Reviews on Indian Medicinal Plants

author: A. K. Gupta
edition: 2004, Indian Council of Medical Research
pages: 9731
ISBN-13: 9770972795006
Topic: Ayurveda

Preface

Medicinal plants belong to the earliest known health care products that have been used by the mankind. Over three-quarters of the world population rely on the use of traditional medicines for their primary health care needs. The medicinal plants are not only major components of the many formulations used in Indigenous Systems o Medicines but also of a large number of drugs in Allopathic. In India, with one of the oldest ethno botanical tradition in the world, medicinal plants are the backbone of all major systems of medicine.

Indian Council of Medical Research has been supporting various research programmers in the area of medicinal plants and Indigenous systems of Medicine since 1929. In the recent past, under the leadership of Dr. G.V. Satyavati, the then Sr. Deputy Director general and later director General, the ICMR published a compilation of data on scientific work conducted in India on medicinal plants in two volumes of Monograph in 1976 and 1987, respectively, covering a total of about 900 plant species ( alphabet A to P as per their botanical names). There have been several other publications in the last few decades. The coverage of plant in these and other publications was selective or focused primarily on aspects like agronomy, botany, cultivation and chemistry. There was however, less focus on pharmacological, clinical, toxicological and drug development aspects.

In the interregnum there has been an information explosion on medicinal plants. A vast amount of information is available on published and unpublished scientific data spanning various related specialties. systematic compilation of this information became essential for its fruitful management and utilization. In the changed present day scenario this compilation needed to be viewed with a contemporary perspective which could lend support to IPR issues, priorities setting in R&D, credence to plant based drugs, global acceptance, boost of trade, and exploitation of untapped indigenous resources for better health care. The international agencies like WHO too, have advocated for development of databases which could help in harnessing full potential of medicinal plants and also help in protecting country’s ethno medicinal and biological wealth.

The present series of monographs is an effort by ICMR in this direction.

Extensive search has been made for relevant literature from primary, secondary and tertiary sources, as well as by contacting various universities, medical institutions and individual researchers involved in activities related to medicinal plants. The monograph on each plant includes regional names, habit and habitat, Ayurvedic description (wherever available), Sanskrit synonyms, uses ascribed, ethno botanical studies, the details of botanical, pharmacognostic, chemical, pharmacological/ biological, clinical and toxicological aspects backed by complete references on each aspect of the information cited. Colored photographs of some important medicinal plants have been also included.

The available literature information is so enormous that the total number of 600 plant species with 8400 references under alphabet ‘A’ (as per botanical names) could be covered in 3 volumes. The present publication is first in the series, and covers over 220 plant species (Abe-Alle). The second (Alli-Art) and Third (Are-Azi) volumes, have also been prepared and are being published simultaneously.

It is hoped that the series of publication may be useful for researchers, scientific bodies, herbal drug industry and other organizations. The policy planners, regulatory and health authorities may also find it equally useful.

Like what you read? Consider supporting this website: