SHILLONG: The rampant destruction of forest land has had an adverse impact on the biodiversity thereby increasing the risk of survival of medicinal plants which are widely found in the state.
“Almost 50 per cent of these medicinal plants are on the verge of extinction due to human selfishness”, traditional practitioner from Jowai, Jaintia Hills district Dr H Carehome Pakyntein (DMHS) said.
He said there are a variety of medicinal plants in different parts of Jaintia Hills but they are about to get wiped out from the face of the earth due to the ongoing destruction of forest and environment.
”There is a need to create awareness to make both government and people aware on the importance of forests and preserving of the medicinal herbs that exist”, he said.
It is learnt that Dr Pakyntein has submitted up to 16 herbs to an institute at Chennai for the scientists to conduct a research on them. “Pattern of the medicinal herbs is important so that these herbs can be preserved besides promoting traditional medicines”, he added.
Further, the Sri Ramachandran Medical University and Research Centre Porur, Chennai, Karpagam University and Karunya University of Coimbatore have invited Dr Pakyntien to share his findings with the scientists and pharmaceutists on March 19 and 20.
Pakyntein, a traditional practitioner since 1989 said that these medicinal plans have the ability to cure even the dreaded diseases including ‘Cancer’, ‘tuberculosis’, ‘tumor’.
Pakyntein’s achievement and contribution has also been recognized by reputed universities and research centres across the country. “The paper presentation will stress on the impact of the medicinal plants on Cancer, Tumor and skin diseases”, he added.