The stimulation of defense mechanistic pathways has been recognized as possible means of inhibiting diseases progression in humans without perse eliciting harmful effects. Thus the medicinal plants have a wide diversity of secondary metabolites with different biological activities to generate potent bioactive molecules necessary for health enhancement. On the other hand, lack of scientific data proving the efficacy and safety of medicine prepared from herbs signals the need to full understand about their chemical and biological properties.
In this volume several experimental studies have been included to comprehend the pharmacological effects of more than 50 commonly medicinal plants used in folk medicines. As there is enormous potential of traditionally used medical herbs for developing new drugs, there is an urgent need to further elucidate phytochemicals and mechanisms of action using modern biological methods. Therefore, an attempt has been made in the volume to present the botanical, phytochemical, and pharmacological properties of the plants together with pharmacoparameters such as contraindications, adverse effects, and overdose of the plants.
The volume discusses about such studies in 26 chapters received from far and wide 16 countries of the world. The volume has been designed for a wide range of audience in the field of phytochemistry, pharmacology, biotechnology, ethnomedicine, toxicology, drug standardization, microbiology, medicinal sciences and other researchers interested in the discovery of new natural drugs.
- Antioxidant Natural Plant, Health Benefits of Chamomile, Herbal Willow 4000 Years of Relief for Fever, Headache and Rheumatic Pain, Medicinal Properties of Croton celtidifolius Baill: Validation of the Popular Use of Sangue-de-adave, Bioactivity of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Its Constituents, African Milkbush (Synadenium grantii Hook. f): Ethnopharmacological, Chemical and Morpho-anatomical Aspects, Elephantopus scaber Linn: From Ground to the Clay Pot, Studies of Biologically Acitve Constituents of Verbascum eremobium Murb. and Its Inducing Resestance Against some Disease of Cucumber (Egypt)
- Taxus sp. Source of Anticancer Agent Taxol (Spain)
- Anticancer Activity of Marrubium alysson L. and Its Phenolic Constituents (Egypt)
- White- Berry Mistletoe (Viscum album L.) in Cancer Treatment (Israel)
- Medical Properties of Shahao in China (China)
- Chemistry and Pharmacology of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf.: An Overview (Brazil)
- Anti Oxidant Studies and Chemical Investigation of Ethanol Extract of Acalypha indica Linn. (India)
- Progress and Potential in Deriving Medicinal Value of the Pigeon Pea, Cajanus cajan: A Review (USA)
- Phansomba: An Indian Herbal, Folk Medicine (India)
- Bituminaria bituminosa: A Source of Furanocoumarins of Pharmaceutical Interest (Spain)
- Cissus quadrangularis: The Bone Setter (India)
- Fertilizing Properties Lepidium mevenli Walp.(Family Brassicaceae) (Italy)
- Medicinal Plant-Hedyotis diffusa (China)
- Tropane Alkaloids in Hyoscyamus reticulatus L. (Bulgaria)
- Biological Activities of Stinging Nettle (Turkey)
- Biological Activities of Centella asiatica (L.) Urban (Turkey)
- Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) An Ethnomedicine (Turkey)
- Medicinal Properties of Rosa canina (Germany)
- Extracts of Loranthus micranthus (Linn) Upregulates Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses in Mice (Nigeria)