g one side of the tree should be cut and collected.
Medicinal plants should not be collected in or near areas where high levels of pesticides or other possible contaminants are used or found, such as roadsides, drainage ditches, mine tailings, garbage dumps and industrial facilities which may produce toxic emissions. In addition, the collection of medicinal plants in and around active pastures, including riverbanks downstream from pastures, should be avoided in order to avoid microbial contamination from animal waste.
In the course of collection, efforts should be made to remove parts of the plant that are not required and foreign matter, in particular toxic weeds. Decomposed medicinal plant materials should be discarded.
In general, the collected raw medicinal plant materials should not come into direct contact with the soil. If underground parts (such as the roots) are used, any adhering soil should be removed from the plants as soon as they are collected. Collected material should be placed in clean baskets, mesh bags, other well aerated containers or drop cloths that are free from foreign matter, including plant remnants from previous collecting activities.
After collection, the raw medicinal plant materials may be subjected to appropriate preliminary processing, including elimination of undesirable materials and contaminants, washing (to remove excess soil), sorting and cutting. The collected medicinal plant materials should be protected from insects, rodents, birds and other pests, and from livestock and domestic animals.
If the collection site is located some distance from processing facilities, it may be necessary to air or sun-dry the raw medicinal plant materials prior to transport.
If more than one medicinal plant part is to be collected, the different plant species or plant materials should be gathered separately and transported in separate containers. Cross-contamination should be avoided at all times.
Collecting implements, such as machetes, shears, saws and mechanical tools, should be kept clean and maintained in proper condition. Those parts that come into direct contact with the collected medicinal plant materials should be free from excess oil and other contamination.