Page 15 - Medicinal Plants_PharmD general

Disadvantages of relying on wild growing medicinal plants:

1. Wild medicinal plants usually grow and spread in a wide ulimited area.
2. Collection and transportation of wild medicinal plants are usually

difficult as they mostly grow in remote areas such as deserts and forests.
3. Continous extensive collection of wild medicinal plants can lead to

considerable to deficiency or even extinction of the plant.
4. The collected amount of wild medicinal plants can be insufficient for

market needs.
5. Collection of medicinal plants from wild source can lead to adulteration.

However, several factors affect cultivation and must be taken in
consideration. These factors include the following:

1. Altitude

Altitude is a very important factor in cultivation of medicinal plants.
For example: Tea, cinchona and eucalyptus are cultivated favourably
at an altitude of 1,000–2,000 metres. Cinnamon and cardamom are
grown at a height of 500–1000 metres, while senna can be cultivated
at sea level.

2. Temperature

Temperature is a crucial factor controlling the growth, metabolism and
there by the yield of secondary metabolites of plants. Even though
each species has become adapted to its own natural environment, they
are able to exist in a considerable range of temperature. Many plants
will grow better in temperate regions during summer, but they lack in
resistance to withstand frost in winter. For example: Cinchona is
cultivated favourably at a temperature of 15–25 °C. Tea is grown at a
temperature of 22–32 °C, while cardamom needs a temperature of 10–
37 °C.

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