Plants resources can survive without traditional medicine but traditional medicine cannot survive without medicinal plants. Each system of traditional medicine are principally and theoretically different but they all use natural resources, especially medicinal plants for preparation of drugs. Medicinal plants are one of the major components of traditional medicine so while conducting research on traditional medicine especially associating with traditional healers, it explores large numbers of plants species with amazing uses. Research on traditional medicine is therefore important in terms of exploring medicinal values of local plants resources. Nepal has officially recognized just 700 plants species as medicinal and aromatic plants of the country. However, there are lots of plant species that are being used by local people as medicine but yet to be identified. A research conducted in Gorkha district in 1997 explored more than 300 medicinal plants and around 200 traditional healers in a Gurung community within 6 VDC(s). Similar research conducted in Tharu community of Rupandehi district shows that even in a VDC more than 45 plants species of 31 families were being used by the community as medicine. Likewise, a research conducted in 10 VDCs of Baglung district within a short time period of time explored nearly 100 traditional healers actively practicing and 160 medicinal plants that use for preparation of drugs. A study conducted by Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) reported that significant numbers of individuals and organizations working in the country are directly or indirectly associated with tradition systems of medicine. However, lack of coordination and cooperation among those organizations, several activities were found repeated and some burning issues of national and global agendas were missing.

(Source: Taken from the research report (draft) of Nepal Health Research Council/2013)