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A Hand Book of Medicinal Plants of Nepal

Authors : T. Watanabe, K.K. Rajbhandari, K.J. Malla and S. Yahara
Publisher : Kobfa Publishing Project, Bangkok, Thailand
Price : NRs. 2200/-
Pages : 262
Year of  Publication : 2005
ISBN : 974-7799-58-8

Some of  the oldest known medicinal systems of  the world such as
Ayurveda of  the Indus civilization, Arabian medicine of  Mesopotamia,
Chinese and Tibetan medicine of  the Yellow River civilization of  China
and Kempo of  the Japanese are all based mostly on plants. Interestingly,
Allopathy-today’s most familiar medical system which is primarily based
on synthetic chemicals for medication, has these days, shown greater
interest in using chemicals derived from plants. This explains how
important is, and will remain the medicinal use of  plants for the mankind.

The central Himalaya is a huge repository of  such medicinal plants. Nepal
for being located at this portion of  the Himalaya, has always remained a
place of  great interest to the botanists and phytochemists involved in researching medicinal herbs. It would
be a matter of  great surprise for the readers to know that the first botanical exploration was done in Nepal
in 1802/3 AD by a medicinal practitioner Mr. Buchanan Hamilton. This was followed by Mr. N. Wallich in
1820/2 1. Both of  these had brief  ethnobotanical notes, which were recorded by D. Don and Wallich
himself. Since then workers from all around the world are actively involved in researching medicinal uses of
plants from the Nepal Himalaya. Many drugs have been formulated, marketed, and patented. The Japanese
are among those who have not only contributed to the medico-botany of  Nepal, but also other areas of
botanical science. Of  the expected 7000 species of  flowering plant in Nepal, 10 percent are reported to be
medicinal. Proper documentation of  this resource would mean a great contribution to Nepal’s meteria
medica. The present Hand Book is one such contribution.

Amongst the four authors of  this Handbook, Dr. Takashi Watanabe--the first author, had served the then
Department of  Medicinal Plants (now Department of  Plant Resources) as a Japanese volunteer during the
’80s. After completion of  his Ph.D in Pharmacy from Kitasato University, Tokyo, he continued to work in
medicinal plants of  Nepal. With the help of  two sincere and renowned botanists of  the Department, namely
Dr. K.K. Rajbhandary and Mr. K.J. Malla, along with an experienced phyto-chemist-Dr. S. Yahara (Associate
Professor of  Kumamoto University), Dr. Watanabe might have found medicinal plants a better topic for
writing a book. This is undoubtedly a welcoming step.

The book contains systematic account of  108 naturally occurring medicinal plants of  Nepal. The text of
each plant is divided into two major portions: the first devoted to distribution, illustration, botanical description,
useful parts and medicinal uses of  plants. And the second but more important is the inclusion of  chemical
constituents of  the plants used in medicine. The work is thus of  a too comprehensive character for one
author to complete. Hence, it is none other than a result of  a successful team effort of  pertinent disciplines.

I have no idea who amongst the team, has originally designed the book, but I am glad to see a team of
professionals--two Nepali botanists and the same number of  Japanese pharmacists have produced such a
tremendous work. The work, which seems to be originally designed to serve more specifically for the botanists
and phyto-chernists, will help uplift our understanding on Nepali medicinal plants thereby serving the mankind.
No wonder that serious readers and libraries will find it as a valuable reference material.

Dr. Sushim Ranjan Baral
Dept. of  Forest Research & Survey

Banko Janakari, Vol. 15, No. 2 Book Review