Source of statistical data concerning medicinal plants : their situation, location and cultivation in Sudan

الملخص EN

Medicinal plants and herbalisim have been defined and a general background on the subject has been reviewed.

Sources of data on medicinal plants in the Sudan include: Welcome Research Laboratory reports, Sudan Notes and Records, Floras of the Sudan published by different authorities, reports and collections for the documentation by Department of Pharmacognosy, publications, theses and dissertations conducted in the various departments and research centers in the Sudan.

Notes and Reports of Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Department of Horticulture, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Section.

All books and reports published by the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Institute from the time of its establishment in 1970’s, all available publications on medicinal plants in the neighbouring African countries, use of internet and computer searches and most of these publications are supported by international organizations (WHO, FAO,, UNESCO, OAU ...etc); Medicinal Plants Newsletters; NAPRECA Newsletters and Monographs, proceedings of symposia held at different institutes.

The present situation of medicinal plants in the Sudan is discussed.

About 450 plant species have been collected, authenticated and studied in the different Sudanese States.

Medicinal plants were grouped and classified according to the following methods: alphabetical, tax-onomical, pharmacological, chemical, commercial and seasonal classification.

Problems of classifying medicinal plants are discussed.

Concerning the cultivation of medicinal plants, the plants were divided into 4 categories: plants cultivated as agricultural crops, forest trees (wild and cultivated), wild growing small annuals (known and unknown) and medicinal plants that cannot be grown in the Sudan.

For this last group suggestions are made to use high technology for their propagation.