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Why are they important?
Medicinal plants play a critical role in the development of pharmaceutical drugs and are considered a rich source of ingredients. These plants provide a wide range of important nutrients that can be used for many health benefits. Apart from their medical uses, they can also be used as natural dyes, pest control, food, perfume tea, etc.
Medicinal Plants and Their Uses
Elderberry
Elderberry
Medicinal Use: treats cold, flu, and congestion
Location: found in moist, well draining soil with lots of sunlight
Purple Cone Flower
Purple Cone Flower
Medicinal Use: treats cough, cold, upper respiratory infections, and inflammation
Location: found in flat, wooded areas
Dandelions
Dandelions
Medicinal Use: stimulates appetite and digestion, supports immune system, helps with high blood pressure
Location: found in moist, sunny areas
Lamb's Quarters
Lamb's Quarters
Medicinal Use: used as an anti-inflammatory and to treat arthritis, helps to treat urinary issues
Location: found in areas with disturbed soil, partially sunny areas
Red Mulberry
Red Mulberry
Medicinal Use: used as a laxative, primarily used as food or dyes
Location: found on edge of woods and along riverbanks, moist soils
Purple Dead Nettle
Purple Dead Nettle
Medicinal Use: high in vitamin C, iron, and fiber, anti-bacterial
Location: found in well drained soil, partial shade
Mushrooms
Mushrooms
Varieties: Lions Mane and Turkey Tail
Medicinal Use:
Lions mane is known to have a wide range of health benefits. these include fighting oxidative stress in the body, repairing neurological connections and even fighting cancer.
Turkey tail is also an ancient medicinal powerhouse. It can improve the users gastrointestinal health, also fight cancer and as an immune system support.
Location:
Lions Mane is an easy to identify mushroom with no known toxic look a likes. It can be found primarily in hardwood deciduous forests on dead trees.
Turkey Tail is typically found in Michigan from May all the way to November on a variety of trees. There are no known toxic look a likes.
Lions Mane (Hericium erinaceus)
Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)
Background Information
History
The use of medicinal plants in Indigenous healing practices extends beyond recorded history. Healers, also known as shamans or medicine people, are members of a tribal community that use a combination of medicines and ceremonies to treat a variety of ailments. Traditional healing is strongly intertwined with spirituality, community, environment, and self. The medicine wheel is used by many tribes in North America, including those in Michigan. The four sacred plants are tobacco, cedar, sage, and sweetgrass, and they are used in ceremonies such as sweat lodges and smudging.
How are medicinal plants viewed and utilized today?
Medicinal plants continue to be valued and used by Indigenous people throughout the world. Western medicine relies upon traditional knowledge, as 1/3-1/2 of all drugs are derived from plants. In the US, herbal supplements have become increasingly popular among the general population as an alternative to Western medicine. Many activist groups fight to preserve habitats in which these plants grow and advocate against over harvesting.
Medicinal Plants in Higher Education
The Maynard W. Quimby Medicinal Plant Garden at the University of Mississippi contains over 1000 species of plants. The garden was created to support research on the safety and efficacy of herbal supplements and to promote conservation. This project will hopefully help to make progress in improving the regulation of herbal medicines in the US.
Issues
Local
Local
The Kalamazoo River is a vital source of food, medicine, and spiritual nourishment for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP). In 2010, a pipeline ruptured and caused a 35 mile long spill, devastating the wildlife in the area. Although the spill has been cleaned, the biodiversity of plants and animals is still affected today.
Sixty seven percent of Native Americans live in cities, and many experience a disconnect from their culture and traditional healing practices. The NHBP Northern Facility Health Clinic in Grand Rapids provides a combination of Western medicine and traditional holistic medicine. The clinic is an important space for Indigenous residents of Grand Rapids to connect with one another and keep traditional healing medicines and practices alive.
National
National
In the United States, approximately 1 in 5 adults take an herbal supplement. Herbs are defined as dietary supplements, and are therefore regulated by the USDA, not the FDA. Manufacturers are able to produce and sell herbs without demonstrating that they are safe and effective, or disclosing the concentration of active ingredients. People often assume that herbal supplements are always safe since they are "natural," but many herbs can cause harm from side effects and interactions with pharmaceutical drugs. It is crucial to consult with a healthcare provider before starting an herbal supplement.
Global
Global
Globally, up to 4 billion people rely exclusively on herbal medicines as their main source of health care. In recent years, over-harvesting and habitat loss is threatening many species of medicinal plants. Around 15,000 species may currently be threatened by extinction. The loss of species inhibits new and potentially life saving medicines from being discovered. Commercial exploitation and habitat loss have also led to traditional medicines becoming unavailable to the Indigenous groups that rely on them.
Organizations focused on medicinal plants and herbs:
United Plant Savers (UpS)
United Plant Savers (UpS)
UpS is a non-profit organization with the mission of protecting native medicinal plants and fungi to ensure renewable populations for future generations. Some of the programs that they have successfully launched include:
Forest Grown Verified Program- a 3rd party verification process for producers and sellers of botanical products that ensures crops are sustainably harvested
Hope for Hydrastis- a five year plan that involves planting 100 pounds of goldenseal roots
Community Grants- UpS offers grants for community planting projects in the form of money or plants/seeds
American Botanical Council
The mission of the American Botanical Council: "Provide education using science-based and traditional information to promote responsible use of herbal medicine. " As a nonprofit research and education organization, they aim to help people live healthier lives through the use of herbs and medicinal plants. They commit to providing people with the most reliable and up-to-date information about herbs and medicinal plants based on modern science and traditional wisdom.
Implementation Plan
Create a student run space at the SAP specifically for growing plants with medicinal properties. The goal of this space would be to provide education to students and the community about medicinal plants, allow for exploration of these plants and their medicinal properties, and discuss the impact the use of these plants can have locally, nationally, and globally.
Timeline
Potential Location
The field beyond the northernmost hoop house would make a great location for implementing a medicinal plant garden. On the northern edge of the field, four red mulberry trees could be planted with a row of elderberry bushes in front. We propose rewilding the rest of the field with purple coneflower, dandelions, lamb's quarters, and purple dead nettle in an controlled but untame manner to foster an authentic foraging and educational experience.
The proposed location for the medicinal plant garden is approximately an acre. With the mulberry trees and elderberry bushes, the amount of field dedicated to rewilding with medicinal plants would be slightly less than an acre.
Budget Breakdown
1 Pound of Purple Coneflower seed will cover approximately 1/4 acre Cost: $80
4 oz Dandelion seed will cover approximately 1/4 acre Cost: $45
1/4 Pound Lamb's Quarters seed will cover approximately 1/4 acre Cost: $52
11 seed packets of Purple Dead Nettle will cover approximately 1/4 acre Cost: $40
1 Red Mulberry tree costs $10, we would plant four Cost: $40
1 Elderberry bush costs $12, we would plant 9 Cost: $108
Mushrooms can be cultivated in old plastic buckets. The 5 Gallon buckets are $7 brand new but old ones work just as well. 6 buckets would be $42, one bag of Aspen wood chips is $9, one bag of Lions Mane mushroom spawn is $20 and a bag of Turkey Tail spawn is $18. Cost: $78
All labor including preparing the planting area, planting, weeding, and caring for the medicinal herb garden would be volunteer run. Working with the garden would be an opportunity for individual growth and education while contributing to the SAP and promoting sustainability.
Triple Bottom Line
Planet
Planet
Our plan to create a medicinal plant garden will provide an example of how medicinal plants can be grown, harvested, and managed sustainably. This garden will also continue the work of regeneration of the soil and land that the SAP has already done.
People
People
Students and the community will have the opportunity to learn about medicinal plants they may not have otherwise known about. These visits can help people gain an understanding and appreciation for growing medicinal plants in a sustainable way. People will have an opportunity to harvest and take home medicinal plants to use as medicine.
Profit
Profit
Harvested goods from the medicinal garden at the SAP can be sold at the farmer's market, creating an opportunity to make a profit while furthering the audience of medicinal plant education. The profit can be used to pay SAP farm crew and can be used to fund other projects at the SAP.
Sources
Sources
About the American Botanical Council. About Us - American Botanical Council. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://www.herbalgram.org/about-us/#VisionMission
About the garden: NCNPR: Ole miss. National Center for Natural Products Research. (2021, May 18). Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://pharmacy.olemiss.edu/ncnpr/the-maynard-w-quimby-medicinal-plant-garden/present-day-garden/
About United Plant Savers. United Plant Savers. (2022, October 24). Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://unitedplantsavers.org/meet-the-team/
Dandelion. Mount Sinai Health System. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/dandelion
EBSCO Information Services. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://eds.s.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=1&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHNzbyZzaXRlPWVkcy1saXZlJnNjb3BlPXNpdGU%3D
Fact sheet - lambsquarters (chenopodium album) is a nutrient-packed. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2022, from http://docs-do-not-link.udc.edu/causes/Fact-Sheet-Lambsquarters-Chenopodium-album-is-a-Nutrient-Packed-Edible-Weed-final.pdf
Ghosh, S., Nandi, S., Banerjee, A., Sarkar, S., Chakraborty, N., & Acharya, K. (2021). Prospecting medicinal properties of Lion’s mane mushroom. Journal of Food Biochemistry, 45(8). https://doi.org/10.1111/jfbc.13833
Introduction and importance of medicinal plants and herbs. Introduction and Importance of Medicinal Plants and Herbs | National Health Portal of India. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://www.nhp.gov.in/introduction-and-importance-of-medicinal-plants-and-herbs_mtl#:~:text=Medicinal%20plants%20are%20considered%20as,cultures%20around%20the%20whole%20world.
Laura. (2022, September 29). Foraging & uses for Purple Dead Nettle. Lonely Pines Farm. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://www.lonelypinesfarm.com/foraging-uses-for-purple-dead/
Lauren Fay Carlson, M. E. |T. (n.d.). Is successful healthcare a question of culture?: Native American Clinic treats the whole self. Rapid Growth. Retrieved November 10, 2022, from https://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/features/Native_American_Health.aspx
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