Ethnobotany, drug development and biodiversity conservation--exploring the linkages

Numerous ethnobotanical studies aimed at identifying new pharmaceutical products have been initiated in recent times. Ethnobotany has once again become a recognized tool in the search for new pharmaceuticals. Initiatives by governmental agencies and the private sector have helped spark this renewal. Many of these projects are interdisciplinary efforts involving scientists from the fields of anthropology, botany, medicine, pharmacology and chemistry. The Belize Ethnobotany Project links pharmaceutical prospecting with the conservation of traditional medical systems and biological resources. It illustrates the concept of the 'ethno-biomedical reserve' and provides an opportunity for pharmaceutical and herbal industries to contribute to the conservation effort. Terra Nova Rainforest Reserve is an ethno-biomedical reserve in Belize that was given legal status in June of 1993. Too often the exploitation of wild harvested resources has led to their severe degradation. There is a need for increased efforts to develop technologies to sustain their extraction.