Himalayan Medicinal Plant Species Traded from Nepal to China

Despite an old millennial history of medicinal plants trade from Nepal to China, there has not been any study that comprehensively overviews what species are traded from Nepal to China. This study attempts to generate a complete overview of Nepalese medicinal plant species traded with China and reveal their conservation status. We review the literature related to Nepal-China trade relations, including medicinal plants, track the government reports and data, and conduct interviews with forest officials and exporters trading to Tibet, China. The study documented 54 medicinal plant species of 48 genera under 41 families exported to China. Twenty-six species, including four orchids, fall in national or international conservation categories. With the industrialization of Tibetan medicine, access to modern transportation (roadways, seaways and airways) for supply of medicine ingredients and products, globalization of medicinal plant market, and high per capita income of Chinese people resulting change in consumer behaviour shifting to herbal medication have extended Nepalese medicinal plants trade beyond Tibet to mainland China. To mitigate the depletion of resources caused by high demand of medicinal plants, immediate action is required to address trade sustainability.