Coptis Teeta: Conservation and Cultivation Practice - A Rare Medicinal Plant on Earth

Dhiman Mukherjee*¹ and Soumendra Chakraborty²

Received: April 24, 2019;   Published: May 01, 2019

DOI: 10.32474/CIACR.2019.06.000244

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Abstract

According to variation of climatic zones, medicinal plants vary for their occurrence in different hills. Some of the medicinal plants are distributed in high potential whereas certain others go on depleting from their natural habitat and leads to extinction such as Coptis teeta. This depletion is due to high pressure for their unsystematic exploitation through shifting cultivation expansion of urbanization, agricultural land and road development as well as some natural calamities like land sliding, etc. Cultivation of medicinal plants in the region have also been undertaken in large scale for acclimatization of plants growing in one part to other part accordingly. The present study was made for the cultivation and acclimatization of Coptis teeta in Darjeeling himalaya. This was possible through ex-situ conservation as well as undertaking cultivation by the local inhabitants in their own or community lands. This plant is bitter, cooling and a potent bacterostatic herb. The dried rhizomes of this plant contains major active compounds berberine and coptine and used as antidiabetic, bitter tonic, carminative, expectorant, febrifuge, ophthalmic and stomachic. The present study was conducted from September, 2009 to August, 2012 under the aegis of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalay, Kalimpong, with a objective of cultivation and characterization of Coptis teeta in Darjeeling hills Our focus on present study was mostly confined to Lava (2200 m asl) region of Darjeeling. Our observation revealed that, this prefer sandy loam soil, high in organic carbon (0.73 to 1.03 %), available N (231.95 to 299.16 kg/ha), P2O5 (17.11 to 22.11 kg/ha) and K2O (186.19 to 273.11 kg/ha) content with pH 4.5 to 5.6. It is propagated by rhizomes and seeds. This was a small, stemless perennial evergreen herbs. Rhizome oblique to horizontal with persistent fibrous roots, bitter, yellowish brown externally, golden-yellow internally. Plant height vary from 10 to 18 cm. Petiole length differ from 7 to 14 cm, and its depend on growing condition of plant. Rhizome length (2.1 to 4.9 cm) and its weight (4.3 to 8.9 g) depend on duration of crop. Leaves 4.5 – 9.3 cm long, lamina 3-lobed, pinnatifid and glabrous. Flower initiation and flowering period confined to mid of February to April, however it vary with land topographical situation.

Keywords: Cultivation; Conservation; Eastern Himalaya; Endangered Plant

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