A comprehensive master database on medicinal plants of India has been systematically built up at FRLHT over the last 8 years. Currently, this database incorporates more than 7,500 botanical names which are linked to more than 1,40,500 vernacular names in 13 different languages like Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi, Sanskrit, etc. Each such correlation can be traced back to a published reference. This database also incorporates more than 10,000 authentic digital images of plants duly linked to their botanical names. An important feature of this database is a fully-referenced distribution database which provides information on geographical distribution of nearly 6,000 plant species. Through a system of assigning a unique ID number to each botanical name and linking various aspects of information, for each species, to this unique ID, data relating to several different aspects like propagation, trade, pharmacognosy etc can be quickly accessed for a specific plant entity with search being initiated with the help of a botanical or vernacular name.

This multi-faceted database forms the backbone for undertaking and promoting sustainable use and informed conservation action for native medicinal plant species and also acts as a platform for designing various research projects relating to the management of this valuable natural resource.

This database is also linked to referenced information on the plant materia-medica of traditional systems of medicine as well as to pharmacognosy and pharmacology of the plant entities.

A computerised database called Labguru has been created for storing and retrieving referenced literature on pharmacognosy and pharmacology of medicinal plants. Labguru is a stand-alone database with an easy-to-use interface, linked to the master database.

This database is a valuable literature source for researchers and industry alike. Data compilation is from published sources such as texts and on-line databases. This is an ongoing evolving activity in the laboratory at FRLHT.

Mineral and metal medicine is used by traditional practitioners all over India. These are potent medicinal materials which need accurate identification of materials and careful processing for their proper use. Therefore it was decided to develop a user-friendly and easily retrievable database on mineral and metal medicine by compilation of relevant references from authentic traditional texts of Ayurveda that are difficult to procure at one place for most users. Correlating the traditional names of metals minerals to modern geological entities helps to understand the identity of the minerals used.

FRLHT in the last 10 years has been documenting and developing traditional knowledge databases on the materia medica of Indian systems of medicine. Medicinal plant databases have been already initiated on Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani system and Homoeopathy. The current FRLHT databases have screened a limited number of the known medical texts written across the period 1500 BC to 1900 AD and therefore much work yet remains to be done.

In the next 5 years we would also like to initiate new database work on diagnostics and other speciality areas like panchakarma and rasayana, as these fields are critical for effective application of Ayurveda and Siddha.

The main goal of the databases is to serve the needs of students and teachers of Indian systems of medicine, medical practitioners, researchers, community enterprises, community health NGOs and pharmaceutical companies.

Database of plants of Susruta Samhita: The database of plants of Susruta Samhita has 9,650 references. This data has been converted from the previous data environment to the present one to support access to various database tools. A checklist of the plant names was prepared and a report is made available in Sanskrit and English scripts.

Database on plants of Siddha medicine: The bilingual database has an extensive collection of information pertaining to a therapeutic information of plants mentioned in 5 texts of 2,350 records, simple remedies mentioned in 6 texts of 1,800 records, formulation data of 3,013 records and 36,000 records of dictionary file which has Tamil names of plants. A separate nighantu file in Tamil script and a glossary of the technical terms are also incorporated in this database.

Database on plants of Homoeo medicine: This database could complete compilation of plants and products information of 80 plants mentioned in Homoeo medicine from 15-20 sources as text document.

Database on plants of Unani medicine: A hard copy of the Arabic and Urdu names appearing in the classical texts of Unani medicine was prepared from the FRLHT’s nomenclature database. Verification on botanical names and spellings of Arabic names and Unani names were carried out.

The web-based Referral Browser basically aims to provide support for assessment of folk health traditions. This will help to promote best health-related practices in a specific area for human, plant and animal health care. The browser will procure references from Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and modern pharmacology for a resource used in folk health practice and is subjected to evaluation/assessment.

The web-based Referral Browser basically aims to provide support for assessment of folk health traditions. This will help to promote best health-related practices in a specific area for human, plant and animal health care. The browser will procure references from Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and modern pharmacology for a resource used in folk health practice and is subjected to evaluation / assessment.

Three CDs on medicinal plants of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been designed for the use of researchers working in the field of conservation. The CDs incorporate data on checklist of medicinal plants in each of these States. It also provides information on threat status of the species, synonyms, different systems of medicine they are used in and forest type where the plants occur. There are around 900 images. Information is also available on primary health care uses for 128 species and propagation techniques for 200 species. More than 65,000 regional names have been included, in differrent languages like Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Tamil, along with maps to show the occurrence of individual species in various forest types. The search of a species can be done either from botanical or regional name. It can filter the species depending on the forest type, threat status, system of medicine and by the language.

Clinically Important Plants of Ayurveda is now available as a CD-ROM, which contains detailed information of 3500 pharmaceutical preparations for 200 indications. It has plant pictures, botanical and regional names, Sanskrit synonyms and its complete reference, plant properties and English meaning of all technical Sanskrit terms. This would be useful for pharmaceutical industries, Ayurveda practitioners and researchers.

This bilingual database incorporates 12,873 plant references from Caraka Samhita which are grouped into 620 species. This was carried out based on a guideline prepared for grouping plant names as anonyms, synonyms and variant names. In the database, each plant reference is provided with its English translation and all the technical terms are supported with a dictionary of its English meaning. Classification of medicinal plants, 1,700 formulation information, plant picture, various botanical correlations and its identity status, habit and trade information of selected species, commentator’s opinion of plant identity, etc. are the important features of this database.

A multimedia CD was designed with necessary visual effects highlighting the importance of Caraka Samhita. A brochure on this CD is also available to support dissemination activities.

All classical information pertaining to detailed and non-detailed list of plants mentioned in the BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery) syllabus were compiled from 20 classical texts. There are 370 plants in the syllabus which are incorporated in the database. Botanical names, regional names, classical references like Sanskrit slokas, interpretation of the slokas into English, and usage of these plants as single drugs are incorporated into this database.

Modern botanical information such as morphology, distribution, propagation methods and pharmacognosy information inclusive of its plant biochemistry and pharmacology are provided. This database is aimed to provide all required information for graduates and postgraduate students of Ayurveda.

The database of the Ayurveda formularies incorporated in the Ver.1 of CIPA (Clinically important plants of Ayurveda) CD. The second version of the CIPA will have 4,000 more Ayurvedic formulation compiled from 7 classical texts covering about 150 plants.

In recognition of FRLHT's pioneering work in the area of conservation of medicinal plants and local health traditions, Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India has made it an ENVIS Center on medicinal plants of conservation concern in the country. A data-driven website (http://envis.frlht.org.in) has been developed and is available for public access. A user of the website can search the database on names (botanical and vernacular names), natural distribution, threat status of medicinal plants in trade, and the name of the system of medicine in which the plant is used. The database contains information on 860 traded medicinal plant species of India.

A website has been developed which lists the information available with FRLHT on specific species such as number of its vernacular names, distribution data, trade, propagation, agro-technique, seed storage, eco-distribution maps, pharmacology and pharmacognosy, and images. The user can search it by a botanical name or regional name in thirteen languages (including English). The website provides details of around 7361 medicinal plant species and has 6734 plant images.

MPCPDB was developed as a specific online database to provide data on the nurseries maintained by various Medicinal Plants Conservation Parks in southern India. This database is contained in a user-friendly website to list the nursery plants with their prices which the parks have fixed recently. This website also provides plant search, browser facility in vernacular as well as botanical nomenclature.

A website was initiated for people around the world to buy books and other educational products brought out by FRLHT online. Credit cards or net banking facility is provided for customers. An offline payment option is also given to those who want to go for a DD or a cheque. Customers the world over can use any one of the following credit cards for shopping: MasterCard, VISA, American Express, Diners Club International, JCB Cards, Citibank E-Cards. The site also supports the net banking facility provided by the leading banks in India such as SBI, ICICI, Citibank, GTB, UTI, Federal Bank, etc.

The website aims at use of IT to promote the use of medicinal plant packages for primary health care. This website will provide information and encourage the use of common medicinal plants for primary health care.

This website will provide reliable information related to nutrition, home remedies, preventive and promotive health care, veterinary and plant health care, self-help cosmoceuticals and gardening based on medicinal plants and traditional knowledge. It will need to be fine-tuned to provide region-specific advice on the above subjects. This initiative will need to establish working links with village Internet programmes that are being promoted by IT departments of State governments and other non-government agencies.

The user will get information on how to use common medicinal plants for common primary health conditions like cough, cold, fever, etc. The ailments covered in this website will be minor problems, mild deviations from normal health and those that can be self-managed. In fact 90% of the health problems faced by households belong to this “Primary Health Care” category. The treatment will work best if supplemented or supported by the suggested dietary or behavioral changes. The response to the medication should be obtained within 3-4 days; if not, expert medical advice should be sought.