สำนักราชบัณฑิตยสภา

The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Volume II - 2010 Visut Baimai 111 vegetables and tropical fruits, for example, lemon grass, chilli, mangoes and sugar cane, have been used by local people throughout Thai history and have become associated with the traditional lifestyle. In addition, natural products from many species of plants have been used as pesticides. Crude extract from the kernel of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. var. siamensis Valeton (Thai neem) contains azadirachtin (triterpenoid group) which has been used as an effective pesticide against many species of agricultural pests including cockroaches, locusts, fleas, ticks and plant hoppers. The people of Thailand have used herbs and medicinal plants as sources of drugs for traditional remedies of ailments throughout this country’s long history. Hence, ethnomedicine has developed and has evolved, tested through time, into the intricate art of folk medicine. Such indigenous knowledge has been perpetuated by being passed down from generation to generation within ethnic tribes. For instance, Curcuma longa Linn., has been used for treatment of peptic ulcer and dyspepsia, Diospyros mollis Griff., has been used to eliminate hookworm and Clinacanthus nutans Lindau, is used for treatment of burns, eczema and herpes simplex. The best known example is Croton sublyratus Kurz (Family Euphorbiaceae) which has been used by local people for a long time as an effective treatment for peptic ulcer. Descriptions written on palm leaves concerning herb usage in folk medicine (Samud Khoi, in Thai), by various ethnic groups, is evidence that the ancestral inhabitants of this region had developed their own systems of traditional medicine long ago. These ancient descriptions of folk medicine are very valuable documents detailing the development of traditional Thai medicine and Thai medicinal plants. The Thai people lived peacefully and sustainably surrounded by the balanced and green environment, for over 400 years, until the 1960s when the Thai government launched its first National Economic and Social Development Plan. As a consequence of this series of national development plans implemented during the past 50 years, Thailand has lost biodiversity and bioresources at an alarming rate. Tropical forests have decreased sharply from 70 percent to only about 25 percent now. The mangrove and peat swamp forests have diminished more dramatically. The rivers and estuaries of the country are suffering even more damage, as a result of upland deforestation, industrial pollution, dams, dredging, canalization and shoreline obliteration. Rivers are extremely rich in fishes and invertebrates, but they are common, multiple use environments and no one takes responsibility for managing or conserving their biota. The widespread reduction of terrestrial and aquatic habitats for all life forms is inevitably leading to tremendous loss of biodiversity, and many species have suffered