Medicinal plant database of the Republic of Buryatia (Russia)

Abstract

The medicinal flora of the Republic of Buryatia includes 556 species of vascular plants, with Asteraceae, Rosaceae and Ranunculaceae as the leading families. Plants of forest and steppe floristic complexes dominate, reflecting the region’s position within the light‑coniferous taiga and forest‑steppe zones. The predominance of wide‑ranging species (57%) and herbaceous perennials (64.5%) is typical of boreal floras and indicates that the medicinal flora consists mainly of ecologically plastic taxa adapted to a harsh continental climate. The majority of medicinal plants (91%) are used exclusively in traditional oriental medicine and lack pharmacopoeial status, revealing a significant knowledge gap and underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological studies. Twenty‑five species are rare and under considerable threat, mainly due to over‑harvesting for commercial and traditional use. The absence of monitoring and up‑to‑date data on their distribution and abundance impedes the development of effective conservation measures. A relational database using Microsoft Access has been developed to store, systematise and analyse data on the medicinal flora of Buryatia. The database includes taxonomic information, ecological preferences, distribution data, resource potential assessments, conservation status, and traditional uses for each species. It supports querying and filtering by multiple criteria, enabling researchers to extract customised datasets for floristic, phytochemical and pharmacological studies. The database is designed for long‑term maintenance and expansion, serving as a foundation for conservation planning, sustainable resource management and educational purposes.