Description

ABOUT THE BOOK

During ancient period, the knowledge and names of medicinal plants were spread through folk songs, folk tales, symbols, stone inscriptions,etc. The ancient civilizations like Indian, Greek, Mesopotamian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Chinese, Inca and Maya of South America had their epic, classical literature, Materia-Medica, etc., where a good number of plants were mentioned. Most of them were economic plants of medicinal value and play an important role in modern medicine.

Medicinal plants are distributed across India in her unique agro-climatic and bio-geographic regions, diverse habitats and vast landscapes. Around 70% of India’s medicinal plants are found in the tropical areas and around 30% in the temperate and alpine areas. World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that approximately 80% of the world population still relies on traditional medicines, which are mostly phyto-drugs.  About 2,700 plants species are reported to be used in the codified Indian Systems of Medicine viz. Ayurveda (1800 species), Siddha (500 species), Unani (400 species) and Amchi (300 species). The renewed global interest in complementary and alternative systems is increasing the demand of plant-based Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani (ASU) drugs. But the scientific and advanced aghrotechniques for growing the medicinal plants are still lacking. Most of the cases people follow the traditional age-old practices of cultivation, processing and storage of raw materials leading to reduced contents of active principles from the finished products.

This book has been designed to highlight the complex but compelling issues of medicinal plants, their botany, major uses, Agrotechniques, active principles present and specialized process of their extraction, in a nutshell. This handbook is also packed with much other information on medicinal plants alongwith a glossary of medical terminologies at the end. Hope the book will go a long way in catering scholastic services and rewards to diverse mights and professions including UG, PG and PhD scholars, teachers, amateur growers and many related stakeholders at large.

CONTENT

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dr. A. B. Sharangi is one of the Professors of eminence in Horticulture and former Head, Department of Plantation, Spices, Medicinal and Crops, Faculty of Horticulture, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya (Agricultural University), India. He is in the profession of teaching for more than twenty years and instrumental in the process. He spent times in Prof. Cousen’s lab in Melbourne, Prof Picha’s lab in USA, Dr Dobson’s lab in UK and continued research on herbs and spices. One of his papers has ranked among the top 25 articles in ScienceDirect. He has published about 75 research papers in peer-reviewed journal, 50 conference papers, 20 books from reputed publishers including SPRINGER as well as several book chapters published from SPRINGER, Tailor and Francis, CRC Press, Nova Publishers (USA) and scores of popular scientific articles. Presently he is associated with 50 international and national journals as editor in chief, regional editor, technical editor, editorial board member and reviewer. Prof Sharangi has visited abroad extensively on academic mission and obtained several international awards viz., ENDEAVOUR Post-doctoral Award (Australia), INSA-RSE Visiting Scientist (UK), FULBRIGHT Visiting Faculty (USA), Achiever’s Award (SADHNA), Marquis Who’s Who (USA), Man of the Year-2015 (Cambridge, UK), Outstanding Scientist and Higher Education Leadership Award(Venus International Foundation), etc. He has delivered a couple of invited lectures in UK, USA, Australia, Thailand, Israel and Bangladesh on several aspects of herbs and spices. Prof Sharangi is associated with a number of research projects as Principal and Co-Principal Investigators having academic and empirical implications. He is an elected FELLOW of WB Academy of Science and Technology, (FAScT). He is also the Fellow of International Society for Research and Development (FISRD, UK), the Society of Applied Biotechnology (FSAB), Academy of Environment & Life Sciences (FAELS), International Scientific Research Organization for Science, Engineering and Technology (FISROSET), Scientific Society of Advanced Research & Social Change (FSSARSC), Society of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry (FSPP). He is an active member of several science academies and societies like NASI, NABS, ISNS, HSI, CWSS, SAH including the New York Academy of Science (NYAS), World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology (WASET), to name a few.

Dr.Kalkame Ch. Momin has completed her B.Sc. (Agri) from Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam; M.Sc Agri. (Horti) from Dr Panjabrao DeshmukhKrishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra and Ph.D Floriculture and Landscaping from Dr.Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P). She has been awarded the ICAR-NET in Horticulture in the year 2010. She worked as a Guest Lecturer in the Department of Horticulture, North Eastern Hill Universityfrom 2013 to 2016 and is presently working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Floriculture and Landscaping Architecture, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh under Central Agricultural University. She is a recipient of Dr.Panjabrao Deshmukh Birth Centenary Gold Medal, Barrister Sheshrao Wankhade Gold Medal, Shri Madhao Gangadhar Bhumralkar Cash Prize, Annasaheb Mahajani Cash Prize for being the university topper in M.Sc. Agri. (Horti) in the year 2009 conferred by Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola, Maharashtra. She has been awarded INSPIRE fellowship by DBT, Government of India during her Ph.D programme.  Dr.Momin has over 10 research publications, book chapters and has presented papers in international, national workshops, seminars and symposiums. She is a life member of two professional scientific soceities of India.

Dr. S. K. Kundu  has M.Sc. in Botany  (Genetics and Plant Breeding) from Kalyani University and PhD degree in Genetics from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, in the year 2000. After submission of Thesis, he was engaged in a Central Sector Scheme on medicinal plants as a research associate. He further joined as a Post Doctoral fellow in a Research project “Inventorising the medicinal plants resources in India “sponsored by DBT, Govt. of India, in the reputed research Institute Botanical Survey of India, Howrah, West Bengal. He has two years teaching experience in a college. He has published 10 research papers in different journal. He has participated in many workshops and seminars in and national level. Presently he has engaged himself as a P.G. Teacher of Biological science in a heritage school. He was established a medicinal Garden named ‘Charak Uddyan’ in the school campus.