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© Kamla-Raj 2005 J. Hum. Ecol., 17(4): 293-299 (2005)
A Glimpse of Vietnam’s Forest Wealth and Medicinal Plants-Based Traditional Medicine
Y. Yagama Reddy
Centre for Studies on Indochina and South Pacific, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati 517 502, Andhra Pradesh, India
KEYWORDS Vegetation Types. Floristic Composition. Medicine. Efficacy. Economic Value
ABSTRACT Vietnam’s flora is very much in relation to its mountainous topography, geological formations, monsoon tropical climate and human interference. Certain genera and species being endemic to Vietnam have contributed to the formation of specific forest types and also to the variety of pant produce having immense commercial value. Innumerable plant species of medicinal importance, grown in wild or cultivated, sustained the rich legacy of traditional medicines. The medical treatises and documents testified to the efficacy of traditional medicine in terms of preventive and curative aspects. Vietnam’s traditional medicine, which has been for over centuries popularized among the masses, is recently institutionalized for improving the methods of diagnosis and treatment as well as sharing the expertise with other systems of medicine. Vietnam’s plant drugs, which are found more effective than the Western medicines in treating certain chronic diseases, are exported in large quantities to other countries. Yet, Vietnam’s traditional medicine enduring certain deficiencies looks for the scientific and technical assistance from other countries like India.
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