CENTRAL INSTITUTE OF
MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS (CIMAP)
MANDATE
- To carry out
R & D work releated to genetic improvement, efficient cultivation and
chemical processing of economically important medicinal ,aromatic and dye&gum
yielding plants.
- To produce seeds
and propaglues of improved cultivars of medicinal and aromatic plants for
their large scale cultivation.
- To define and
modulate yield determining steps steps of metabolic pathways concerned
with chemicals of interest in medicinal and aromatic plants.
- To detect, characterize
and develop from plants new anti-microbial, anti-cancer and/or pesticidal
chemicals of industrial importance.
- Formulation
of herbal products for common use
- Human resource
development for R&D in the basic and applied areas
- Management of
information on medicinal and aromatic plants and related materials for
the enhancements of R&D.
MAIN FACILITIES
- Modern instruments
and facilities required for biological, agriculltural and chemical research
e.g. atomic absorption spectrophotometer, infrared spectrophotometer, ultraviolet
spectrophotometer, HPLC, FT-NMR, gas liquid chromatograph, transmission
electron microscope with scanning attachment, Vickers cytophotometer and
GC-MASS spectrometer and a spectrum of instruments for molecular biology
and biotechnology experimentation.
- Expertise for
conducting field surveys, identification and field screening, of medical
and aromatic plants.
- Research farms
for large scale field trials under various agroclimatic conditions (CIMAP
Headquarters and field stations)
- Workshop and
pilot plants.
- Computerized
Data Pocessing Unit.
- Library and
Reprography Unit.
SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS
- Development
of improved cultivars and agronomic particles for higher yields per unit
area of indigenous medicinal and aromatic plants, introduction of exotic
medicinal and aromatic plants of commercial importance, development of
process technologies and extension of know-how among the farmers, entrepreneurs
and industry.
- Some of the
impact making technologies developed by CIMAP are: high yielding varieties
of Japanese mint (MAS-1, HY-77, Himalaya and Kosi), spearmint (MSS-1 and
MSS-5), Scotch spearmint (MCAS-2), Bergamot mint (Kiran), Hill mint
(Supriya), palmarosa (PRC-1, Trishna and Tripta),
citronella Java (Bio-13,Manjusha and Mandakini), lemongrass
(Pragati, Praman, Cauvery and Krishna), Veitver (KS-1, KS-2
and Sugandha), lavendar (Sher-E-Kashmir) and rose (Noorjehan)
and introduction of Bulgerian rose in Kashmir valley, development of know-how
for menthol crystallization of dementholized mint oil (DMO) for value added
products, development of modern distillation plant for rose oil and improved
field distillation unit for essential oil.
- CIMAP has introduced
a Chinese anti-malarial drug plant Aetemisia annua and developed the neccessary
agrotechnology for its cultivation and process technology for the isolation
artemisinin, and preperation arteether from artemisinin.The drug arteether
developed jointly by CIMAP and CDRT has been released to the industry.
- A cost effective
processing technology for the isolation of paclitaxel,a potent articaneer
drug and its important analogues and precursors have been developed from
the TAXUS wallichiana(Himalayan yew) plant. The process technology for
the commercial production of paclitaxel has been made available to industry.
- Pyrethrum, a
source of a natural and safe insectiside, is being produced in the country
based on the technology developed by CIMAP. A superior strain (SPS-387),
giving increased flower yield and resistant to frost has also been developed.
- An efficient
and low cost directly fired distillation plant for rose oil has also been
developed and design made available to farmers and entrepreneurs.
- Process knownhow
for the isolation of vegetable dyes from black carrot,safflower and marigold
has been developed.
DIRECTCTOR
Dr. Sushil Kumar, M.Sc.,
Ph.D., F. N. A.
CONTACT ADDRESS
P.O. CIMAP, Lucknow
226 015
Telephone: (091)552-342683(Director),EPBAX-342
676/677/680/681.
Telegram : MEDPLANTS,
LUCKNOW.
Telex
: 0535-2298 CIMAP IN.
Fax
: (091)522-342666.
E-Mail : root@cimap.sirnetd.ernet.in
Copyright(c) Central
Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, 1997.
Created and hosted by
NIO, Goa.
