The Uses and Threats of Indian Medicinal Plants - A Review

India is a mega diversity country, contains approximately 45000 plant species. Among them 7000 medicinal plants are found. From 5000 years back to till now plant has been used as medicine. Information about the plants used as drug are also available in Charka Samhita, AtharvaVeda, Sushruta Samhita etc. The therapeutic properties of medicinal plant are conditioned by the presence of active substance like alkaloid, glycosides, vitamin, tanin and coumarin which physiologically effect the bodies of human and other animals. Medicinal plant can be used for wound healing, anti-diabetic and antifertility. In developing country there is an increase attempt to incorporate traditional medicine in health care. Now medicinal plants are under threat of extinction due to overgrazing, deforestation, urbanization, heavy metal pollution and their reckless use. Therefore enrichment of the gene bank of this medicinally important plant is urgently needed before they are lost from the world.