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Review Report Open Access

Biodiversity, Bioprospecting, Traditional Knowledge, Sustainable

Development and Value Added Products: A Review
Palpu Pushpangadan*, Varughese George, Thadiyan Parambil Ijinu and Manikantan Ambika Chithra
Amity Institute for Herbal and Biotech Products Development, Peroorkada P.O., Thiruvananthapuram-695 005, Kerala, India

Abstract
Biodiversity is the biological capital of the planet Earth and forms the foundation upon which the human civilization
is built. The success of a nation depends upon the capability of her people to convert the biodiversity and other
natural resources into wealth in an ecologically sound and economically rewarding and sustainable manner with the
intervention of science and technology. The intrinsic potential of biodiversity as a key resource for developing novel
value added products for food, medicine, cosmetics and other natural products of commercial importance have now
been increasingly realized. The unknown potential of genetic diversity found in the biological organisms represents
a never-ending biological frontier of intrinsic value. Genetic diversity will enable breeders to tailor crops to meet the
ever-changing demands or needs and aspirations of humans as well as enabling to adapt to the changing climatic
or other environmental conditions. The genetic resources are primarily used as source of valuable genes, chemicals,
drugs, pharmaceuticals, natural dye, gum, resins, enzymes and proteins of great industrial value. Knowledge based,
value added product development and its commercialization has become one of the fastest economic activities in the
world. The liberalization of the global trade practice and other economic reforms evolving currently with the emergence
of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UN-CBD) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) requires
a deeper study and understanding, especially in the light of the latest path breaking achievements in science and
technology particularly in areas like Information Technology (IT), Biotechnology (BT), Herbal technology (HT), and
Nano-biotechnology (NBT). According to Mashellar) “twenty first century will be the century of knowledge” and “a
nations ability to convert knowledge into wealth and social good through the process of innovation will determine its
future”. A new thinking centered on the concept of ‘knowledge engineering’ for building future ‘knowledge industries’ is
now getting greater attention and acceptance in the world over. Conversion of biodiversity and the associated traditional
knowledge system (TKS) into value added globally competitive commercial products with appropriate safeguards for
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection are some of the key strategies for achieving economic prosperity and well
being for the people of nations like India.

Keywords: Biodiversity; Traditional medicine; Bioprospecting; science, ethnobotany is, therefore, in a position to preserve the wealth
Pharmaceuticals; Intellectual Property Rights of traditional knowledge that indigenous people possess concerning
the flora and fauna. This includes their knowledge on the utilization
Introduction and maintenance of different types of plant resources on a long term
Biodiversity: Biodiversity is the sum total of life systems on our basis without damaging or destroying their habitat. Hence, maximum
planet Earth encompassing the minutest microorganisms to the effort should be made to document and integrate traditional knowledge
Mammoth elephant and man. Biodiversity exists in three levels- Species and its associated biodiversity.
level, Habitat level and Gene level. India in general is rich in all these
three levels of biodiversity. Rich biodiversity of India is matched with
India’s Biodiversity
the equally rich cultural diversity and a unique wealth of traditional India has about 126,756 species of plants, animals, fungi and
knowledge system developed, preserved, freely shared and cared by the microorganisms already identified and classified (Table 1). And, it
society. India is gifted with immense faunal and floral diversity. India is likely that there could be another 400,000 species, most of them
is 10th among the plant rich countries of the world and 4th among the microbes or lower invertebrates, yet to be identified and described
Asian countries. Scheduled caste and scheduled tribe comprises about taxonomically. The flora of India is both rich and diverse due to wide
16.6% and 8.6% respectively of India’s population according to the range of variations in climate, altitude and ecological habitats. It is
2011 census. The constitution lists 1108 Scheduled castes across 25 estimated that the floristic spectrum of India comprises of over 30000
states and about 744 Tribes across 22 states in the country. The tribals species (excluding fungi, which are now being treated as a separate
live in an around forests and other difficult terrains. They acquired kingdom), of which the flowering plants with about 17,500 species
unique knowledge about the use of many wide flora and fauna. Most
of these are either lesser known or hither to unknown to the outside
world. The treasure of traditional knowledge (TK) if subjected to *Corresponding author: Palpu Pushpangadan, Amity Institute for Herbal and
scientific scrutiny could benefit human kind in many ways. The inroads Biotech Products Development, Peroorkada P.O., Thiruvananthapuram-695 005,
of modernization are presently posing a threat to this TK and these are Kerala, India, E-mail: palpuprakulam@yahoo.co.in
in imminent danger of losing out, this age- old wisdom and expertise Received December 08, 2017; Accepted December 18, 2017; Published December
can be lost for all times to come [1]. 21, 2017
Citation: Pushpangadan P, George V, Ijinu TP, Chithra MA (2018) Biodiversity,
Traditional communities and rural folk are the real custodians of Bioprospecting, Traditional Knowledge, Sustainable Development and Value
the knowledge of medicinally important plants and animals. Most of Added Products: A Review. J Tradit Med Clin Natur 7: 256. doi: 10.4172/2573-
the knowledge accumulated by the traditional communities and rural 4555.1000256
people on medicinal plants and animals is unknown to the modern Copyright: © 2018 Pushpangadan P, et al. This is an open-access article
scientific community. Biodiversity, all over the world is facing the distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which
permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided
threat of depletion because of over exploitation. As an interdisciplinary the original author and source are credited.

J Tradit Med Clin Natur, an open access journal Volume 7 • Issue 1 • 1000256
ISSN: 2573-4555
Citation: Pushpangadan P, George V, Ijinu TP, Chithra MA (2018) Biodiversity, Bioprospecting, Traditional Knowledge, Sustainable Development and
Value Added Products: A Review. J Tradit Med Clin Natur 7: 256. doi: 10.4172/2573-4555.1000256

Page 2 of 7

Number of Species Percentage ecological variants. The genetic diversity is some plant species runs in
TAXA India World (Inida to the world) 10,000 or more. The crop species are accessible for collection in fields,
Bacteria 1500 4000 21.25 orchards, gardens, markets and with farmers. On the contrary, the wild
Viruses Unknown 4000 - relatives are difficult to locate as they grow in their natural habitats
Algae 6,500 40,000 16.25 with other wild plants. There are also large number of lesser known
Fungi 14,500 72,000 20.14 or hitherto unknown species of medicinal, aromatic plants and plants
Lichens 2,000 17,000 11.80 yields valuable gum, resins, dye and other economically interested
Bryophyta 2,850 16,000 17.80 products. Nayar and Arora and Pandey [5], reported over 132 wild
Pteridophyta 1,200 13,000 8.46 relatives of crop plants. These wild relatives of crop plants also exhibit
Gymnosperms 64 750 8.53 enormous genetic variability offering immense opportunity for gene
Angiosperms 17,600 250,000 7.00 hunting for desired traits or for disease resistance.
Protista 2,577 31,290 8.24
Biodiversity performs two most important functions. Firstly,
Mollusca 5,050 70,000 7.21
it regulates and maintains the stability of climate, water regime, soil
Arthropoda(Insecta,
Crustacea, etc.)
6,0383 1,065,000 5.67 fertility, quality of air and overall health of the life support system
Other Invertebrates
on earth. Secondly biodiversity is the source from which human race
8,329 87,121 9.56 derives food, fodder, fuel, fibre, shelter, medicine and raw materials for
(Including hemichordata)
Protochordata 116 2,173 5.34 meeting the multifarious needs for industrial goods required for the
Pisces 2,546 21,723 11.72 ever changing and ever increasing need and aspirations of human kind.
Amphibia 206 5,145 4 Biodiversity is therefore the biological capital of our planet and forms
Reptilia 485 5,680 8.54 the foundation upon which human civilization is built. Therefore it is
Aves 1,228 9,672 12.69 extremely important that biodiversity shall be used only in a sustainable
Mammalia 372 4,629 8.03 manner.
Total 127,506 1,719,183 7.36
Traditional Knowledge
Table 1: India’s Biodiversity.
Traditional Knowledge (TK) is a community based system of
constitute the dominant group- representing about 7% of the flowering knowledge that has been developed, preserved and maintained over
plant species of the world. Endemism in Indian flora is now almost generations by the local and indigenous communities through their
well documented. It is estimated that out of 17,500 species of flowering continuous interactions, observations and experimentations with
plants, 140 genera and 5285 species are endemic to the country. The their surrounding environment [6,7]. It is unique to a given culture
endemic flora is concentrated mainly in three major hot spot centers or society and is developed as a result of the co-evolution and co-
of flora viz. The Eastern Himalayas (3500 species), the Western Ghats existance of both the indigenous cultures and their traditional
(1600) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (185) Based on the practices of resource use and ecosystem management. The
uniqueness of the phytogeographical zones and the pattern of edemism,
accumulated wisdom, knowledge, belief and practices embodied in
25 micro hot spot centers of endemic flora have been identified by
the TK system were handed down to generation by an unbroken
Nayar (1996) [2]. The East Himalayas (Indo-Burmese region) and the
tradition and culture. The medical wisdom of such traditional
Western Ghats and (Sri Lanka) are the two out of the 25 ‘global hot
communities are the target of drug hunters as an effective short cut
spots’ of biodiversity [3].
for locating new and useful compounds of great pharmaceutical
In India species richness is complemented by enormous genetic value. It is now well known that the possibility of finding a potential
diversity found within individual species. India is one among the 12 bioactive compound through random screening of plant samples is
megagene centers of the world. The Indian Gene Centre (Vavilovian 1 in 10,000 and that of hitting a marketable drug 1 to 4 of such
‘Hindustani’ Centre) is considered the centre of origin and potential hits. In contrast, the success rate of finding a bioactive
domestication of as many as 166 major and minor crop plant species compounds through selective screening based on traditional
and as many as 320 wild relatives of crop plants. knowledge is 1 in 100 and that the discovery of a marketable drug
is 1 in 2. Many plant derived drugs employed in modern medicine
India has a very rich Gene pool of wild progenitors of crops, wild
relatives and other species with potential valuable genes for both were first discovered through ethnopharmacological investigations.
biotic and abiotic stress-such as pest/disease resistance, cold/drought The traditional knowledge associated with the biodiversity which
resistant/tolerant environmental stress (tolerant to salt, heat, frost & is developed and held within the indigenous and local communities
cold). Wild gene pool occurring in biotically disturbed habitats is under are thus found to be the most valuable lead for modern technological
the threat of genetic erosion and requires not only timely measures for innovations and in developing novel food (functional food, medicinal
its collection and conservation, desiccation sensitivity, water flooding/ food, and nutraceuticals), medicines (drugs and pharmaceuticals),
logging. phytochemicals and other products of commercial importance.
The Indian gene centre harbours at least 166 species of native Biodiversity and TK are thus the most powerful resources which with
cultivated plants. The crops with primary, secondary and regional the interventions of science and technology can generate wealth with
centers of diversity represent a part of native and introduced species the advent of new tools and techniques, particularly biotechnology
which account for over 480 species [4]. Diverse agroclimatic and could convert biodiversity resources into industrially and commercially
agricultural practices have led to the rich diversity of crops species valuable products and processes having increased productivity and
in the form of land races and cultivars. Besides, the centre has over application in many crucial areas such as agriculture (including
320 wild relatives and their diverse gene pools. Diverse agro climatic aquaculture) healthcare, medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, gene(s)-
and edaphic variations resulted in evolving innumerable genetic and genetheraputics, environmental protection and bio-energy etc.

J Tradit Med Clin Natur, an open access journal Volume 7 • Issue 1 • 1000256
ISSN: 2573-4555
Citation: Pushpangadan P, George V, Ijinu TP, Chithra MA (2018) Biodiversity, Bioprospecting, Traditional Knowledge, Sustainable Development and
Value Added Products: A Review. J Tradit Med Clin Natur 7: 256. doi: 10.4172/2573-4555.1000256

Page 3 of 7

All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Ethnobiology Genesis of the Subject Ethnopharmacology
(1982-1998) Ethnopharmacology as a scientific term was first introduced at an
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research convened a meeting international symposium held at San Francisco in 1967. This was used
of it’s inter organizational panel for food and agriculture on September while discussing the theme ‘Traditional Psychoactive drugs’ in this
21, 1976 under the Chairmanship of Prof. M. S. Swaminathan, the Symposium. But later Rivier and Bruhn [9] made an attempt to define
then Director General, ICAR. Prof. Swaminathan felt the urgent need Ethnopharmacology as “a multidisciplinary area of research concerned
to undertake an ethnobilogical study of the tribals of the country to with observation, description and experimental investigation of
tap and document the fast disappearing life style, knowledge system indigenous drugs and their biological activities. It was later redefined
and wisdom of these people. This panel decided to form a team of by Bruhn and Holmstedt [10] as “The interdisciplinary scientific
experts to examine the current status of ethnobiological studies of the exploration of biologically active agents traditionally employed
tribal areas and to submit a report as to how the biological resources or observed by man”. In its entirety, pharmacology embraces the
found in these communes could be conserved and utilized for socio- knowledge of the history, source, chemical and physical properties,
economic improvement of tribals on one hand and country on the compounding, biochemical and physiological effects, mechanism of
other. Dr. T N Khoshoo along with Dr. E K Janaki Ammal prepared the action, absorption, distribution, biotransformation, excretion and
All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Ethnobiology (AICRPE) therapeutic and other uses of drugs. A drug is broadly defined as
project proposal which was considered by the high level committee of any substance (chemical agent) that affects life processes. Therefore,
Science and Technology, Govt. of India. Department of Science and briefly, the main component of ethnopharmacology may be defined as
Technology (DST) formerly launched the project in July 1982 under pharmacology of drugs used in ethnomedicines. However, none of the
the Man and Biosphere Programme (MAB) of UNESCO. When the above said definitions captures the true spirit of this interdisciplinary
Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) came in to being the subject. Ethno- (Gr., culture or people) pharmacology (Gr., drug)
MAB programme along with AICRPE was transferred to MoEF. In is about the intersection of medical ethnography and the biology of
September 1983, MoEF set up a co-ordination unit at RRL, Jammu therapeutic action, i.e., a transdisciplinary exploration that spans the
(now known as Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, CSIR-IIIM) biological and social sciences. This suggests that ethnopharmacologists
under Dr. C. K. Atal. Dr. P. Pushpangadan was appointed as the Chief are professionally cross-trained – for example, in pharmacology and
Co-ordinator of this project for overall supervision, co-ordination anthropology – or that ethnopharmacological research is the product of
and implementation of various programmes included in the AICRPE collaborations among individuals whose formal training includes two
[7,8]. It was operated at 27 centers in the country and about 600 or more traditional disciplines. In fact, very little of what is published
scientists drawn from botany, zoology, sociology, anthropology, as ethnopharmacology meets these criteria.
ayurveda, chemistry and pharmacology worked in this project that Hansen et al., [11] has suggested that the objectives of
lasted for 16 years (1982-1998). AICRPE project documented the use Ethnopharmacology should focus on (1) the basic research aiming at
of over 10,000 wild plants used by tribals for meeting a variety of their giving rational explanation to how a traditional medicine works, and
requirements. (2) the applied research aiming at developing a traditional medicine
Bioprospecting and development of knowledge based value into a modern medicine (Pharmacotherapy) or to develop its original
usage by modern methods (Phytotherapy).
added products
Biodiversity, herbal technology, biotechnology and nano- Biopiracy
biotechnology are the areas that deserve special attention from the Biodiversity and the associated knowledge systems are the real
perspectives of new rein of knowledge-based industrial ventures, strength of the biodiversity rich nations who have an equally rich
international trade and IPR protection. Biodiversity has economic, cultural diversity like India. The misappropriation of traditional
ecological, aesthetic and existence value. The direct economic benefits knowledge has been greatly enhanced by the changes brought in by
derived from biodiversity include food, fodder, fuel, fibre, colorants, certain international regulations, mainly the introduction of Intellectual
medicine, aromachemicals, flavorants, perfumes, oils, gums, resins, Property Rights (IPR). The wealth of traditional knowledge available in
dyes, biopesticides, bioinsecticides, honey, phytochemicals, proteins different cultures, if subjected to prospecting can yield valuable leads in
and genes. The development of value added and standardized products developing novel drugs/pharmaceuticals or phytochemicals or genes
using low and medium technology is known as herbal technology, of great industrial value. It is estimated that the annual global sale of
intervention of more advanced scientific and technological intervention products derived from the manipulation of genetic resources with
we call it as biotechnology and manipulation at subcellular/ultra associated traditional knowledge system is between US $ 500 to 800
molecular level i.e. upto the 10-9 size level, it is called Nanobiotechnology. billion. Sales of herbal medicine derived from traditional knowledge
Biodiversity thus represents (i) a priceless resource with many actual of biodiversity rich countries alone are estimated to have exceeded US
uses and potential values to humanity and (2) a complex self-sustaining $ 12.5 billion in 1994 and Uz $ 30 billion in 2000 with annual growth
ecological system that helps, maintain the integrity and resilience of rates averaging between 5% and 15% depending on the region.
biosphere. These two complementary perceptions would lead to the
surmise that biodiversity is an invaluable natural resource, which needs Biopiracy is about stealing of bioresources and associated
to be conserved and sustainably utilized for the benefit of the present as knowledge system from traditional or indigenous communities,
well as the future generations of humankind. Humankind has tapped individuals or from the country. The term is also used to refer to such
only a fraction of this great nature’s genetic library. Bioprospecting is breach of contractual agreement on the access and use of bioresources
the systematic search for genes, natural compounds, designs and whole and traditional knowledge system to the detriment of the provider and
organisms of forest/wildlife with potential for product development. bioprospecting without the consent of the local communities [12].
Bioprospecting has three important facets like ‘chemical prospecting, Some examples of Biopiracy in the name of Bioprospecting in Asia
gene prospecting and bionic prospecting’. Pacific Region are given in Table 2.

J Tradit Med Clin Natur, an open access journal Volume 7 • Issue 1 • 1000256
ISSN: 2573-4555
Citation: Pushpangadan P, George V, Ijinu TP, Chithra MA (2018) Biodiversity, Bioprospecting, Traditional Knowledge, Sustainable Development and
Value Added Products: A Review. J Tradit Med Clin Natur 7: 256. doi: 10.4172/2573-4555.1000256

Page 4 of 7

Country Biological Resource Biopirate Country Notes

Bitter Melon
China US US Patent No.5484889
(Momordica charantia)
Xi Shu/Happytrees
China US US Patent No. PP 11959
(Camptotheca lowreyana)
Bintangor tree Singapore US Patents including Nos. 6420571, 6369241, 6160131 and
Malaysia
(Calophyllum lanigerum) US 6277879
Kava US Patents including Nos. 6405948, 6277396
Pacific US
(Piper mythesticum) 6080410, 6025363, 5977120, 5976550 and 5770207
Europe In 1995 Nonu Samoa Enterprises began export of nonu, a tree with
Pacific Nonu (Indian Mulberry Morinda citrifolia)
US medicinal properties, to the US with US collaboration
Pakistan Basmati Rice US US Patent Nos.6274183 and 5663484
PNG Coral reef sponges US US Patent Nos. 6281196, 6153590, 5646138 and 5494893
The multinational company Eli Lily has earned billions of dollars from
the erythromycin antibiotic, which was developed from a bacterium
Philippines Soil microbes US isolated from a soil sample that Filipino scientist Abelardo Aguilar
collected in his home province of Lloilo. Neither Aguilar nor the
Philippines received any royalties.
The use of the extracts from llang. Llangin the cosmetic industry is
Philippines Llang-IIang (Cananga odorata) France perhaps as old as perfume in France. There are several perfumeries
in France that have used and continue to use it in their products.
Philippines Banaba (Lagerstroemia sp.) Japan, US US Patent No. 5980904
Japan, US
Philippines Nata de coco US Patent Nos. 6280767, 6140105, 5962277 and 5795979

US Patent Nos. 6369193, 6344551, 6197535, 6153738, 6077934,

Philippines Snails (Conus) US
5633347, 5595972, 5589340 and 5514774
India Basmati Rice US US Patent Nos. 5663484 and 4522838
US Patent Nos.5401504, 5135796 and
India Turmeric (Curcuma longa) US
5047100
Several US Patent including Nos. 5420318, 5391779 and 5371254;
India Neem (Azadirachta indica) US
the US multinational company W.R Grace’s EPO Patent No.0426257
India Guggul (Commiphora mukul) US US Patent No.6113949 and US Patent Application 20020018757
A US plant geneticist has developed a strain of Jasmine Rice to
be able to grow it in the US; he received the original seeds of the
Thailand Jasmine Rice US
Thai Khao Dok Mail 105 (KDM 105) jasmine rice variety from the
international Rice Researh Institute (IRR) in 1995.
Plao-noi In 1975 Sankyo of Japan extracted the active ingredient of the Thai
Thailand Japan
(Croton sublyratus) local plant to produce the patented product Kelnac.
Samoa Mamala tree (Homalanthus nutans) US US Patent No. 5599839
Kothala himbutu
Sri Lanka Japan, US Takama System, Ltd. (Yamaguchi, JP)’s US Patent No. 6376682
(Salacia reticulata)
Table 2: Bioprospecting in Asia Pacific region.

Ironically, the very knowledge that forms much of the basis of Sustainable Agriculture and Economic Development
modern scientific research and development is not regarded as a science.
The increasing population has exerted great pressure on land and
Scientists and industry share the profit and the traditional communities
ecosystem. Environmental crises have increased at alarming rates due
who provide the leads and raw materials gain nothing. The UN
to the unregulated expansion of agricultural areas by encroaching
Convention on Biological Diversity (UN-CBD) signed by countries of the prime forests, sustainable conception patterns and also due to
the world in 1992 and which came to effect from 23rd December 1999 the fast population growth that exceed the supporting capacity of the
provide protection of traditional community’s resources and their ecosystem. The ecodestructive propensities have deep cultural and
knowledge system Article 8 (j) and Article 15.7 recognize the need to psychological roots that divide human communities from rest of the
respect the skills, practices etc. of indigenous and local communities and environment. Current ecological problems lie within our attitudes,
to ensure equitable benefit sharing of the benefits accrued from the sue values, ethics, perceptions and behavior. Tribal areas afford a wonderful
of such bioresources and associated traditional knowledge. India has opportunity to reconceptualise our unity with the biosphere and the
enacted two acts namely Protection of Plan Varieties and Farmers Act of associated ethnic communities. We need to understand the dynamic
2001 and the Biodiversity Act of 2002. India is also the first in the world relationship that these communities keep with the local ecosystem and
to experiment a benefit sharing experiment wherein the traditional its management need to integrate all those positive components in any
knowledge of a forest dwelling community was subject to scientific study developmental programme that are meant for them.
by scientists of Government owned national/regional laboratories and Crops need to be carefully selected for cultivation with all
developed a value added, IPR covered and scientifically validated herbal appropriate protocols for sustainable growth and development of the
drug which on commercialization shared the benefits(license fee and region. Ethnic communities have a rich fund of knowledge and heritage
royalty) equally (1:1) by the research institute and the Kani tribe known on agricultural practices. They have also conserved very many land
as model/Pushpangadan model/JNTBGRI model of benefit sharing as races /cultivars and the agricultural practices are also almost organic.
now cited globally including the UN bodies particularly CPSD as the Therefore a carefully planned strategy is required to the agriculture
only model that implemented the Article 8(i) of 15.7 of CBD. based sustainable development.

J Tradit Med Clin Natur, an open access journal Volume 7 • Issue 1 • 1000256
ISSN: 2573-4555
Citation: Pushpangadan P, George V, Ijinu TP, Chithra MA (2018) Biodiversity, Bioprospecting, Traditional Knowledge, Sustainable Development and
Value Added Products: A Review. J Tradit Med Clin Natur 7: 256. doi: 10.4172/2573-4555.1000256

Page 5 of 7

Biotechnology and Bioprospecting-Links & Leads the novel drug development. Consequently, in recent years, a notable
number of natural products derived agents have been discovered by
Biotechnology is a set of powerful tools that has been employed employing mechanism based screening approaches. A large number
not only to understand the structure and function of living cells, tissue of plant derived natural products are continued to be developed
or organisms, but also to manipulate the living systems to make or based on traditional or empirical local medicine practices. Therefore,
modify new products. With the advent of new tools and techniques, a prospecting of the wild medicinal plants, particularly those with
biotechnology has grown to the extent that much is now known to traditional folklore claims are expected to yield novel phyto medicines
the scientific world about the structure and function of living cells, of molecular potential for development of molecular medicine.
how do they retain and transmit genetic information, and how do
they respond to physical and chemical changes, and so on. Just a few Gene prospecting
decade back biotechnology in common man’s perception was high-
tech science dealing with manipulation of genes and development DNA Fingerprinting techniques are finding wider applications in
of transgenic organisms with novel forms and functions. However, molecular systematics that aims at identification and characterization
with rapid progress of biotechnology research during the last of potential genetic variants in a species or population at the DNA
one decade or so, there has been a major shift in the mindset of level. Such an approach is now gaining considerable attention and is
people. Benefits of biotechnology now could reach directly to the becoming increasingly important in establishing the sovereignty IPRs
common man in the form of many new foods, healthcare products of the gene-rich but biotechnology poor countries of the Third world
and other consumer goods. This has led to its wide acceptance in over their own biodiversity resources. With the new patents regimes
public domain and rise in social expectation. Biotechnology is thus of WTO-TRIPs, wherein modified organisms, hybrids and transgenics
playing a significant role in converting biodiversity resources into – including higher plants and animals are patentable, there may arise
industrially and commercially valuable products and processes serious implications on the sovereignty and IPRs of biodiversity rich
having increased productivity and application in many crucial areas poor nations. It is therefore, important for these countries to undertake
such as agriculture (including Aquaculture) health care(medicines, appropriate research and development programmes for identifying,
vaccines, diagnostics, gene therapy), environmental protection, characterizing and evaluating their genetic resources, particularly those
Bio-energy, etc. endemic species and characterize them at molecular level to prevent
any possible biopiracy or genepiracy.
Bioprospecting
Modern molecular techniques like DNA recombinant techniques
The emerging area of biotechnological application on biodiversity and transgenic technologies make it possible to identify, isolate,
is known as bioprospecting, which includes “systematic search for clone and introduce desirable genes from one organisms to another,
genes, natural compounds, designs and whole organisms in wild life transcending the biological/taxonomic barriers. Transgenic
with a potential for product development by biological observations technologies are making significant herdways by facilitating transfer of
and biophysical, biochemical and genetic methods without disruption the desirable agronomic traits or chemicals from one organism (plant/
to nature”. Bioprospecting has thus three facets like “chemical animal/humans) to bacteria and converting the resultant transgenic
prospecting, gene prospecting and bionic prospecting. bacteria to potential chemical factories producing desired products
such as enzymes, proteins and other biomolecules. Proteins is an
Chemical prospecting
interesting field of gene prospecting. This deals with the identification
Modern high-throughput chemical screening and automated and patterns of expression of gene(s) that encodes for the synthesis of a
bioassay programmes including the activity-guided screening for specific protein or enzyme of interests. Bioinformatics provides the key
identifying, isolating characterizing novel bioactive compounds from for the biosynthesis, expression and functions of a particular protein or
wild bioresources (higher plants, broyophytes, pteridophytes, fungi and enzymes can be made. Study of proteins and its application in health
microorganisms etc.) animals (insects and other wild invertebrates) and nutrition is known as proteomics. Proteomics offers new promises
have opened up new vistas in natural product research in general, to give therapy and enzyme technologies.
drug and pharmaceuticals in particular. Chemical prospecting of wild
plant resources is becoming increasingly applicable in agro chemistry Bionic prospecting
(biopesticides), drugs and pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, proteins, Bionic prospecting is a new area by which new designs, patterns,
enzymes, food additives and other industrially valuable chemical models and techniques are evolved based on natural biodiversity. New
products. sensor technologies, architecture, bio-engineering and bio-modelling
Propsecting for phytomedicines are some of the interesting fields in bionic prospecting.

Prospecting of new potential pharmaceuticals from sources such The pros and cons of bioprospecting need to be evaluated
as natural products which are traditional in nature or derived from against the backdrop of the increasing incidence of biopiracy and
folklore or which are from little known or unknown forests sources most seriously against the current crisis of biodepletion and the
has also become an important part of the pharmaceutical industry. likely impacts of predicted mass extinction spasm impending in
Biotechnology Law report 1995 mentioned bioprospecting for new and the tropicalbiomes [13]. About 5% of the earth’s land surface is
valuable agricultural and pharmaceutical products from searching farms protected area networks, and if human activities continue in the rest
and jungles” a modern day gold rush”. With the advent of chemistry, of the 95% of the unprotected wild land habitats, about 50% of the
genomics research, new molecular biological tools for developing species would go extinct [14]. Bioprospecting programme should,
bioassays, cell based assays, high-throughput screening (HTS) and therefore, be carried out with the end in view that apart from direct
computer aided automation including robotics has incredibly speeded economic benefits, it should consider the biodiversity. The linkages
up the screening, isolation, structural elucidation, semi or full synthesis and leads generated through sustainable use of biodiversity and the
of natural molecules or its derivatives etc. have further dramatized associated TKS is illustrated in Figure 1.

J Tradit Med Clin Natur, an open access journal Volume 7 • Issue 1 • 1000256
ISSN: 2573-4555
Citation: Pushpangadan P, George V, Ijinu TP, Chithra MA (2018) Biodiversity, Bioprospecting, Traditional Knowledge, Sustainable Development and
Value Added Products: A Review. J Tradit Med Clin Natur 7: 256. doi: 10.4172/2573-4555.1000256

Page 6 of 7

 Chemical Prospecting  Gene prospecting

 Drug and harmaceuticals  Genetic Engineering
 Pesticides  Crop development
 Cosmetics/Cosmaceuticals  Fermentation

 Food  Cell culture

additives/Nutraceuticls
 Other industrially valuable
Products
 Chemical products

 Bionic prospecting
 Designs
 Sensor technologies
 Architecture
 Bioengineering
 Bio-modeling

Figure 1: Bioprospecting: Major areas.

Conservation for sustainable development biological frontier of inestimable value. The prime focus of genetics in
the past was centered around the domesticated biodiversity. The scope
Conservation of plant diversity assumes greater importance of tapping the talent of patent potential of these otherwise lesser known
at a time when the humanity is confronted with the problems of bioresources will be greatly rewarding and challenging. Bioprospecting
environmental degradation, including the unprecedented loss of is the most efficient means to explore and evaluate the economic,
biological diversity. It is estimated that about 60,000 out of the 2,87,655 genetic and chemical potentials of biological resources through modern
described plant species are facing threats of extinction due to various technological intervention. The recent advances in instrumentation and
reasons. The situation has led to the development of several national enzyme technology scientists can now undertake screening of plants
and international initiatives, action plans, strategies, policies and legal on a massive scale for identifying and isolating potential bioactive
frameworks aiming to halt the current continuing loss of plant genetic components. Appropriate plant extracts can be screened for their
resources. The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) is one biological activity by employing ‘throughput’ techniques using in-vitro
of such initiatives adopted by the conference of parties (COP) of CBD enzyme methods followed by isolation of active principles by modern
at its sixth meeting held in April 2002 in Hague. The GSPC initiative is chromatographic techniques such as HPLC (High Performance Liquid
aiming at practical conservation of threatened plant diversity through Chromatography), HPTLC, GLC (Gas Liquid Chromatography),
in-situ and ex-situ or a combination of these two methods plant MPLC (Medium pressure Liquid Chromatography) and LCMS (Liquid
conservation. In India, the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Chromatography Mass Spectrometry) aided by computer robotics.
plan identifies ex-situ conservation of plant diversity as a priority area of Gene Prospecting is another potential area of bioprospecting. With
action and it suggests strengthening and enhancing the role of botanic the advancements made in DNA fingerprinting technology it is now
gardens, home gardens and other ex-situ conservatory networks in possible to study the genetic diversity available in a species.
India as important ways and means to achieve the above goals. The
Ministry of Environment & Forests (MOEF) is implementing a special Conclusion
assistance programme to support selected botanic gardens in India to
equip them with adequate infrastructure and other resources to support The incredible ability of human kind to unravel the subtle mysteries
ex-situ conservation of plant diversity. Since 1992, MOEF has extended of nature will certainly help to develop newer technologies for the
support to many botanic gardens for infrastructure development and sustainable utilization of our planet’s limited bio-resources.
plant conservation programmes. Acknowledgements
India has a good network of Research & Development institutions The authors are indebted to Dr. Ashok K Chauhan, Founder President,
supported by the Central Government Ministries / Departments (eg. Ritnanad Balved Education Foundation and Dr. Atul Chauhan, Chancellor, Amity
University, U. P for facilities and encouragements.
MOEF, DST, ICAR, CSIR & ICFRE), Statements, Universities, State
Agricultural Universities and NGOs (eg. FRLHT, KFRI, MSSRF, Author Contributions
TERI, WEF. India). These institutions have undertaken research P. P conceived the idea. V.G, T.P.I, M.A.C. collected literature data. P. P and
and conservation activities which include inventory of RET species V. G wrote the paper.
and their status assessment, conservation biology of RET species,
Conflict of Interest
mapping distribution of RET species, in-situ and ex-situ conservation
programmes, which include micropropogation techniques, gene bank, The authors declare no conflict of interest.
reintroductive programmes, conservation educative agrotechnology, References
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J Tradit Med Clin Natur, an open access journal Volume 7 • Issue 1 • 1000256
ISSN: 2573-4555
Citation: Pushpangadan P, George V, Ijinu TP, Chithra MA (2018) Biodiversity, Bioprospecting, Traditional Knowledge, Sustainable Development and
Value Added Products: A Review. J Tradit Med Clin Natur 7: 256. doi: 10.4172/2573-4555.1000256

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