Metal contamination in traditionally used Medicinal plants: a serious threat in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, India

Abstract

Murshidabad district is one of the most highly Arsenic (As) prone areas of West Bengal, India. The predominantly rural population of this district greatly depends on traditionally used medicinal plants for treatment of various ailments and subjected to risk of arsenic contamination. The present study revealed that some naturally grown medicinal plants in this district were found to have the alarming level of concentration of arsenic and other metals (Fe, Cu) contamination. So, there should be raised more consciousness on the toxic metal contamination of medicinal plants specifically, collected from contaminated sites.

Non-Timber Forest Products: Diversity, Utilization, and Dependency in Fringe Areas of Jaldapara National Park in Indian Sub-Himalayan Region

“…Unfortunately, till now, there are no serious efforts either to document the NTFP resources or to analyze their utilization and socioeconomic aspects [5]. Additionally, due to deforestation, modernization, unsustainable development, and ignorance of younger generation toward NTFPs, the traditional knowledge associated with them and their utilization is gradually eroding through acculturation and the loss of plant biodiversity [24][25][26]. Awareness, research, and education are needed to protect this diminishing knowledge of NTFPs and conserve bioresources for the benefit of our future generations [27].…”

“…Dependence on NTFP collection and utilization is still a crucial livelihood strategy for forest dwellers in the Terai foothills of eastern Himalayas in West Bengal [11,24,[28][29][30][31]. Unfortunately, now the traditional knowledge associated with NTFPs in these regions is found mostly confined to the older generation of these communities, which is consequently in the verge of extinction [24].…”

“…Dependence on NTFP collection and utilization is still a crucial livelihood strategy for forest dwellers in the Terai foothills of eastern Himalayas in West Bengal [11,24,[28][29][30][31]. Unfortunately, now the traditional knowledge associated with NTFPs in these regions is found mostly confined to the older generation of these communities, which is consequently in the verge of extinction [24]. Hence, identifying and documenting the diversity of NTFP resources with their utilization is important to conserve and manage these resources sustainably while also being helpful for restoration and preservation of their associated traditional knowledge [25,26,[32][33][34].…”