Survey and utilization of valuable tropical forest resources

本研究于1999年至2001年，作为日本与泰国的合作研究工作，与泰国研究人员对泰国境内8个国家边境地区的珍贵热带森林资源进行了调查。我们每次都到当地的市场调研，调查木叶、蔬菜、水果、餐桌奢侈品、树皮、药用植物等商业林产品，并进入热带森林调研，采集珍贵的热带森林资源的植物样本。结果表明：1)共采集到32科95种植物样品，主要包括夹竹桃科、Combretaeae科、大戟科、豆科、Guttiferae科、Lythraceae科、Rubiaceae科，具有抗菌、抗疟疾、抗炎、抗糖尿病活性，含有单宁、树脂、表脂、染料等。2)我们通过化学文摘（Scifinder系统）检索了这95种植物的相关文献，发现其中有20种没有出现在化学文摘中，这些物种可能含有未知的化学成分，具有各种生物活性。3)采用不同溶剂提取茜草科植物样品。我们首先发现这些提取物具有抗幽门螺杆菌活性。4)对树皮单宁和木材树脂也进行了研究，发现它们具有多种有趣的化学成分。因此，不仅在泰国境内，而且在印度-中国、整个东南亚、非洲和南美洲等地调查这些宝贵的热带森林资源，对于保护未来热带森林和地球环境的可持续发展具有重要意义。

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.