5 Jul 2007 Maharashtra, India, Indian Sub-continent Plants
Conservation and Promotion of Endangered Medicinal Plant Species from Western Ghats of India
This project aims at developing an appropriate strategy for mass cultivation of endangered Nothapodytes nimmoniana for its conservation.
Nothapodytes nimmoniana (Grah.) Mabb. is an endangered medicinal tree from Western Ghats of India. It yields Camptothecin (CPT), an anti-cancer alkaloid and is the most convenient source for large-scale production of CPT.
Because of destructive harvesting, habitat loss, the population of this species has declined 50-80%. In view of the mounting demand and perceived threat to the native populations, the project addresses various issues of domestication of the said species.