Among the native flora of Sri Lanka, there are well over 500 species that have been and are used in traditional medicine. Apart from that there are over 900 non indigenous medicinal plants used in native medicine. This study introduces the use of medicinal plant for arthritis and rheumatism, cancer, diabetes and tonic, and information on the 10 largest imported herbal materials as well.

The main areas of medicinal plant research in Sri Lanka can be categorized as phytochemistry of indigenous medicinal plants and their relatives, medical properties of indigenous medicinal plants, and conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants. The research institutes working on medicinal plant covered governmental sector and private sector were introduced. Finally, the ten species of priority medicinal plants for further research in Sri Lanka was reviewed as Coscinium fenestratum (Menispermaceae), Salacia reticulata (Celastraceae), Munronia pinnata (Meliaceae), Rubia cordifolia (Rubiaceae), Woodfordia fruticosa (Lythraceae), Cassia angustifolia (Fabaceae), Withania somnifera (Solanaceae), Indigofera tinctoria (Fabaceae), Cardiospermum halicacabum (Sapindaceae) and Mucuna pruriens (Fabaceae) with the Medicinal Plant Conservation Area (MPCA) activity for stainable use.