Introduction

• The term NTFP was coined by de Beer and McDermott in 1989 to include all biological materials other than timber, which are extracted from forests for human use.
• NTFP refers to the following:

1. all biological material other than timber extracted from forest
2. products of biological origin other than wood derived either from forest, other wooded land and tree outside forests
3. all utility products of plant, animal and mineral origins except timber obtainable from forests or afforested/domesticated land areas are termed as NTFP
4. Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAP) are those NTFP which deal mainly the medicinal value of NTFPs.

• Sofowora (1982) describe a medicinal plant as any plant which contains a substance(s) that can be used for therapeutic purposes or which are precursors for synthesis of useful drugs.