1. Medicinal Plants of Sikkim Himalaya
National Institute of Technology
Government of India
Ravongla, South Sikkim
Lecture presentation by: Shri. Laydong Lepcha, Information Officer
Bioinformatics Centre, SSCS&T

2. PLANTS INEVITABLE ATTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS MEDICAL SCIENCE:
Almost all Medicines (Allopathic etc) are the products of medicinal plants.
25% of the preserved human medicine are derived from plants.
Among plants of economic importance Medicinal and Aromatic plants have played a inevitable.
Vital role in alleviating human sufferings (Baquar, 2001). Baquar S. R (2001) Textbook of Economic Botany (Ist Edition) Published in Pakistan by Ferozsons (Pvt) Ltd., Lahore
Plants are utilized as therapeutic agents since time immemorial in both organized (Ayurveda, Unani) and unorganized (folk, tribal, native) form (Girach et al 2003).

3. An impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated or derived from natural sources, based on their use in traditional medicine (Cragg and Newman, 2001)
Plants have formed a basis for traditional medicine systems that have been used for thousands of years in countries with ancient civilizations such as China (Chang and But 1986), India (Kapoor, 1990) and Thailand (Subchareon 1998).
Plant-based systems continue to play an essential role in healthcare and it has been estimated by the WHO that approximately 80% of the world’s inhabitants rely mainly on traditional medicine for their primary healthcare (Farnsworth et al. 1985).
119 chemical substances derived from 90 plant species can be considered as
important drugs currently in use in one or more countries (Farnsworth et al. 1985).

4. Some important BIOACTIVITIES need to be understand:
Cholagogue = An agent which promotes the discharge of bile from the gall bladder into the duodenum.
Emetic = Causing vomiting.
Therapeutic = Process Relating to the healing of disease
Rheumatism = Any disease marked by inflammation and pain in the joints, muscles, or fibrous tissue.
Tonic = A medicinal substance taken to give a feeling of vigor or well-being.
Spasm = A sudden involuntary muscular contraction or convulsive movement.
Cholera = An infectious and often fatal bacterial disease of the small intestine,caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.
Palpitation = A noticeably rapid, strong, or irregular heartbeat due to agitation, exertion, or illness.

5. Anthelmintic = Agent (drugs) that expel parasitic worms (helminths)
Astringent = A substance that causes the contraction of body tissues, typically used to reduce bleeding from minor abrasions.
Bitter = Having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet.
Laxative = A food or drug that stimulates evacuation of the bowels (via loose motion).
Dropsy = Swelling from excessive accumulation of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or serous cavities.
Dyspepsia = Painful, difficult, or disturbed digestion, which may be accompanied by symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, heartburn.
Melancholia = Depression. A mental condition marked by persistent depression and ill-founded fears.
Sciatica = Pain affecting the back, hip, and outer side of the leg, caused by compression of a spinal nerve root in the lower back.
Haemorrhage = Bleeding: the flow of blood from a ruptured blood vessel.

6. Ethnotraditional plants of Sikkim:
There are about 400 species of medicinal plants.
420 medicinal valued plants (Ashok Kumar Panda, Medicinal plants of Sikkim in Ayurvedic practice, Regional Research Institute(Ay), Tadong, Gangtok(Sikkim).
200 medicinal plants
(Bioinformatics Centre,SSCST)

7. Some of the major medicinal species of Sikkim
Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex. Royle
Nardostachys jatamansi DC.
Bergenia ciliata Sternb
Swertia chirata Buch-Ham
Picrorhiza kurooa Royles ex Benth.

8. Scientific Name : Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex
Scientific Name : Aconitum heterophyllum Wall. ex. Royle Local Name : Bikh, Atish (Nep) Family : Ranunculaceae There are about 24 species of aconites in the Himalayan region Out of which the best known species is Aconitum hetrophyllum.

9. Habitat. : A herb 0. 3-1. 2 m tall. Grown in open grassy slopes
Habitat : A herb m tall. Grown in open grassy slopes and Rhododendron shrubs of sub alpine and alpine Himalaya.
Distribution : Distributed in sub- alpine and alpine Himalaya between 2, m and also from Indus to Kumoan at the height of ft.
In Sikkim : Memenchu Lake, Tamjay, Kyongnosla, Thangu, Green Lake Dzongri, Nathang, Lachung, and Lachen.

10. Morphological. : A herb 0. 3 - 1. 2 m tall. Roots biennial
Morphological : A herb m tall. Roots biennial tuberous, paired, whitish or green. Leaves ovate- cordate to rounded, the upper ones clasp the stem.
Lowest leaves deeply lobed and long stalked.
Flowers bright blue usually in lax spike like cluster with very variable bracts greenish purple conspicuously dark veined.
Follicles 5, mm long, shortly hairy erect.Seeds obpyramidal, blackish brown.
Parts used : Roots

11. Phytochemistry. : Four new diterpenoid alkaloids- 15
Phytochemistry : Four new diterpenoid alkaloids deacetylvakognavine, palmadine, palmasine and acetylheteravisine isolated along with vakognavine, heteravisine, isoatisine and hitidine, structures of new compounds elucidated (Tetrahedron Lett ,29,1875).
Medicinal : Tuber extract is medicinally used for high fever and stomach troubles and the root like quinine is intensely bitter, used in combination with long pepper for
vomiting, diarrhoea and bowel complaints. Externally it is used as an application for rheumatism, sharp cuts and wounds. It is also used as a tonic.

12. Scientific Name : Nardostachys jatamansi DC
Scientific Name : Nardostachys jatamansi DC. Local Name : Jatamasi (Nep) Family : Valerianaceae

13. Habitat : It is an aromatic perennial herb grows at heights up to m in the eastern Himalayas in Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim.
Distribution : It is widely grown in the alpine zones of central and eastern Himalayas.
In Sikkim : Kupup, Nathang, Tamsay, Kyongnosla- Tamsay, Changu- Tamsay, Kisheong, Baba Mandir, Thongu-Green lake,Dzongri.
Morphological : Perennial herb up to 60 cm tall, with long woody rootstock. Rhizomes thick, dark grey, crowned with reddish brown tufted,fibrous remains of petioles of radical leaves. Leaves elliptic- lenceolate or spathulate. Flowers rose-purple to whitish in dense heads borne in terminal clusters, sepal coloured, 5- lobed; petal 5, rounded. Fruit obovate flattened. Seeds obovate, compressed.
Parts used : Rhizomes and root.

14. Phytochemistry. : Revised structure of nardostachone (Tetrahedron Lett
Phytochemistry : Revised structure of nardostachone (Tetrahedron Lett. 1970, 413); structure of jatasmansic acid (Arch. Pharm.1974, 307, 791; Chem. Abstr. 1975, 82, 4423f); seychellende and seychelane isolated; seychalane found to be mixture of two epimers (Indian J.Chem. 1974, 12, 1221; phytochemistry , 15, 224); norseychelanone patchoili alcohol and K and - patchoulenes isolated from roots.
(Phytochemistry 1976,15, 224); actinidine isolated from rhizomes (Shoyakugaku Zasshi 1978, 32, 121, Chem. Abstr , 90, 51471v).
It has been recorded that plant has a host of
pharmacognostical properties such as myocardial infarction, antispasmodic, laxative
Medicinal : Acting as the popular valerian, it is administered as a stimulant and an anti-spasmodic in hysteria and epilepsy. The dried root is used in epileptic bits, cholera, palpitation and also during hair loss.

15. Scientific Name : Bergenia ciliata Sternb Local Name : Pakhanbeth (Nep) Family : Saxifragaceae

16. Habitat : Found on rocks, ledges and cliffs.
Distribution : Distributed to temperate and sub -alpine region.
In Sikkim : Kyongnosla, Changu, Karponanag, Lachen to Thongu,
Nathang,Prekchu -Tsokha, Pangolakha- Subaney Dara, Gangtok (domesticated).
Morphological :Leaves sub orbicular or broadly obovate, 15x4-14 cm, rounded at base and apex, margin finely denticulate and densely ciliate, leaves otherwise glaborous. Flowers 1–20; calyx 7–12 mm,green, lobes acute, denticulate near apex; petals obovate, x mm, white tinged pink; stamens mm.
Parts used : Root
Phytochemistry :
Medicinal : Used in fever, pulmonary infections, diarrhoea and scurvy. Decoction of the root is made and taken orally.

17. Scientific Name : Swertia chirata Buch-Ham Local Name : Chirata (Nep), Rungkyon (Lep) Family : Gentianaceae

18. Habitat. : It is a branched robust annual or perennial herb up to 1
Habitat : It is a branched robust annual or perennial herb up to 1.5 m tall. The plant grows wild in temperate region. The plant is found generally at cool and humid areas.
Distribution : Distributed in temperate-sub alpine region.
In Sikkim : Chungthang, Dentam, Pemayantse, Kyongnosla, Rabong, Bakhim to Tsokha, Karponang, 6th mile (East Sikkim), Lachung-Sarchok, Nathang, Phadamchen, Dzongu.
Morphological : Erect herb; up to 1.5 m tall. Roots 5-10 cm long, light brown, somewhat twisted and gradually tapering. Stems more or less 4-sided. Leaves opposite, broadly lanceolate, acute. Corymbose cymes. Flowers greenish-yellow tinged with purple in. Capsules sessile, oblong, many sided.
Seeds smooth many angled.
Parts used : Whole plant.

19. Phytochemistry : Isolation and structure determination of a new dimeric xanthone-chiratanin; a new triterpene- swertanone isolated from aerial parts and its structure elucidated.
Medicinal : Used as powder, infusion or as an extract, antidiarrhoeal, antimalarial, anthelmintic, astringent, bitter. Laxative, stomachic and tonic used as a special remedy for franchial asthma and liver disorders; beneficial in cough, dropsy, dyspepsia, melancholia, sciatica and skin diseases; given with sandal wood paste to stop internal haemorrhage in the stomach.
Ethnotraditional : The decoction of whole dried plant (around ml) taken daily in the morning before taking breakfast could be the good remedies against high fever, cough and malarial fever (Project Report 1999, Common System).
The root extract taken daily in the morning in an empty stomach to keep fit and healthy. The juice of fresh plants or infusion of dry plants is prescribed as blood purifier in skin diseases, bitter tonic for fevers and indigestion. The infusion prepared from chirayita. Dried peels of orange and lemon and alcohol (25%) by maceration official in I.P and its 0 dose is 2 to 4 ml.

20. Scientific Name : Picrorhiza kurooa Royle ex Benth
Scientific Name : Picrorhiza kurooa Royle ex Benth. Local Name : Kutki (Nep) Family : Scrophulariaceae

21. Habitat : A Perennial, hairy herb in rocky slopes of alpine Himalaya.
Distribution : Distributed in alpine Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim at the height of m.
In Sikkim :Thansing, Muguthang, Dzongri ( m), Kupup, Changu, Baba Mandir, Memenchu, Jalepla, Pangolakha, Lhonak valley, Yumay-Samdong, Kishong, Yumthang and above.
Morphological : A hairy perennial herb with up to 0.5 cm thick rootstock covered with the base of the withered leaves. Leaves almost radical, spathulate, base narrowed into winged sheathing petiole. Flowers white or blue, flowering stem longer than the leaves. Spike 5-10 cm long sub-cylindric, many flowered. Capsule is about 1cm long and egg shaped.
Parts used : Roots and rhizome

22. Phytochemistry. : Structure of kutkin isolated from roots; apocynin
Phytochemistry : Structure of kutkin isolated from roots; apocynin (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyacetophenone) isolated a new iridoid glucoside- picroside I- isolted and characterized as 6'- O- trans- cinnamoyl- catalpol; crystalline kutkin shown to be a stable mixed crystal of picroside I and a new glucoside- kutkoside; structure of latter elucidated as vanilloylcatapol; a new iridoid glucoside- picroside II-isolated and characterized as 6-vanniloylcatapol; picrosdie III isolated and characterized as 6’ -(4- hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamoyl) catapol.
Medicinal : The roots of the plant is bitter in taste and the dried roots are used orally in malaria. The roots are used as bitter tonic, cathartic, stomachic, given in fever, dyspepsia, as strong purgative and also applied in scorpion and other insect bites.

23. Scientific Name : Podophyllum hexandrum Royal Local Name : Panchpatey Family : Podophylaceae

24. Habitat : It grows at the lower alpine regions and has been in medicinal usage since ancient days. Now the plant has been
experimentally cultivated at higher altitudes between w3000m amsl (Ashok kumar Panda, Medicinal Plants of Sikkim Ayurvedic practice, Regional Research Institute, Tadong).
Medicinal : The roots are used as emetic (Vomiting), cholagogue (promotes the discharge of bile), blood purifier,purgative and alterative. It is considered as a cardiac tonic in small doses. It also finds use as a stimulant in peristalsis, allergy and skin inflammations.

26. Latest Journal Publications on Medicinal plants
of Sikkim (2011 and 2012):
L. Lepcha1*, S. Guha Roy2, A. Sarkar3, B. C. Basistha4, M. L.
Arrawatia (2011). Documentation of Medicinally Important Plants from the Landslide Prone Areas of East Sikkim, India: A Survey Report. Journal of Phytology 2011, 3(7): ISSN:
Laydong Lepcha*, B.C. Basistha, K.B. Subba, Rajdeep Gurung,
N.P. Sharma. A reckon on the conservation and sustainability of Abroma augusta Linn of Sikkim Himalaya (2012). Journal of Medical Science and Research (Accepted).

27. THANK YOU!