Himalayan Medicinal Plants

The Himalayan Region is a mega hot spot for biological diversity. It supports over 1,748 plants species of known medicinal value. This title focuses on origin and distribution of Himalayan herbs, their medicinal potential, industrial significance, and research advancements pertaining to molecular breeding and omics-based approaches. Discusses evolved secondary biochemical pathways often in response to specific environmental stimuli Reviews conservation efforts Presents an in-depth analysis of 12 key species

Contributed articles presented at the Workshop on "Himalayan Medicinal Plants: Potential and Prospects" organized by G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment & Development Kosi-Katarmal, Almora from 5-7 November, 1988.

The Himalayan region is among the largest mountains systems of the world with uncounted unique medicinal plants resources. The lesser Himalayas ranges are the extension of Greater Himalayas. They have unique ecology, vegetation and diversity of medicinal flora due to tremendous variation in the altitude, climate and associated wildlife. The utilization of medicinal plants in medicine suffers from the fact that although plants are used to treat diseases, scientific evidence is lacking in many cases. Different societies of the world use the plants according to their own beliefs and knowledge and previous experiences. Their knowledge about the use of the plants is usually not known to the other world or science. This book provides a brief introduction of Lesser Himalayas, ethnobotanical aspects, marketing and anthropogenic pressure on medicinal flora. It comprises one hundred medicinal plant species including Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms (Monocots and Dicots) along with their scientific description and traditional uses.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this website and its dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly (the various societies, like the Society for Economic Botany, the International Society of Ethnopharmacology, the Society of Ethnobiology, and the International Society for Ethnobiology currently have thousands of members). Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries. This new MRW on Ethnobotany of the Himalayas takes advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. It includes the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants in the Himalayas. Each contribution is scientifically rigorous and contributes to the overall field of study.

The Silk Road, a complex network of trade routes linking China with the rest of the Eurasian continent by land and sea, fostered transformation of the ethnic, cultural, and religious identities of diverse peoples. In Natural Products of Silk Road Plants there is a treasury of plants, many indigenous to countries along the trading routes of the Silk Road, that yielded medicines, cereals, spices, beverages, dyes, and euphoric and exotic compounds previously unknown to the rest of the world. This entry in the Natural Products Chemistry of Global Plants series has been prepared for university students of chemistry and ethnobotany and for those wishing to broaden their knowledge. It opens a window on a vast region of Asia not well described for its flora and provides new and fresh insights on: Significant plants, some endangered Traditional and modern applications of extracts The biochemical and pharmacological properties of extracts Contains over 150 full colour figures The significance of the Silk Road is being revived today through immense investment by China and other eastern countries in major schemes of transport infrastructure.

Himalayan Phytochemicals: Sustainable Options for Sourcing and Developing Bioactive Compounds provides a detailed review of the important medicinal plants which have already been discovered in the Himalayan region, outlining their discovery, activity and underlying chemistry. In addition, it supports a global shift towards sustainable sourcing of natural products from delicate ecosystems. Across the world, environmental destruction and overharvesting of medicinal plants are reducing and destroying multiple important sources and potential leads before researchers have the chance to discover, explore or synthesize them effectively. By identifying this problem and discussing its impact on the Himalayan region, Himalayan Phytochemicals: Sustainable Options for Sourcing and Developing Bioactive Compounds frames the ongoing global struggle and highlights the key factors that must be considered and addressed when working with phytochemicals from endemic plant sources. Reviews both well-known and recently discovered plants of this region Highlights methods for phytochemical extraction and analysis Provides context to support a shift towards sustainable sourcing of natural products

The world faces significant challenges as population and consumption continue to grow while nonrenewable fossil fuels and other raw materials are depleted at ever-increasing rates. This volume takes a technical approach that addresses these issues using green design and analysis. It brings together innovative research, new concepts, and novel developments in the application of new tools for chemical and materials engineers. It is an immensely research-oriented, comprehensive, and practical work that focuses on the use of applied concepts to enhance productivity and sustainability in chemical engineering. It contains significant research that reports on new methodologies and important applications in the fields of chemical engineering as well as the latest coverage of chemical databases. Highlighting theoretical foundations, real-world cases, and future directions, the volume covers a diverse collection of the newest innovations in the field, including new research on atomic/nuclear physics, the barometric formula, amino acids in aqueous solutions, bioremediation and biotechnology, and more.

Drawing on indigenous and scientific knowledge of medicinal plants, Traditional Herbal Therapy for the Human Immune System presents the protective and therapeutic potential of plant-based drinks, supplements, nutraceuticals, synergy food, superfoods, and other products. Medicinal plants and their products can affect the immune system and act as immunomodulators. Medicinal plants are popularly used in folk medicine to accelerate the human immune defence and improve body reactions against infectious or exogenous injuries, as well as to suppress the abnormal immune response occurring in immune disorders. This book explains how medicinal plants can act as a source of vitamins and improve body functions such as enhanced oxygen circulation, maintained blood pressure and improved mood. It also outlines how specific properties of certain plants can help boost the immune system of humans with cancer, HIV, and COVID-19. Key features: Provides specific information on how to accelerate and or fortify the human immune system by using medicinal plants. Presents scientific understanding of herbs, shrubs, climbers and trees and their potential uses in conventional and herbal medicine systems. Discusses the specific role of herbal plants that act as antiviral and antibacterial agents and offer boosted immunity for cancer, H1N1 virus, relieving swine flu, HIV and COVID-19 patients. Part of the Exploring Medicinal Plants series, this book is useful for researchers and students, as well as policy makers and people working in industry, who have an interest in plant-derived medications.

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is considered as storehouse of diverse group of medicinal plant species. Unsustainable in-situ harvesting practices coupled with climate change have posed a serious threat on a number of native and endemic medicinal plants including Angelica glauca and Heracleum candicans (Family-Apiaceae). Ex-situ cultivation of these Endangered species in suitable agro-climatic zones is recommended as conservation strategy. This book comprises of five chapters provides the first hand information on mass multiplication and production technology of these species. The results of experimental trials on seed biology, production of Quality planting materials through seeds and vegetative propagation, cultural practices, phenology, biomass, productivity and post cultivation evaluation of germplasm have been presented in detail. Applications of the results for developing an appropriate strategy for mass scale production and conservation of these species are suggested.

Forests cover thirty-one percent of the world’s land surface, provide habitats for animals, livelihoods for humans, and generate household income in rural areas of developing countries. They also supply other essential amenities, for instance, they filter water, control water runoff, protect soil erosion, regulate climate, store nutrients, and facilitate countless non-timber forest products (NTFPs). The main NTFPs comprise herbs, grasses, climbers, shrubs, and trees used for food, fodder, fuel, beverages, medicine, animals, birds and fish for food, fur, and feathers, as well as their products, like honey, lac, silk, and paper. At present, these products play an important role in the daily life and well-being of millions of people worldwide. Hence the forest and its products are very valuable and often NTFPs are considered as the ‘potential pillars of sustainable forestry’. NTFPs items like food, herbal drugs, forage, fuel-wood, fountain, fibre, bamboo, rattans, leaves, barks, resins, and gums have been continuously used and exploited by humans. Wild edible foods are rich in terms of vitamins, protein, fat, sugars, and minerals. Additionally, some NTFPs are used as important raw materials for pharmaceutical industries. Numerous industry-based NTFPs are now being exported in considerable quantities by developing countries. Accordingly, this sector facilitates employment opportunities in remote rural areas. So, these developments also highlight the role of NTFPs in poverty alleviation in different regions of the world. This book provides a wide spectrum of information on NTFPs, including important references. We hope that the compendium of chapters in this book will be very useful as a reference book for graduate and postgraduate students and researchers in various disciplines of forestry, botany, medical botany, economic botany, ecology, agroforestry, and biology. Additionally, this book should be useful for scientists, experts, and consultants associated with the forestry sector.

Increased research is going on to explore the new cleaner options for the utilization of natural resources. This book aims to provide the scientific knowhow and orientation in the area of the emerging technologies for utilization of natural resources for sustainable development to the readers. The book includes production of energy and lifesaving drugs using natural resources as well as reduction of wastage of resources like water and energy for sustainable development in both technological as well as modeling aspects.

Innovative and fusion technologies have shown an incredible ability to improve various aspects of society, such as healthcare systems. Nanobiotechnology is one such technology that is being applied to medical equipment and treatment approaches. Many pharmaceutical and medical companies have begun to count on medical nanotechnology due to its abundant applications and practical uses. Innovative Approaches for Nanobiotechnology in Healthcare Systems is a pivotal reference source that provides insights into a comprehensive collection of novel techniques used for the development of safe drugs using the available resources for diverse deadly diseases. This book discusses the various platforms of nanobiotechnology that are utilized in various fields. It is expected that bionanosytems will play a crucial role in the treatment of human diseases and the improvement of existing healthcare systems. This book is ideal for scientists, biotechnologists, microbiologists, medical professionals, entrepreneurs, policymakers, researchers, academicians, and students.

"Elementary Knowledge of Indian Medicinal Plants of Uttarakhand Himalaya mainly focuses on the taxonomy and ethnomedicinal uses of plants, and the information provided can be used to identify plants while surveying medicinal plants in the region. This compilation will be helpful for researchers and students working in the field of plant science and other related fields. This textbook is divided into five chapters, and the first chapter reviews the historical aspects of India in terms of traditional knowledge. The second chapter provides a general introduction to the biodiversity of medicinal plants in Uttarakhand, a Himalayan state of India, as well as its geography, population, herbal sector status, temperature and altitudes. The third chapter reviews 600 flowering plants belonging to 108 families. Each plant is described using its Ayurvedic/Sanskrit name, vernacular/local name, botanical properties, distribution, medicinal properties, phytochemical constituents and pharmacological status. The fourth chapter discusses 14 gymnosperms belonging to four families, and the fifth chapter discusses 18 pteridophytes from two families. Photographs of selected plants are also included in a separate section"--