The global popularity of herbal supplements and the promise they hold in treating various disease states has caused an unprecedented interest in understanding the molecular basis of the biological activity of traditional remedies. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects focuses on presenting current scientific evidence of biomolecular ef

This book introduces the methodology for collection and identification of herbal materials, extraction and isolation of compounds from herbs, in vitro bioassay, in vivo animal test, toxicology, and clinical trials of herbal research. To fully understand and make the best use of herbal medicines requires the close combination of chemistry, biochemistry, biology, pharmacology, and clinical science. Although there are many books about traditional medicines research, they mostly focus on either chemical or pharmacological study results of certain plants. This book, however, covers the systematic study and analysis of herbal medicines in general – including chemical isolation and identification, bioassay and mechanism study, pharmacological experiment, and quality control of the raw plant material and end products.

Responding to the increased popularity of herbal medicines and other forms of complementary or alternative medicine in countries around the world, this reference reviews and evaluates various safety, toxicity, and quality-control issues related to the use of traditional and herbal products for health maintenance and disease prevention and treatment. With over 3,550 current references, the book highlights the role of herbal medicine in national health care while providing case studies of widely used herbal remedies and their effects on human health and wellness and the need for the design and performance of methodologically sound clinical trials for the plethora of herbal medicines.

Quality Control and Evaluation of Herbal Drugs brings together current thinking and practices for evaluation of natural products and traditional medicines. The use of herbal medicine in therapeutics is on the rise in both developed and developing countries and this book facilitates the necessary development of quality standards for these medicines.This book elucidates on various challenges and opportunities for quality evaluation of herbal drugs with several integrated approaches including metabolomics, chemoprofiling, marker analysis, stability testing, good practices for manufacturing, clinical aspects, Ethnopharmacology and Ethnomedicine inspired drug development. Written by Prof. Pulok K Mukherjee, a leader in this field; the book highlights on various methods, techniques and approaches for evaluating the purity, quality, safety and efficacy of herbal drugs. Particular attention is paid to methods that assess these drugs' activity, the compounds responsible and their underlying mechanisms of action. The book describes the quality control parameters followed in India and other countries, including Japan, China, Bangladesh, and other Asian countries, as well as the regulatory profiles of the European Union and North America. This book will be useful in bio-prospecting of natural products and traditional medicine-inspired drug discovery and development. - Provides new information on the research and development of natural remedies - essential reading on the study and use of natural resources for preventative or healing purposes - Brings together current thinking and practices in quality control and standardization of herbal drugs highlighting several integrated approaches for metabolomics, chemo-profiling and marker analysis - Aids in developing knowledge of various techniques including macroscopy, microscopy, HPTLC, HPLC, LC-MS/MS, GC-MS etc. with the development of integrated methods for evaluation of botanicals used in traditional medicine - Assessment of herbal drugs through bio-analytical techniques, bioassay guided isolation, enzyme inhibition, pharmacological, microbiological, antiviral assays and safety related quality issues - References global organizations, such as the WHO, USFDA, CDSCO, AYUSH, TCM and others to serve as a comprehensive document for enforcement agencies, NGOs and regulatory authorities

This book highlights the medical importance of and increasing global interest in herbal medicines, herbal health products, herbal pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, food supplements, herbal cosmetics, etc. It also addresses various issues that are hampering the advancement of Indian herbal medicine around the globe; these include quality concerns and quality control, pharmacovigilance, scientific investigation and validation, IPR and biopiracy, and the challenge that various indigenous systems of medicine are at risk of being lost. The book also explores the role of traditional medicine in providing new functional leads and modern approaches that can offer elegant strategies for facilitating the drug discovery process. The book also provides in-depth information on various traditional medicinal systems in India and discusses their medical importance. India has a very long history of safely using many herbal drugs. Folk medicine is also a key source of medical knowledge and plays a vital role in maintaining health in rural and remote areas. Despite its importance, this form of medicine largely remains under-investigated. Out of all the traditional medicinal systems used worldwide, Indian traditional medicine holds a unique position, as it has continued to deliver healthcare throughout the Asian subcontinent since ancient times. In addition, traditional medicine has been used to derive advanced techniques and investigate many modern drugs. Given the scope of its coverage, the book offers a valuable resource for scientists and researchers exploring traditional and herbal medicine, as well as graduate students in courses on traditional medicine, herbal medicine and pharmacy.

Based on careful analysis of burden of disease and the costs ofinterventions, this second edition of 'Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries, 2nd edition' highlights achievable priorities; measures progresstoward providing efficient, equitable care; promotes cost-effectiveinterventions to targeted populations; and encourages integrated effortsto optimize health. Nearly 500 experts - scientists, epidemiologists, health economists,academicians, and public health practitioners - from around the worldcontributed to the data sources and methodologies, and identifiedchallenges and priorities, resulting in this integrated, comprehensivereference volume on the state of health in developing countries.