Recent Progress in Medicinal Plants (Ethnomedicine and Pharmacognosy)

The data recorded through ethnopharmacological field studies is invaluable as these provide information on wild medicinal plants used by tribals to treat their common and chronic ailments. For pharmaceuticals, ranging from digitalis to vincristine ethnobotanical approach to drug discovery has proved successful. Gastrointestinal maladies, inflammation, skin infections, and certain viral diseases are likely to be high saliency to indigenous healers, whereas diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular illness are unlikely to be easily diagnosed by indigenous people. Yet, indigenous remedies may indicate pharmacological activities for maladies such as schizophrenia, for which the biochemical mechanisms have yet to be discovered. Based on this rationale, the present volume of the series Recent Progress in Medicinal Plants Ethnomedicine and Pharmacognosy has been compiled. The focus of the book is new researches pertaining to these areas. ?This publication provides first-hand information on ethnomedicines of different regions of Indian sub-continent and West Africa, comprising 33 original contributions by eminent scientists and researchers. Pharmacognostic studies on certain plant drugs have been included which provides basic data to help fixing-up their pharmacopoeial standards, thereby ensuring quality medicines of Indian Systems of Medicine & Homoeopathy.