As specimens, the encyclopaedic profiles of Moringa oleifera and of species of Momordica are given as Appendices 30 and 31, respectively.

STATUS ARTICLES AND BOOKLETS

During the course of research work, certain issues that are not a part of the main theme of the work crop up. When these issues are important, they cannot be ignored. From such situations, the following publications arose:

1. Underutilised and unutilised plants in Karnataka (Kameswara Rao and Sangeetaa, 1993a)

2. Alternate sweeteners (Kameswara Rao and Sangeetaa, 1993b)

3. Ayurveda parichaya (Sathnarayana Bhat and Kameswara Rao, 1993a)

4. Bharathiya visha vaidya (Sathyanarayana Bhat and Kameswara Rao, 1993b)

5. Deerghajeevaneeya moolika vignana (Sathyanarayana Bhat and Kameswara Rao, 1993c)

6. Rasa vaidya (Sathyanarayana Bhat and Kameswara Rao, 1993d)

7. Siddha vaidya parichaya (Sathyanarayana Bhat and Kameswara Rao, 1993e)

8. Unaani vaidya parichaya (Sathyanarayana Bhat and Kameswara Rao, 1993f)

DOCUMENTATION

Current research practices demand appropriate documentation of research work, in addition to the reports, publications, and the like.

Herbarium specimens of plants, prepared as per the accepted taxonomical practices and properly labelled samples of crude drugs (parts of plants used as medicine, such as leaves, bark, roots, fruits, seeds, etc.,) constitute what is called ‘voucher specimens’, an important aspect of documentation for medicinal plants. As in plant taxonomy and botanical research, voucher specimens are the only means of verifying the authenticity of the identification of plants in question, at any given time.

Growing live plants in a garden is quite useful, but it is a difficult and expensive activity, and does not constitute a permanent record.

Colour photographs of whole plants, their various parts, and taken at different stages of their life cycle, are an excellent means of conveying the various features of the medicinal plants and now form an important means of communication. Our databases and encyclopaedic profiles are well supported by photographic documentation.

Basing on our experience and that of the others, the following guidelines are suggested for collection of material of medicinal plants for research purposes:

a) Collect only those species that are in abundance, and only in quantities adequate for your work and not in excess.

b) Collecting rare species is unethical and also the material would be inadequate for the completion of your work.

c) Handle the collected plants with great care.

d) Do not mix up collections of different species even if they are easily identified and separated.

Even small quantities of mixed up material can contaminate material for chemical analysis.

e) Take care to see that no material of the other plants growing along with the species you need, comes into the collection.

f) Dry the plants as soon as possible after collection.

g) Arrange the material (leaves, flowers, fruits, etc.) in thin layers and dry the plants in shade, in a place with good circulation of air.

h) Aromatic plants should not be dried by artificial heat of more than 35o C. The temperature for other species should not be greater than 50o C. Higher temperatures are not suitable for a large number of species.

i) If the drug required is not the whole plant, the part needed (roots, root bark, stem, stem bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, etc.) should be separated, cleaned in cold water, and dried. Before drying, cut the material into small bits and pieces. Thick roots and stems should be slit longitudinally.

j) The dried drugs should be stored in clean and dry glass containers so far as possible. Wooden chests, metal boxes or cloth sacks may also be used. Aromatic drugs should be stored in glass or metal containers only, and never in plastic containers or cloth sacks. All material should be used as soon as possible or stored in a refrigerator, preferably in a desiccator (cool and dry), till used. The better way is to store in a deep freezer.