Indian Knowledge System (IKS) evolved over the centuries throughout the globe and was mostly passed down orally through generations. Most countries in the world have documented this precious gift from their ancestors. However, a significant portion of this knowledge remains largely unexplored in the tribal communities of all continents. Tribal communities are indeed custodians of profound and often undervalued traditional knowledge systems. The magical uses of Arogya Pacha (Malayalam name), earlier known only to the members of Kani tribe living in the Agasthya Koodam ranges in the Western Ghats of Kerala, were recorded by the Indian Scientists during the late 1980s and early1990s through the ethnobotanical surveys. Arogya Pacha, botanically known as Trichopus zeylanicus (member of monocot family Dioscoraceae), is a small herbaceous plant native to southwestern Ghats of Kerala in South India. It is also distributed in Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It prefers to grow on sandy soil in shady places near the rivers and streams in lowlands.
The
common Malayalam name ‘Arogya Pacha’
literally means ‘which gives strength and health’. The members of the nomadic Kani
tribal community of the Agasthya Koodam range in Kerala have been using this
herb for centuries due to its medicinal properties. Leaves, rhizome and fruits,
all parts are useful and eaten by the members of the Kani tribe. Fruits have a strong
anti-fatigue property. Jawaharlal Nehru
Topical Botanical Gardens Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala)
has developed a scientifically validated and standardised herbal drug based on
the traditional ethnomedicinal knowledge of the Kanni tribe. This drug has
adaptogenic and immunity-enhancing properties. A drug containing leaves has
been patented by the JNTBGRI and marketed by the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy under the
trade name ‘Jeevani’ (meaning
giver of life).
(Photo
source: Curtis's Botanical Magazine)
BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Arogya
Pacha, a member of the monocot family
Dioscoraceae, is a small, herbaceous plant. The roots are fibrous and arise
from the rhizome. The stem is short, thin, rhizomatous and creeping inside the
sandy beds. The leaves are generally heart-shaped (cordate), about 20 cm in
length and grow from the rhizome. However, they can also be oval, triangular,
and lanceolate. The flowers are deep
purple and develop throughout the year.
The seedpods are up to 10 cm in length and are grey-brown in colour.
They are dispersed by water.
CHEMICAL
CONSTITUENTS
Detailed chemical and pharmacological investigations have identified the presence of saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, glycolipids, and other non-steroidal compounds in this herb.
TRADITIONAL
USES
Arogyappacha is used by the Kanni tribe in Kerala for various health-related problems. It is an energy booster for the tribesmen. They use the decoction of leaves and fruits for tiredness. The juice of the fruit is administered to young children for tiredness. The application of leaf juice on the forehead decreases headaches. The herb is also considered to improve immunity. The health benefits of Arogya Pacha are comparable to those of Ginseng.
Arogya Pacha plant with ripe fruits
(Photograph courtesy: Sh. Thilak Makkiseril, Kochi, Kerala)
MODERN MEDICINAL
IMPORTANCE
Arogya
Pacha is a curious plant to modern science
whose properties were discovered in 1987 by a group of Ethnobotanists and
Ayurvedic doctors led by Dr Palpu Pushpangadan from Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Gardens Research Institute
(JNTBGRI), Thiruvananthapuram. They were working on an All India Coordinated
Research Project on Ethnobiology (AICRPE). During their scientific expedition
to the Agasthya Hills in the Western Ghats, they noticed that their guides from
the Kani tribe, who were eating fruits of Arogya Pacha during the tour, were energetic as
compared to them. Dr Pushpangadan and his team of scientists at JNTBGRI
analysed Arogya Pacha thoroughly for
over eight years and discovered that the fruit and leaves of this plant have
anti-stress and immune-stimulating properties. In addition, Arogya Pacha also boosts stamina,
relieves fatigue, helps control tumours and activates the body’s natural
defences and cellular immune system. Further studies proved that this plant has
adaptogenic, aphrodisiac, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant activities. JNTBGRI
developed a standardised herbal formulation from Arogya Pacha’s leaves and patented it under the name ‘Jeevani’ (meaning giver of life). Jeevani
is used to combat stress, improve
stamina and boost immunity.
Arogya Pacha fruits and seeds
(Photograph courtesy: Sh. Thilak Makkiseril, Kochi, Kerala)
TRADITIONAL
KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
The indigenous or ethnic societies are full of traditional knowledge relevant to their daily lives, especially in the field of food and the health care system. They have the right to their traditional knowledge, which they have acquired over the centuries. The access to genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge of ethnic groups was freely available for all before the commencement of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992. The genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge were acquired from ethnic communities by food, pharmaceutical and other industries and individuals, who did not share the benefits with the communities from where such knowledge was taken and benefits were derived.
A
particular traditional knowledge is acquired by a particular community after
observing plants for hundreds of years and through practice. The European
colonial explorers travelled to different parts of the world and took back many
medicinal herbs, ornamental flowers and new foods to their countries without
compensating the ethnic communities for providing their long-acquired
traditional knowledge. Many voluntary agreements were signed between transnational
corporations and ethnic communities in the pre-CBD era, but they did not lead to an
equitable sharing of benefits and to mutually beneficial technical cooperation
with ethnic communities. Although the knowledge accumulated by ethnic communities
for centuries is increasingly being used for commercial purposes in the fields
of pharmacy and agriculture, the share of profits from the commercialisation of the skills and
knowledge of ethnic communities does not go back to these communities. This knowledge and further technological
developments have resulted in remarkable improvements in the supply of food
crops and pharmaceutical products. Large-scale
ethnobotanical research during the twentieth century led to the documentation
of traditional knowledge of various ethnic groups and societies. The various
ethnobotanical explorations, research and documentation of the collected
knowledge laid the foundation for the protection of the interests of ethnic groups.
Access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits
arising from their utilisation is one of the three objectives of the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD). There are provisions in Article 15 of the CBD for
access to genetic resources and sharing of benefits arising from associated
traditional knowledge of the ethnic/indigenous communities. It also stressed the sustainable use of
the species. It is considered that genetic resources and
associated traditional knowledge have their potential monetary value. The ownership of genetic resources is
determined at the national level in accordance with national legislation or
practices. There is a provision in the CBD that
benefit-sharing should extend not only to the government of the country of
origin but also to the indigenous communities responsible for the conservation
and sustainable use of the genetic resources
responsible for economic gains.
The
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the
Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic
Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their
Utilisation on 29th October 2010, which came into force on 12th
October 2014. This agreement created a framework that balances access to
genetic resources, including those related to traditional knowledge (TK) of
indigenous communities or groups, based on prior informed consent and mutually
agreed terms. The Biological Diversity Act, ratified
by the Parliament of India, has incorporated many provisions for Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) related
to genetic resources and traditional knowledge (TK). Article 21 of the said Act provides for the approval by the National
Biodiversity Authority (NBA) for the use of genetic resources and
traditional knowledge.
JNTBGRI
developed a standardised herbal formulation from Arogya Pacha’s leaves and patented it under the name ‘Jeevani’. Arya Vaidya Pharmacy was
given the rights for production of the drug at a licence fee of $50,000 and a
royalty of 2% on the sale value of Jeevani. These fees and royalties are shared
between JNTBGRI and the Kerala Kani Samudaya Kshema Trust (KKSKT) of the Kani
tribe. The financial assistance to the community has improved the lifestyle of
this nomadic tribe, leading to their settling thereafter. This has a positive
impact on the economic and social development of the Kani tribe. This benefit
sharing agreement between JNTBGRI and the Kani people (known as ‘JNTBGRI
Model’, ‘Pushpangadan Model’ or ‘Kani Model.) has become a global model for
similar agreements worldwide and for recognizing the traditional knowledge and
intellectual property of indigenous people in accordance with the guidelines of
the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) and Nagoya Protocol (2010).
CONCLUSION
Arogya
Pacha, also known as "which gives strength and health," is a
medicinal herb traditionally used by the Kani tribal community in Kerala,
India, for its anti-fatigue and immunity-enhancing properties. The plant gained
scientific recognition after researchers from JNTBGRI validated its adaptogenic
and medicinal benefits, eventually leading to the development and patenting of
the herbal drug "Jeevani." The discovery of Arogya Pacha has
highlighted the significance of traditional knowledge in modern medicine and
the importance of protecting indigenous intellectual property.
REFERENCE
Thakur, A.K.; Bassi, S.K.
and Sood, S.K. (2021). Medicinal Botany & Ethnobotony. S.
Vinesh & Co., Jalandhar.
