Issue a protection catalog to promote the rational use of Tibetan medicinal materials.

　　After collecting and compiling data on endangered Tibetan medicinal plant species in our region, as conducted by Tibetan medicine experts, botanists, and various enterprises, 74 species of endangered Tibetan medicinal plants have been identified in Tibet.

　　In addition, they have categorized these endangered Tibetan medicinal plant species into three levels of protection. Among them, the first-level endangered Tibetan medicinal plants include 24 species such as Drosera, Meconopsis betonicifolia, Gentiana alba, Panax ginseng, Cordyceps sinensis, Paeonia obovata, Veronica, Rhodiola rosea, and Jasminum indicum; the second-level endangered Tibetan medicinal plants include 21 species such as Lithospermum tibeticum, Saussurea involucrata, Swertia chirayita, Lonicera fruit, Angelica sinensis, and Saxifraga rockii; and the third-level endangered Tibetan medicinal plants include 29 species such as Bupleurum chinense, Saussurea involucrata, Meconopsis betonicifolia, Rheum emodi, Acanthopanax cissoides, Linum usitatissimum, and Saussurea tibetica.

　　Meanwhile, based on the demand from pharmaceutical manufacturers in our region, market demand both within and outside the region, and the relative ease or difficulty of conducting research on artificial cultivation, these 74 endangered species have been further categorized. Among them, 15 species are in high demand by pharmaceutical manufacturers in our region, including Meilian Lüronggao, Sanjing Huercao, and Tanggut Aconitum; 8 species are in high market demand, including Gaoshan Dahuang, Cordyceps sinensis, Asparagus cochinchinensis, and Pseudostellaria heterophylla; 8 species—Peach Seven, Rhodiola crenulata, Bolenggua, Gan Song, and Polygonatum—have relatively high demand from both pharmaceutical manufacturers and the market; and 12 species—Drosera, Meilian Lüronggao, Baihua Longdan, Cordyceps sinensis, Goldbelly Grass, and Snow Lotus—are considered to be relatively difficult to cultivate artificially.

　　Protection

　　Artificial tissue culture and cultivation—Tibetan hospitals will attempt to promote cultivation.

　　“As for the conservation of endangered Tibetan medicinal herbs, the most direct and effective approach is to rapidly advance research into artificial domestication techniques,” said Zhaxi Ciren, director of the Institute of Biology at the Autonomous Region Tibetan Medicine Hospital. Moving forward, the hospital will place particular emphasis on strengthening research in areas such as seed collection, seed quality management, seedling cultivation, and variety selection for endangered Tibetan medicinal herbs. At the same time, building on the success of some varieties for which artificial cultivation techniques have already been developed, the hospital will begin pilot programs to promote their large-scale cultivation.

　　Jiang Siping, director of the Tibetan Plateau Institute of Biological Research, stated, “We can use tissue culture and field surveys to identify new medicinal plant resources as substitutes for endangered Tibetan medicinal herbs, thereby reducing the intensity of harvesting these endangered species.”

　　The reporter learned that, in response to the growing contradiction between the dwindling availability of Tibetan medicinal resources and the ever-increasing demand for Tibetan herbs, the Tibet Plateau Institute of Biological Research—taking Tibetan gentian as an example—has completed a study on the artificial cultivation technology for Tibetan gentian, a wild Tibetan herb found in high-altitude, cold regions.

　　Ni Zhen, deputy director of the Tissue Culture Research Laboratory at the Tibetan Plateau Institute of Biology, introduced: “Through resource surveys, we’ve preliminarily mapped out the distribution of Tibetan gentian. This achievement represents the first-ever comprehensive study in high-altitude cold regions on the seed morphology of Tibetan gentian, seed grading, seed germination techniques, tissue culture techniques, field cultivation and management practices, as well as its biological and germination characteristics. We’ve identified a seed-grading index and established appropriate grading standards for Tibetan gentian seeds. After seed treatment, the germination rate reached 88%; the average rooting rate was 60%, with each plant producing an average of 3 to 5 roots. The transplant survival rate exceeded 80%. Moreover, for the first time, we compared the gentiopicroside content between wild and cultivated Tibetan gentian varieties, finding that the gentiopicroside content in cultivated Tibetan gentian is generally higher than that in wild varieties.” At the same time, we drafted the “Operational Procedures for Tibetan Gentian Cultivation Techniques” and established a 2,000-mu wild-growth conservation base for Tibetan gentian in high-altitude cold regions.

　　Recommendation

　　Reasonably Harvest Tibetan Medicinal Herbs: It Is Recommended to Introduce a Three-Level Catalogue.

　　The reporter learned from Tibet Qizheng Tibetan Medicine Co., Ltd. that, in order to protect endangered Tibetan medicinal herb resources, the company has established three types of Tibetan medicinal herb bases: conservation bases, wild cultivation and nurturing bases, and Tibetan medicinal herb cultivation and research bases. The conservation bases primarily focus on protecting key production areas of Tibetan medicinal herbs that are rich in biodiversity characteristics of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, thereby laying a foundation for the sustainable preservation of Tibetan medicinal herb germplasm resources—for example, the Milin Nanyi Gou Medicinal Herb Conservation Base. The wild cultivation and nurturing bases mainly adopt a combination of artificial cultivation and wild nurturing to expand and ensure the supply capacity of Tibetan medicinal herbs, thus meeting market demand while alleviating the impact of wild harvesting on these herbs—for example, Tibetan musk, Paeonia obovata, and Ligusticum wallichii. The cultivation and research bases are specifically designed for endangered species, varieties with high demand, and those with development potential—for example, Rhodiola rosea, Viola pumila, Himalayan jasmine, and Tibetan Salvia miltiorrhiza.

　　It is reported that Tibet Qizheng Tibetan Medicine has currently achieved three major technological breakthroughs. First, the technique for cultivating plants in habitats suitable for their growth has been successfully applied to the field of wild plant conservation. Second, it has taken the lead in conducting research and establishing a database for DNA fingerprinting standards for over 80 Tibetan medicinal resources, including Duyiwei; this scientific achievement has been rated as “nationally leading.” Third, modern tissue culture technology has been successfully applied to the sustainable development of Tibetan medicinal materials, significantly enhancing the efficiency of research on the sustainable utilization of these resources.

　　Bianba Ciren, director of the Tibet Tibetan Medicine Engineering and Technology Research Center, said that with the development of the tourism industry, the market has seen a chaotic situation of indiscriminate promotion of specialty Tibetan medicinal herbs. Many local specialty stores are selling rare Tibetan herbs such as Rhodiola rosea, snow lotus, and gentian under various pretenses—yet little is known that many of these herbs can only become beneficial to human health after undergoing special processing. This not only depletes Tibetan medicinal herb resources but also misleads consumers and disrupts market order. “We are actively appealing to the relevant authorities to promptly issue a three-level catalog for the protection and utilization of Tibetan medicinal herbs—namely, a catalog of species whose exploitation and development are prohibited, a catalog of species subject to restricted exploitation and development, and a catalog of species that can be exploited and developed,” said Bianba Ciren.

　　Reporting media: Tibet Business Daily

　　Report URL: http://epaper.chinatibetnews.com/xzsb/html/2015-08/10/content_638466.htm