinal Plants of Ayurveda. CSMCARI, Chennai |
| 35. | Documentation of traditional food recipes and ethno medicinal values among the Muthuvan tribes of Idukki, Kerala |
| 36. | Medico Ethno Botanical Survey in the forest division of Thiruvananthapuram district. |
| 37. | Documentation and availability study of wild edible plants of Lower Assam CARI Guwahathi |
Ongoing NMPB Projects:
| 1. | Establishment of National Raw Drug Repository (NRDR) at CARI, Jhansi. |
| 2. | Critical appraisal and validation of Local Health Traditions (LHTs), Oral Health Traditions (OHTs) and Ethno Medicinal Practices (EMPs): An inclusive study among Ethnic communities of Northeast India |
Ongoing MPR Collaborative Research Projects:
| 1. | Plant Diversity Database of Selected Ayurvedic Medicinal Plant Species from Medicinal Plants Garden of RARI, Pune, JNU, CARI Jhansi |
| 2. | Characterization of important Ayurvedic medicinal plants through DNA barcoding. CARI Jhansi, IARI New Delhi |
| 3. | Identification of adulterants/substitutes for Ayurveda plant raw material in trade using pharmacognostic and phytochemical parameters. CARI, Jhansi and NBRI Lucknow |
| 4. | A comparative study on hydroponic and field cultivated medicinal plants used in Ayurveda. CARI, Jhansi and BHU Varanasi |
| 5. | Comparative evaluation of field and hydroponic cultivation of selected Ayurvedic medicinal plants. CARI Bengaluru and IIHR Bengluru |
| 6. | Study of seasonal variation on bioactive compounds of Panchavalkal-05 medicinal plants used in Ayurveda. CARI, Bengaluru and UAS-B, GKVK |
| 7. | In vitro propagation and genetic stability studies of Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq. -a Rare medicinal plant. NARIP Cheruthuruthy and SNGS College Pattambi |
| 8. | Documentation of Traditional Food Recipes of Karnataka and their Validation with Ayurveda and Nutritional Perspective, TDU University; CARI, Bengaluru |
| 9. | Development of SOPs for the preparation of Ayurveda recipes and nutritional evaluation of selected products CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru; CARI, Bengaluru |
| 10. | Standardization the cultivation and seed germination conditions of Centratherum anthelminticum (L.) Kuntze. RARI Port Blair; ICAR-CIARI, Port Blair |