Medicinal Plants of Bangladesh and West Bengal is a complete compendium. It provides the scientific name, classification, local name(s), historical background, local medicinal uses, botanical description, chemical constituents, pharmacological activity and toxicology of more than 100 medicinal spices used in Bengal. Chemical structures of active constituents are provided as well as numerous references. This book is an indispensable tool for researchers, as well as graduates in various disciplines, including pharmacy, pharmacology, medicine, biotechnology, nutrition, cosmetology and drug development. It is also suitable for anyone who is looking for natural products as leads to be developed in therapeutics, functional nutrition or cosmetology. Focuses on a group of herbs with economic importance – the spices. These herbs demonstrate the richness of chemical diversity and potential pharmacological applications Features field photos with local healers, markets and mode of preparation as well as providing a complete monograph for each plant Discusses the collection and observation of each medicinal spice and presents the ethnopharmacology recorded by the author in Bengal Provides a wealth of scientific information on medicinal spices from an expert in the field Fills an important niche due to the increasing global interests in natural foods and botanical drugs

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have accompanied mankind from its very early beginnings. Their utilization has co-evolved with homo sapiens itself bringing about a profound increase in our scientific knowledge of these species enabling them to be used in many facets of our life (e.g. pharmaceutical products, feed- and food additives, cosmetics, etc.). Remarkably, despite the new renaissance of MAPs usage, ca. 80 % of the world’s population is relying on natural substances of plant origin, with most of these botanicals sourced from the wild state. This first volume and ultimately the series, provides readers with a wealth of information on medicinal and aromatic plants.

This volume focuses on the importance of therapeutically active compounds of natural origin. Natural materials from plants, microbes, animals, marine organisms and minerals are important sources of modern drugs. Beginning with two chapters on the development and definition of the interdisciplinary field of pharmacognosy, the volume offers up-to-date information on natural and biosynthetic sources of drugs, classification of crude drugs, pharmacognosical botany, examples of medical application, WHO ́s guidelines and intellectual property rights for herbal products.

Medicinal Plants of South Asia: Novel Sources for Drug Discovery provides a comprehensive review of medicinal plants of this region, highlighting chemical components of high potential and applying the latest technology to reveal the underlying chemistry and active components of traditionally used medicinal plants. Drawing on the vast experience of its expert editors and authors, the book provides a contemporary guide source on these novel chemical structures, thus making it a useful resource for medicinal chemists, phytochemists, pharmaceutical scientists and everyone involved in the use, sales, discovery and development of drugs from natural sources. - Provides comprehensive reviews of 50 medicinal plants and their key properties - Examines the background and botany of each source before going on to discuss underlying phytochemistry and chemical compositions - Links phytochemical properties with pharmacological activities - Supports data with extensive laboratory studies of traditional medicines

Ethnobotany includes the traditional use of plants in different fields like medicine and agriculture. This book incorporates important studies based on ethnobotany of different geographic zones. The book covers medicinaland aromatic plants, ethnopharmacology, bioactive molecules, plants used in cancer, hypertension, disorders of the central nervous system, and also as antipsoriatic, antibacterial, antioxidant, antiurolithiatic. The book will be useful for a diverse group of readers including plant scientists, pharmacologists, clinicians, herbalists, natural therapy experts, chemists, microbiologists, NGOs and those who are interested in traditional therapies.