This treatise is a unique, unified and single-source reference book providing the latest and the most significant data on a wide spectrum of medicinal herbs practised worldwide and their chemical ingredients. Of the 550 plants referred to in the book in relation to their phytochemicals, 350 are dealt in detail dovetailing their distinguishing botanical characters, chemical components and biomarkers of all the useful parts,
authentic medicinal properties and the pharmacological actions they elicit. About 10,000 constituent compounds have been mentioned and these have been grouped according to their natural product classification. This book is intended to encompass an in- depth coverage of the chemistry of "Plant Products" such as alkaloids, terpenoids, phenolics, etc. In addition to emphasizing the synergism of the components of these herbs, emerging trends like aromatherapy and antioxidant therapy are discussed and a handy user's guide is appended at the end.
This book is a valuable and indispensable reference book designed for teachers and students of phytochemistry, medicinal botany and pharmacy as also for biochemists, organic chemists, chemotaxonomists, medicinal practitioners (practicing herbal medicine), foresters, drug manufacturers, chemo/bioprospecters, and of course, to a layman interested in medicinal herbs.
M. Daniel, Ph.D. is a professor and Chairman of the Department of Botany of the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, India. He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. Degrees in Botany from University of Kerala in 1969 and 1971 respectively and Ph.D. in Chemotaxonomy from the M.S. University, Baroda in 1976.A teacher and researcher of long standing, Dr. Daniel is the author of more than 110 research articles and five professional books. His areas of research interest are phytochemistry, chemotaxonomy, medicinal plants, phytoalexins and herbal tech- nology. He is a member of many professional bodies and academic councils.
