Biotechnological Approaches to Conserve the Wealth of Nature: Endangered and Rare Medicinal Plant Species, a Review

The popularization of the health and health related hazards and toxicity associated with the use of synthetic drugs lead to attention and interest in the use of alternatives; plants and plant-based products. However, a large number of medicinal plants remain yet to be investigated for their possible use. Most of the pharmaceutical/nutraceutical industry is highly dependent on wild populations for the supply of raw materials for extraction of medicinally important active compounds. On the other hand, due to a lack of proper cultivation practices, destruction of plant habitats, and the illegal and indiscriminate collection of plants from these habitats, many medicinal plants are severely threatened. Advances in biotechnology offer new methods for conservation of these rare and endangered medicinal plants. The present review is focused on biotechnological tools like in vitro culture, micropropagation, mycorrhization, genetic transformation, development of DNA banks and plant part substitution, which can be a potent tool for plant part conservation.