Survey and utilization of valuable tropical forest resources

2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 11694201
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 林産学
• Research Institution: KYOTO UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: NAKATSUBO Fumiaki Graduate School of Agriculture, KYOTO UNIVERSITY, professor, 農学研究科, 教授 (10027170)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SUGIURA Akira Graduate School of Agriculture, KYOTO UNIVERSITY professor, 農学研究科, 教授 (00026379) ; KAMITAKAHARA Hiroshi Graduate School of Agriculture, KYOTO UNIVERSITY assistant, 農学研究科, 助手 (10293911) ; TAKANO Toshiyuki Graduate School of Agriculture, KYOTO UNIVERSITY Associate professor, 農学研究科, 助教授 (50335303) ; NOBUCHI Tadashi Graduate School of Agriculture, KYOTO UNIVERSITY professor, 農学研究科, 教授 (50026499) ; WATANABE Hiroyuki Graduate School of Agriculture, KYOTO UNIVERSITY professor, 農学研究科, 教授 (90026633)
• Project Period (FY): 1999 – 2001
• Keywords: Thailand / valuable tropical forest resources / 95 plant species / anti-malaria / anti-Helicobacter pylori activity / Bark tannins / wood resin / sustainable tropical forest

Research Abstract

In this study, we have surveyed valuable tropical forest resources in the 8 national border areas inside Thailand with Thailand researchers as cooperative research work between Japan and Thailand, from 1999 to 2001. Every time, We visited local markets to survey commercial forest products such as wood leaves vegetables, fruits, table luxuries, barks, medicinal plants and so on, and entered into the tropical forest to survey and to collect plant samples of the valuable tropical forest resources. The results are as follows : 1) We collected the plant samples of 95 plant species in 32 families including mainly Apocynaceae, Combretaeae, Euphorbiaceae, Leguminosae, Guttiferae, Lythraceae, Rubiaceae, having anti-bacterial, anti-malaria, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic activities, and containing tannin, resin, table luxuries, dyes and so on. 2) We have searched for the references about these 95 plant species by Chemical Abstract (Scifinder system) to find that 20 species collected did not appear in the Chemical Absract: theses species may have interesting possibilities containing unknown chemical constituents with various biological activities. 3) The plant sample of Rubiaceae were extracted with various solvents. We found first of all anti-Helicobacter pylori activity in these extractives. 4) Bark tannins and wood resins were also investigated to find that they have variety of interesting chemical constituents.
Thus, it is important to survey such valuable tropical forest resources not only in inside of Thailand, but also in India-China, and whole Southeast Asia, furthermore in Africa and South America and so on, for preserving sustainable tropical forest and the earth-environment in future.