Endangered Medicinal Plants, an Introduction

1. List of Some of the Most Endangered Medicinal Plants Worldwide

  • Siphonochilus aethiopicus (African ginger)
    Native to sub‑Saharan Africa—woodland, wooded grassland, bushland. Critically endangered due to over-harvesting.  

  • Angelica glauca (Himalayan angelica)
    Found in eastern Afghanistan, western Himalayas, western Tibet. Grows in cool, moist, high-altitude grasslands, forest edges, streambanks (~2,000 m+). Endangered from overharvesting and habitat loss.  

  • Rauvolfia micrantha (small-flowered snakeroot)
    Endemic to the evergreen forests of southern Western Ghats, India (Kerala and Tamil Nadu). Grows in narrow semi-evergreen/evergreen forests. Critically endangered due to habitat fragmentation and narrow niche.  

  • Taxus wallichiana (Himalayan yew)
    Grows in montane temperate to tropical submontane forests across the Himalayas (900–3,700 m). Used in traditional medicine and source of taxol precursors. Endangered due to heavy bark and leaf harvesting.  

  • Picrorhiza kurroa (Kutki)
    Native to Himalayan regions (Ladakh–Sikkim; Nepal), at ~2,700–4,800 m. Loss of wild populations due to overharvesting.  

  • Dolomiaea costus (Saussurea lappa, Kushta)
    Native to Kashmir Himalaya, found in markets across India. Grows in alpine or subalpine habitats. Critically endangered due to over-exploitation, illegal trade, habitat degradation.  

  • Gentiana kurroo, Lilium polyphyllum, Nardostachys jatamansi, Aconitum heterophyllum, Podophyllum hexandrum, Paris polyphylla
    These are high-altitude Himalayan species being reintroduced in Uttarakhand, India. Habitats are alpine meadows and fragile mountain ecosystems. Critically endangered or vulnerable due to overexploitation, climate change, and low regeneration.  

  • Actaea racemosa (Black Cohosh)
    Native to North America, woodland understories. Belonging to United Plant Savers “At‑Risk” list; overharvesting and habitat loss are primary threats.  

  • Hydrastis canadensis (Goldenseal)
    Native to eastern North America, rich forest soils. On “At‑Risk” list due to overharvesting.  

  • Panax quinquefolius (American Ginseng)
    Found in eastern North American forests. “At‑Risk” due to high demand and over-collection.  

  • Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)
    Woodlands of North America; “At‑Risk” from wild harvesting.  

  • Caulophyllum thalictroides (Blue Cohosh)
    North American forests; “At‑Risk” from over-harvesting.  

  • Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple)
    Eastern North American woodlands; sensitive due to popularity and habitat fragmentation. “At‑Risk.”  

  • Aletris farinosa (True Unicorn)
    Wetland and grassland habitats in North America; threatened by habitat loss. “At‑Risk.”  

This list is not exhaustive, but gives a sense of geographic and ecological diversity among endangered medicinal plants.

2. Restoration Challenges, Global Impact, and Effective Support

A. General Challenges in Restoration

  • Overharvesting & unsustainable wild collection depletes populations faster than they can regenerate (e.g., Himalayan yew, African ginger).  

  • Habitat loss and fragmentation, from agricultural expansion, logging, development, road-building (Dolomiaea costus, Angelica glauca).  

  • Low natural regeneration rates, especially in high-altitude or niche species (Aconitum heterophyllum and others in Uttarakhand).  

  • Climate change impacts cold-adapted species through shifts in temperature and precipitation patterns.  

  • Loss of genetic diversity—small fragmented populations are vulnerable to disease, low fertility, and reduced resilience.  

  • Cultivation limitations and local dependence on wild harvest—many plants lack established cultivation protocols, or wild specimens are preferred for potency (e.g., African ginger).  

B. What the Loss Means for the World

  • Loss of medicinal knowledge—traditional healing systems (Ayurveda, Tibetan, indigenous) rely on these species; biodiversity loss erodes cultural heritage.  

  • Loss of pharmacological potential—species like Himalayan yew contain compounds crucial for cancer treatment; extinction means lost therapeutic prospects.  

  • Ecological cascade effects—these species often play unique roles in ecosystems as pollinator supports or keystone elements in fragile habitats (alpine meadow networks).  

  • Economic impact on communities—many rural and indigenous communities depend on medicinal plants for income and healthcare; disappearance undermines livelihoods and food sovereignty.  

C. Best Ways to Support and Organizations Doing Effective Work

Organizations to Support:

  • United Plant Savers – Focused on research, education, and conservation of native North American medicinal plants. Has an “At-Risk” list and encourages sustainable habitat restoration and cultivation.  

  • Center for Plant Conservation (CPC) – Network of organizations dedicated to protecting rare plants globally. Donations are tax-deductible via their support page.  

  • IUCN SSC Medicinal Plant Specialist Group (MPSG) – Promotes global awareness and action for medicinal plant conservation.  

  • Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund – Supports Indigenous communities in conserving traditional knowledge and plant biodiversity, placing them at the center of leadership.  

  • Local and regional rewilding efforts – For instance, the Uttarakhand forest department’s reintroduction of Himalayan medicinal species into their natural habitats.  

  • CIMAP (Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, India) – Developed a new high-yield variety of critically endangered Uraria picta (Prishniparni), supporting cultivation to reduce wild pressure.  

How to Donate or Support:

  • Visit United Plant Savers website to join, donate, or subscribe for their at-risk plant resources and conservation programs.  

  • Support the Center for Plant Conservation via donations through their support page (tax-deductible in the U.S.).  

  • Contribute to initiatives aligned with IUCN-MPSG, often via broader IUCN funding or dedicated medicinal plant projects.  

  • Donate to the Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund to empower Indigenous-led conservation projects.  

  • Support local conservation and rewilding programs, such as the Uttarakhand rehabilitation of Himalayan flora, through donations or partnerships.  

  • Back scientific cultivation and germplasm development, like CIMAP’s Prishniparni project, through research grants or industry collaboration.  

D. Summary: How to Help Effectively

  • Support conservation organizations (like CPC and United Plant Savers).

  • Empower Indigenous leadership via funds like the Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund.

  • Promote and purchase ethically cultivated medicinal plants, reducing pressure on wild populations.

  • Inform and engage your community, sharing awareness of endangered species and advocating for habitat protection and sustainable policies.

  • Volunteer or collaborate with local rewilding and propagation programs, especially in biodiversity hotspots.

Valuable Resources for Himalayan and Tibetan Medicinal Plant Restoration

Among the most valuable resources for Himalayan and Tibetan medicinal plant restoration are the publications of Men‑Tsee‑Khang, the Tibetan Medical & Astro Institute based in Dharamshala. Their comprehensive guide, Cultivation and Conservation of Endangered Medicinal Plants: Tibetan Medicinal Plants for Health (Tsultrim Kalsang, Men-Tsee-Khang Publications, 2016), offers detailed propagation protocols, habitat descriptions, and traditional usage information for over 300 species central to the Tibetan medical system. Unlike general botanical references, this work integrates indigenous ecological knowledge with modern conservation principles, making it indispensable for anyone engaged in the ethical cultivation or rewilding of Himalayan materia medica. The book is richly illustrated and designed as a field manual for practitioners, growers, and conservationists. To support Men‑Tsee‑Khang directly and obtain a copy, if you want to avoid Amazon and instead purchase through the institute’s official website (www.men-tsee-khang.org- see contact info) or through Sorig Publications’ European distributor at www.sorig.ee.

References

Center for Plant Conservation, n.d. Saving endangered plants. [online] Available at: saveplants.org [Accessed 13 August 2025].

CIMAP, 2025. CIMAP develops new variety to save endangered Ayurvedic herb. Times of India, 17 May. 

Gowthami, R., 2021. Status and consolidated list of threatened medicinal plants. [online] PMC. 

IUCN SSC Medicinal Plant Specialist Group, n.d. About the MPSG. [online] Available at: iucn.org [Accessed 13 August 2025]. 

IUCN, 2015. Europe’s medicinal plants in decline. [online] Available at: iucn.org [Accessed 13 August 2025]. 

Prishniparni reintroduction, Uttarakhand forest department, 2025. U’khand begins reintroduction of 14 rare, endangered plant species into natural habitats. Times of India, 12 July. 

United Plant Savers, 2024. Species At‑Risk List. [online] Available at: unitedplantsavers.org [Accessed 13 August 2025]. 

United Plant Savers, n.d. United Plant Savers homepage. [online] Available at: unitedplantsavers.org [Accessed 13 August 2025]. 

Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund, n.d. About. [online] Available at: imc.fund [Accessed 13 August 2025]. 

Wikipedia contributors, 2025. Siphonochilus aethiopicus. Wikipedia. 

Wikipedia contributors, 2025. Angelica glauca. Wikipedia. 

Wikipedia contributors, 2025. Rauvolfia micrantha. Wikipedia. 

Wikipedia contributors, 2025. Taxus wallichiana. Wikipedia. 

Wikipedia contributors, 2025. Picrorhiza kurroa. Wikipedia. 

Wikipedia contributors, 2025. Dolomiaea costus. Wikipedia. 

Singh et al., 2006. Rescue of endangered plants through biotechnological applications. In: Endangered plants used as Medicine: A review, IJPRA Journal.