Medicinal plant wealth of Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is known for its rich biodiversity. Highly diversified altitudinal gradients of the state of Himachal Pradesh, varying from 350 m a.m.s.l to above 2500 m a.m.s.l, and different agro-climatic conditions has bestowed it with rich wealth of medicinal plants, including few rare and endemic ones. These plants growing at stressful environmental conditions produce secondary metabolites which possess remarkable therapeutic potential. There is an increasing demand for green drugs in the national and international market and the high pressure on medicinal plants is risking their biodiversity. These high-value medicinal plants are source of many potent commercially available drugs which are being used to cure different ailments. Thus a comprehensive documentation of information related to biodiversity of H.P. along with the medicinal properties will help to guide future biodiversity conservation, policy decisions and research priorities.